3-inch gun M1903
| 3-inch gun M1898, M1902, M1903 | |
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3-inch gun M1903
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| Type | Rapid-fire seacoast gun |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1899–1945 |
| Used by | United States Army Coast Artillery Corps |
| Wars | World War I and World War II |
| Production history | |
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| Specifications | |
| Weight |
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| Shell | Fixed ammunition, 15 lb (6.8 kg) shell |
| Caliber | 3-inch (76.2 mm) |
| Action | Hand operated |
| Breech | interrupted screw, De Bange type |
| Recoil | hydrospring, 45 inches (114 cm) |
| Carriage |
M1898: masking parapet (retractable) |
| Elevation | -5° – +16° (+15° for M1898 and M1902) |
| Traverse | 360° (limited by emplacement in most cases) |
| Rate of fire | 12 rounds/minute (up to 30 rounds/minute maximum) |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) |
| Effective firing range |
M1902: 10,988 yd (10,047 m) at 16° elevation |
| Maximum firing range | 12,000 yd (11,000 m) approx. |
| Feed system | Manual |
| Sights | Telescopic |
M1898: masking parapet (retractable)
M1902: 10,988 yd (10,047 m)
at 15° elevation
The 3-inch gun M1903 and its predecessors the M1898 and M1902 were rapid fire breech-loading artillery guns with a 360-degree traverse. In some references they are called "15-pounders" due to their projectile weight. They were originally emplaced from 1899 to 1917 and served until shortly after World War II. These 3-inch guns were placed to provide fire to protect underwater mines and nets against minesweepers, and also to protect against motor torpedo boats. In some documentation they are called "mine defense guns". The 3-inch guns were mounted on pedestal mounts (or a retractable "masking parapet" mount for the M1898) that bolted into a concrete emplacement that provided cover and safety for the gun's crew.
The 3-inch mine defense guns were part of a comprehensive plan of new fortifications specified by the Endicott Board of 1885. The new forts included guns up to 12-inch (305 mm) on disappearing carriages, to conceal the fort from observation from the sea. The 3-inch guns were the smallest of these guns, intended to protect remotely controlled minefields against minesweepers. For most of their service they were operated by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps.
The M1898 was the first of the new 3-inch guns developed. It was manufactured by Driggs-Seabury and was on an M1898 "masking parapet" retractable carriage, conceptually similar to the disappearing carriages of the larger guns. 111 of these weapons were emplaced 1899–1905. The carriage could only be retracted when the gun was at a particular train angle (in most installations 90° off the emplacement axis in either direction), thus it provided no concealment in action. Eventually the retraction feature was disabled, with the modified carriage designated M1898MI. The weapon was in any case small enough that the risk of observation from the sea was minimal. Most or all of the M1898 guns and carriages were removed from service in 1920 due to obsolescence and probably the manufacturer's bankruptcy.
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Wikipedia