Gonzalez Hontoria de 12 cm mod 1883

Gonzalez Hontoria de 12 cm mod 1883
A 12 cm Hontoria 1883 gun aboard the Spanish Cruiser Isla de Cuba
Type	Naval gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	Spain
Service history
In service	1886-1930
Used by	Spain
Wars	Spanish American War
Production history
Designed	1883
Produced	1886
Specifications
Weight	2.6 t (2.9 short tons)
Length	4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Barrel length	4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) 35 caliber
Height	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Shell	Separate loading 13 kg (29 lb) smokeless powder bagged charge and projectile
Shell weight	24 kg (53 lb)
Caliber	120 mm (4.7 in)
Breech	Interrupted screw
Muzzle velocity	612 m/s (2,010 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	10 km (6.2 mi) at +25°

The Gonzalez Hontoria de 12 cm mod 1883 was a Spanish naval gun developed in the late 1800's that armed a variety of warships of the Spanish Navy during the Spanish-American War.

The Hontoria guns were designed by José González Hontoria a Spanish inventor, field marshal of marine infantry and brigadier of the navy. During the 1800's Spain lagged behind other European powers in industrialization and Spain imported weapons from Krupp, Armstrong Whitworth and Schneider et Cie. During the 1860's and 1870's, Hontoria studied explosives, metallurgy, and industrial production with the aim of developing an indigenous arms industry.

In 1879 Hontoria designed a series of naval guns ranging from 20 cm (7.9 in) to 7 cm (2.8 in) which would lay the foundation for his later guns. The 1879 series like Ordóñez guns of the same period were breech loading, black powder, built up guns, with steel A tube and cast iron reinforcing hoops. The 1883 series was a step forward in that they were breech loading, built up guns, with forged steel A tube and forged steel reinforcing hoops. The Hontoria 1883 series ranged in size from 32 cm (13 in) to 12 cm (4.7 in) and were 35 calibers in length. They were produced by the Arsenal de la Carraca in Cadiz and the Royal Ordnance Works at Trubia in Asturias. During the 1890's some 12 cm, 14 cm and 16 cm were converted to quick fire guns with assistance from Schneider et Cie.