42 line gun M1877
Encyclopedia
42 line gun M1877 was a siege gun used by the Russian Imperial Army in late 19th and early 20th centuries. The word "line" in the designation refers to a measurement unit
which equals 0.1 inch. Curiously, the "model year" was not the year when the weapon was designed or standardized, but the year when a new rifling system was adopted.
The gun was initially developed by the German
arms manufacturer Krupp
and was based on an earlier 105 mm piece. The 105 mm weapon was demonstrated to a group of Russian Army officers along with a 120 mm design. The delegation liked the 105 mm weapon, but wanted Krupp to change the caliber to a traditional Russian caliber of "42 lines" (106.7 mm). Later the weapon entered production in Russia; it remained in production until 1903.
It should not be confused with the 42 Line battery gun Model of 1877, a field gun version which had a shorter barrel and lower muzzle velocity.
Line (length)
The line is a unit of measurement, one line being equal to of an English inch. It was defined as one-quarter of a barleycorn, which defined the inch even before 1066. The French ligne was simarly defined as of the pouce...
which equals 0.1 inch. Curiously, the "model year" was not the year when the weapon was designed or standardized, but the year when a new rifling system was adopted.
The gun was initially developed by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
arms manufacturer Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
and was based on an earlier 105 mm piece. The 105 mm weapon was demonstrated to a group of Russian Army officers along with a 120 mm design. The delegation liked the 105 mm weapon, but wanted Krupp to change the caliber to a traditional Russian caliber of "42 lines" (106.7 mm). Later the weapon entered production in Russia; it remained in production until 1903.
It should not be confused with the 42 Line battery gun Model of 1877, a field gun version which had a shorter barrel and lower muzzle velocity.