Historic context :

If a clue was needed to prove the lack of modernism of the Russian heavy artillery manufacturers at the start of the XXth centur, it could be given by the existence of this '6 inches 200 puds long barrel gun Model 1904' (200 puds being the barrel weight, 1 pud = 16.34 kg). Modification of the ancient 1877 heavy gun, 200 such guns have been built by the Obuchov Works in 1904 on old fashioned principles similar to the ones of the XIXth century weapons when the other major European nations were only manufacturing modern guns, it was already obsolete before it was even built.

Aligned with the standards of the weapons from the years 1870 - 1890, it had no other recoil recuperation system than simple wooden wedges placed behind the wheels and a hydraulic brake that could be mounted linking the carriage with a anchor point fixed to the ground. Its remarkable ballistic properties given by its good long 30 caliber barrel never could erase the fact it was, in 1904, just comparable to the French guns of the de Bange system born almost 30 years earlier in 1877.

Nevertheless, the Russian army used these 'young old weapons' during WW1. Numerous such guns were captured by the Germans and used by them on the western front. oids en position : 5437 kg (sans bouclier) Calibre : 152.4 mm Longueur du tube : 30 calibres Poids du projectile : 41 kg Vitesse initiale : 600 m/s Portee : 11200 m Pointage en hauteur : -3.5 / +40.5 degres Pointage en direction : aucun

Technical data :

• Complete description : 6 inches 200 puds long barrel gun M 1904
• Design year : 1904
• Calibre : 152.40 mm (6 in)
• Weight in firing position : 5437 kg
• Weight for transportation :
• Tube length in calibres : 30.00
• Grooves : 0 unknown
• Projectile weight : 40 et 41 kg
• Initial speed : 623 and 600 m/s
• Fire rate :
• Range : 11200 m
• Elevation range : -3.5 to +40.5 degrés
• Direction range : none