Range table
A range table was a list of angles of elevation a particular artillery gun barrel needed to be set to, to strike a target at a particular distance with a projectile of a particular weight using a propellant cartridge of a particular weight. They were used for several centuries by field and naval gunners of all countries until gradually replaced by computerised fire-control systems beginning in World War II (1939–1945).
Range table for US 3-inch (76.2 mm) field gun, models 1902-1905
[edit]This gun used a standard "fixed" cartridge with 15 lb (6.8 kg) shell, hence a single set of tables applied to all its ammunition.
Range table for British 3 inch (76.2 mm) Stokes Mortar, 1917
[edit]Different propellant charges were used to achieve required range, angle of descent and flight time. This is typical of mortars and howitzers.
(Provisional) Range Table For 3-Inch Stokes Mortar, Printed in September 1917.[1]
Cartridge : 95 gr (6.2 g) ballistite, reinforced with Charges : 5 grains, guncotton yarn
Rings : 110 gr (7.1 g), .3 mm flake cordite
Projectile : Bomb, 10 lb. 11 oz (4.85 kg)
| Cartridge Only | 1 Ring | 2 Rings | 3 Rings | 4 Rings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight | |
| degs | yds | secs | yds | secs | yds | secs | yds | secs | yds | secs |
| 45 | 240 | 7·1 | 420 | 9·6 | 550 | 11·6 | 660 | 13·2 | 800 | 15·0 |
| 50 | 233 | 7·6 | 411 | 10·4 | 538 | 12·5 | 649 | 14·3 | 780 | 16·2 |
| 52 | 228 | 7·8 | 404 | 10·7 | 530 | 12·9 | 639 | 14·7 | 767 | 16·6 |
| 54 | 222 | 8·0 | 395 | 10·9 | 518 | 13·2 | 626 | 15·1 | 748 | 17·0 |
| 56 | 215 | 8·2 | 384 | 11·2 | 503 | 13·5 | 608 | 15·4 | 726 | 17·4 |
| 58 | 207 | 8·4 | 371 | 11·4 | 486 | 13·8 | 589 | 15·8 | 701 | 17·8 |
| 60 | 197 | 8·5 | 357 | 11·7 | 467 | 14·1 | 567 | 16·1 | 672 | 18·2 |
| 61 | 193 | 8·6 | 349 | 11·8 | 457 | 14·3 | 554 | 16·3 | 656 | 18·4 |
| 62 | 187 | 8·7 | 340 | 11·9 | 445 | 14·4 | 542 | 16·4 | 640 | 18·5 |
| 63 | 182 | 8·8 | 332 | 12·0 | 434 | 14·5 | 528 | 16·6 | 623 | 18·7 |
| 64 | 176 | 8·8 | 323 | 12·1 | 422 | 14·6 | 514 | 16·7 | 605 | 18·8 |
| 65 | 170 | 8·9 | 313 | 12·2 | 409 | 14·8 | 499 | 16·9 | 586 | 19·0 |
| 66 | 164 | 9·0 | 303 | 12·3 | 396 | 14·9 | 483 | 17·0 | 567 | 19·1 |
| 67 | 158 | 9·0 | 292 | 12·4 | 383 | 15·0 | 468 | 17·1 | 547 | 19·2 |
| 68 | 152 | 9·1 | 281 | 12·5 | 369 | 15·1 | 451 | 17·2 | 526 | 19·4 |
| 69 | 145 | 9·2 | 270 | 12·5 | 354 | 15·2 | 434 | 17·4 | 505 | 19·5 |
| 70 | 138 | 9·2 | 259 | 12·6 | 339 | 15·3 | 416 | 17·5 | 483 | 19·6 |
| 71 | 131 | 9·2 | 247 | 12·7 | 324 | 15·4 | 398 | 17·6 | 460 | 19·7 |
| 72 | 124 | 9·3 | 235 | 12·8 | 308 | 15·5 | 379 | 17·7 | 437 | 19·8 |
| 73 | 117 | 9·3 | 223 | 12·9 | 292 | 15·5 | 360 | 17·8 | 413 | 19·9 |
| 74 | 109 | 9·4 | 210 | 12·9 | 275 | 15·6 | 340 | 17·9 | 389 | 20·0 |
| 75 | 102 | 9·4 | 197 | 13·0 | 259 | 15·7 | 320 | 18·0 | 364 | 20·1 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Range Tables transcribed and supplied courtesy of John Reed
References
[edit]- (Provisional) Range Table For 3-Inch Stokes Mortar, September 1917. United Kingdom War Office.
- William Westervelt, "Gunnery and explosives for field artillery officers", Government Printing Office, Washington, 1911, Appendix B.