| 180 mm Pattern 1931–1933 | |
| Origin: | Soviet Union |
| Type: | Naval gun Coastal artillery Railway gun |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Is Explosive: | yes |
| Is Artillery: | yes |
| Service: | 1931–1990s |
| Used By: | Soviet Union |
| Wars: | World War II |
| Design Date: | 1929 |
| Production Date: | 1931–1933 |
| Variants: | 180 mm/60 Pattern 1931 180mm/57 Pattern 1932 180 mm/56 Pattern 1933 |
| Weight: | NaNsp=usNaNsp=us |
| Length: | NaNsp=usNaNsp=us |
| Part Length: | NaNsp=usNaNsp=us |
| Cartridge: | Separate loading bagged charge and projectile |
| Cartridge Weight: | 97.5sp=usNaNsp=us |
| Caliber: | 180sp=usNaNsp=us 56-60 Caliber |
| Rate: | 4-5 rpm |
| Velocity: | 900sp=usNaNsp=us |
| Max Range: | NaNsp=usNaNsp=us at +50°[1] |
| Elevation: | Single naval mounts: -5°to +60° Triple naval mounts: -5° to +50° Coastal & Rail mounts: -0° to +50° |
The 180 mm Pattern 1931–1933 were a family of related naval guns of the Soviet Navy in World War II, which were later modified for coastal artillery and railway artillery roles. They were the primary armament of the Soviet Union's first cruisers built after the Russian Civil War.
The 180 mm Pattern 1931–1933 guns weren't a single model of gun, but instead were a family of related guns, either built from converted 203sp=usNaNsp=us/50 Pattern 1905 guns which were relined down to 180sp=usNaNsp=us or they were newly built guns. The original guns were constructed of a three piece A tube, reinforced by two layers of outer tubes and a jacket.[2] The lengths of these guns varied between 56-60 calibers and their weights varied, but their performance was similar.
The main variants of gun and mount were:
In 1933 the Soviets purchased plans for the contemporary Raimondo Montecuccoli-class (third in the sequence of Italian Condottieri-class light cruisers) from the Italian firm of Ansaldo. This new class of cruisers was known as the Kirov-class and were armed with nine 180 mm/57 B-1-P Pattern 1932 (7.1 in) guns in three MK-3-180 triple turrets. Like their Italian contemporaries the Kirov-class cruisers suffered many of the same design flaws. These included abnormally high muzzle velocity and poor barrel life. Shot dispersion due to the guns being mounted too closely together on a common cradle and crowded turrets which hampered crew efficiency, ammunition handling and rate of fire.
180 mm/56 Pattern 1933 – Coastal artillery built from converted 203 mm guns. The barrels for these guns were shortened from the original 60 calibers to 56 calibers and they were mounted on open MO-8-180 or MO-1-180 single mounts and MB-2-180 twin turrets. Ballistic performance was similar to the 180 mm/60 B-1-K Pattern 1931, these guns also had short barrel lives and reduced charges were used to prolong barrel life. These guns were deployed in defensive emplacements along the Pacific, Arctic, Baltic and Black Sea coasts.
180 mm/56 Pattern 1933 – Railway artillery built from converted 203 mm guns. The barrels for these guns were shortened from the original 60 calibers to 56 calibers and they were mounted on TM-1-180, single gun, shielded mounts. Ballistic performance was similar to the 180 mm/60 B-1-K Pattern 1931, these guns also had short barrel lives and reduced charges were used to prolong barrel life.