Canon de 194 mm Modèle 1893-1896
# Canon de 194 mm Modèle 1893-1896

The Canon de 194 mm Modèle 1893-1896 was a turret mounted medium-caliber naval gun used as the primary armament of a number of armored cruisers of the French Navy during World War I.

## Design

The mle 1893/1896 guns were typical built-up guns of the period with several layers of steel reinforcing hoops. The guns used an interrupted screw breech and fired separate loading bagged charges and projectiles.

## Naval service

Ships that carried the Mle 1893-1896 include:

* Gloire class - The primary armament of this class of five armored cruisers consisted of two, 194/40 guns, in single turrets, fore and aft.
* Gueydon class - The primary armament of this class of three armored cruisers consisted of two, 194/40 guns, in single turrets, fore and aft.
* Léon Gambetta class - The primary armament of this class of three armored cruisers consisted of four, 194/40 guns, in twin turrets, fore and aft.
* Jeanne d'Arc - The primary armament of this armored cruiser consisted of two, 194/40 guns, in single turrets, fore and aft.
* Pothuau - The primary armament of this armored cruiser consisted of two, 194/40 guns, in single turrets, fore and aft.

## Ammunition

The Mle 1893-1896 used separate-loading ammunition with a bagged charge weighing 33.8-kilogram (75 lb).

| Shell type | Weight | Muzzle velocity |
| - | - | - |
| Armor-piercing, capped | 90 kg (200 lb) | 840 m/s (2,800 ft/s) |
| Common shell | 75 kg (165 lb) | 875 m/s (2,870 ft/s) |
| Semi-armor-piercing, capped | 89.5 kg (197 lb) | 840 m/s (2,800 ft/s) |
