The QF 14-pounder was a 3-inch medium-velocity naval gun used to equip warships for defence against torpedo boats. It was produced for export by Maxim-Nordenfelt (later Vickers, Sons and Maxim) in competition with the Elswick QF 12-pounder 12 cwt and QF 12-pounder 18 cwt guns.
Service The gun equipped ships built in Britain for various foreign navies including Chile.
Victorian Colonial Navy In 1897, two guns were mounted on , of the Colonial Navy of Victoria (Australia). In 1900, these guns were removed, mounted on field carriages and went to China with the Victorian Naval Contingent – a part of British forces in the Boxer Rebellion. These two guns were non-standard and fired QF fixed rounds (i.e. the cartridge was loaded with shell attached) unlike the standard guns which fired separate ammunition (i.e. shell and cartridge loaded as separate items). They were therefore left behind in China in favour of the standard QF 12-pounder.HMVS Cerberus armament
In Victorian naval service in the 1890s the gun is reported as firing a shell weighing 14 lbs to a range of 8,000 yards with a muzzle velocity of 2100 ft/second, using a 6.5 lb black powder charge.From additions to 1890 Manual for Victorian naval forces circa. 1895. HMVS Cerberus website
Victorian coastal artillery 14-pounders were used for coastal defence at Fort Nepean, Fort Pearce and Fort Queenscliff.
British ammunition In British service the guns fired the same 3-inch 12.5 lb shell as QF 12-pounder guns. Cordite Cartridges circa. 1905 Mk II Common pointed shell Mk II & Mk III Common Lyddite shell Mk IV Common Lyddite shell with internal night tracer, 1914
See also List of naval guns
References
External links
QF 14-pounder slide show at Friends of the Cerberus website