During World War II the monitor Faà di Bruno (redesignated as GM 194) still carried these weapons and there were a total of ten guns mounted in Italian coastal defenses as of June 1940.  During modernization programs prior to World War II, the coastal fortifications at Genoa and Augusta had their turrets modified for increased elevation.

There were three types of these guns, Elswick Pattern "A" (Pozzuoli), Vickers Mark "A" (Terni) and Schneider-Ansaldo.  The first two were wire-wound but the last was of monobloc construction.

Unlike many other European 38 cm guns, the bore of this gun was actually 381 mm (15.0").  Actual bore length may have been 40.9 calibers.

381 mm/40 (15") guns on Italian monitor Faà di Bruno
Photograph courtesy of Eugenio Vajna, whose grandfather was her last captain

Battery Amalfi/S.Panagia
Ufficio Storico Marina Militare (USMM) Photograph

381 mm/40 (15") guns under construction at the Ansaldo Works
The heavy box is apparently a counter weight
Photograph courtesy of Eugenio Vajna

381 mm/40 (15") and smaller guns under construction at the Schneider-Ansaldo Works
Photograph courtesy of Eugenio Vajna