Austria-Hungary
10 cm/50 (3.9") Skoda K10 and K11
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Italy
100 mm/47 (3.9") Models 1924, 1927 and 1928
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Russia
100 mm/50 (3.9") "Minizini"
Updated 21 September 2008
Originally designed in 1910 by Skoda and used on Austria-Hungarian destroyers and scout cruisers.  Many ships carrying these guns were ceded to the Italians at the end of World War I.  The Italians were quite impressed with the design and virtually copied it, one of the few changes being a loose liner.  Considered by the Italians to be a good AAA weapon.

In 1930 the Soviet Navy purchased 10 twin mounts from Italy which were installed on the light cruisers Chervona Ukraina and Krasny Kavkaz.  These were known in Russia as "Minizini" after the mount's designer, Commander Minisini.

Sources differ, but these guns or a close variation with a 4" (10.2 cm) bore rather than a 100 mm (3.9") bore were used on the Argentine cruisers of the Veinticinco de Mayo class.

Nomenclature note:  The lengths of these guns were almost identical, the differences as noted in their designations was strictly the result of the way each nation measured barrel length.  See "Definitions and Information about Naval Guns" for further information.
WNIT_39-47_m1924_Saida_pic.jpg

10 cm/50 guns on Austrian-Hungarian cruiser SMS Saida
Note the broadside layout typical of pre-World War I cruisers and the twin torpedo tubes
Dr. Lothar Baumgartner Collection
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Click here for additional pictures
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation Austria-Hungary:  10 cm/50 (3.9") K10 and K11

Italy:  100 mm/47 (3.9") Models 1924, 1927 and 1928

Russia:  100 mm/50 (3.9") "Minizini"
Ship Class Used On Austria-Hungary:  Helgoland, Saida and Tatra classes

Italy:  Cesare, Trento, Zara and all Condotteri classes, San Giorgio as rearmed

Russia:  Chervona Ukraina and Krasny Kavkaz 
Date of Design Skoda:  1910

OTO:  1924, 1927 and 1928
Date In Service Austria-Hungary:  1912

Italy:  1919 (war prizes), 1930 (OTO production)

Russia:  1930
Gun Weight Austria-Hungary:  4,453 lbs. (2,020 kg)

Italian:  4,800 lbs. (2,177 kg)

Russian version:  4,894 lbs. (2,220 kg)
Gun Length oa Austria-Hungary:  N/A

Italian:  196.3 in (4.985 m)

Russian:  196.85 in (5.000 m)
Bore Length Austria-Hungary:  N/A

Italian:  185.0 in (4.700 m)

Russian: 184.8 in (4.694 m)
Rifling Length Russian:  148.9 in (3.782 m)
Others:  N/A
Grooves 26
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume 473.5 in3 (7,760 cm3)
Rate Of Fire Austria-Hungary and Italy:  8 - 10 rounds per minute

Russia:  12 rounds per minute
Note:  Although the numbers given above for the Russian version of this weapon are slightly different, I would tend to believe that both these and the Italian guns would be identical.
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Ammunition
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Type Fixed
Complete Round Weight Austria-Hungary:  57.7 lbs. (26.2 kg)

Italian:  HE - 57.3 lbs. (26.0 kg)

Russian:
AA mod 1928 - 54.23 lbs. (24.6 kg)
HE mod 1915 - 62.17 lbs. (28.2 kg)
HE mod 1928 - 62.17 lbs. (28.2 kg)
Projectile Types and Weights Austria-Hungary:  30.3 lbs. (13.75 kg)

Italian:  HE - 30.4 lbs. (13.8 kg)

Russian
AA mod 1928 - 30.53 lbs. (13.85 kg)
HE mod 1915 - 34.83 lbs. (15.8 kg)
HE mod 1928 - 34.83 lbs. (15.8 kg)
Bursting Charge Austria-Hungary - N/A

Italian - N/A

Russian
AA mod 1928 - 2.95 lbs. (1.34 kg)
HE mod 1915 - 4.34 lbs. (1.97 kg)
HE mod 1928 - 2.73 lbs. (1.24 kg)
Projectile Length Austria-Hungary:  N/A

Italian:  N/A - Complete Round 47.2 in (1.2 m)

Russian
AA mod 1928 - 4.98 calibers
HE mod 1915 - 5.05 calibers
HE mod 1928 - 5.22 calibers
Propellant Charge Austria-Hungary:  14.6 lbs. (6.6 kg) RP

Italian:  11.0 lbs. (5.0 kg)

Russian
11.0 - 10.6 lbs. (5.0 - 4.8 kg)
Russian Cartridge (empty):  16.96 lbs. (7.57 kg)
Muzzle Velocity Austria-Hungary:  2,887 fps (880 mps)

Italy:  2,790 fps (850 mps)

Russian
AA mod 1928 - 2,887 fps (880 mps)
HE mod 1915 - 2,625 fps (800 mps)
HE mod 1928 - 2,625 fps (800 mps)
Working Pressure Russian:  17.8 tons/in2 (2,800 kg/cm2)
Approximate Barrel Life Russian:  500 rounds
Ammunition stowage per gun Italian da Barbiano class
   Peace:  400 rounds
   War:  600 rounds

Others:  N/A
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Range
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Elevation With 30.3 lbs. (13.75 kg) Austria-Hungary HE shell
Range @ 14 degrees About 12,030 yards (11,000 m)
Elevation With 30.4 lbs (13.8 kg) Italian HE shell
Range @ 45 degrees 16,670 yards (15,240 m)
AA Ceiling About 33,000 feet (10,000 m)
Elevation With 34.83 lbs. (15.8 kg) Russian HE mod 1915
Max Range 20,280 yards (18,546 m)
Elevation With 34.83 lbs. (15.8 kg) Russian HE mod 1928
Max Range 21,400 yards (19570 m)
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation
(see Notes)		 Austria-Hungary - Single Mounts
   Helgoland (9), Saida (9) and Tatra (2)

Italy - Twin Mounts
   Cesare (4), Trento (8), Zara (8), da Barbiano (3), Cardorna (3), Montecuccoli (3), Aosta (3), Garibaldi (4) and San Giorgio (5)

Soviet Union - "Minizini" Twin Mounts
   Chervona Ukraina (3) and Krasny Kavkaz (2)

Argentina - Twin Mounts
   Veinticinco de Mayo (6)
Weight  Single Mounts:  7.1 tons (7.24 mt)

Twin Mounts:  14.8 tons (15.0 mt)
Elevation Austria-Hungary:  -4 / +18 degrees

Italian:  -5 / +85 degrees

Russian:  -5 / +78 degrees
Elevation Rate Russian:  7 degrees per second
Others:  N/A
Train 360 degrees
Train Rate Russian:  13 degrees per second
Others:  N/A
Gun recoil Russian:  22.84 - 23.62 in (58 - 60 cm)
Others:  N/A
Loading Angle Any
Notes:

1) Italian heavy cruisers had their two after mountings removed in 1937 and replaced by twin 37 mm/54 mountings.

2) After Chervona Ukrania was sunk in November 1941, two of her 100 mm (3.9") mounts were fitted to Krasnyi Kavkaz during a refit in the autumn of 1942.

3) These mounts could be loaded at any angle by having the cradle trunnions automatically change position such that the breech remained at about the same height.  Although a technical marvel, this slowed the elevation speed and made it difficult for the gun to follow a fast-moving aircraft.  As a result, these weapons were generally limited to firing barrage patterns.
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Data from
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"Italian Warships of World War II" by Aldo Fraccaroli
"Anatomy of the Ship:  The Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni" by Franco Gay and Valerio Gay
"The Battle of Otranto Straits:  Controlling the Gateway to the Adriatic in WWI" by Paul G. Halpern
"Sovetskie Boevye Korabli 1941-45:  IV Vooruzhnie" (Soviet Warships 1941-45:  Volume IV Armament) by A.V. Platonov
"Entsiklopedia Otechestvennoi Artillerii" (Encyclopedia of Fatherland (Russian) Artillery) by A.V. Shirokorad
"Cruisers of World War Two" by M.J. Whitley
and
Tony DiGiulian's personal files
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"Flot vo Slavu Rossii" (Fleet in Honor of Russia) CD
K.u.k. Kriegsmarine (Hrsg.), Exerzierreglement für die Bedienung des 10 cm G. L/50; Pola 1915
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Special help from Vladimir Yakubov, Erwin F. Sieche and Georg v. Rauch