What rate of fire might a British 18-inch naval gun have achieved?
Short answerAbout five rounds in three minutes, slightly below the two-rounds-per-minute performance associated with the 15-inch gun. The figure is reconstructed rather than a firm trial result.
NotesThe 18-inch gun never acquired a normal service record, so an exact rate would be misleading. Its cordite arrangements and relationship to the 15-inch system support an estimate of roughly five rounds in three minutes. A 15-inch gun firing twice per minute would manage six rounds in the same period. The estimate remains a reconstruction rather than demonstrated trial performance.