Armed merchant cruisers as commerce raiders

Was British armed merchant cruiser armament sufficient for commerce raiding?

It was sufficient against merchant vessels, but another armed merchant cruiser would be dangerous to both lightly protected ships.

Ordinary merchant targets made modest armament useful. Against another armed merchant cruiser, both ships combined substantial guns with vulnerable merchant hulls. A purpose-built cruiser was preferable for that fighting. The sophistication of merchant-cruiser fire control remains uncertain. These ships supported Britain's wider practice of trade protection and warfare.