Lower expected barrel wear favored Britain's use of 45-calibre rather than 50-calibre guns. Longer barrel life mattered when ships operated far from the infrastructure needed to supply replacements. Fewer replacements meant fewer heavy barrels moving backwards and forwards around the world. The choice therefore affected the workload of support facilities and the fleet's supply system.
Notable Point · 1:52:11-1:52:46
Gun-barrel wear and Britain's global supply lines
Longer barrel life could reduce replacement shipments for a navy operating far from its gun-support facilities.