Would downward-opening breeches save space in German turrets?

Would German naval guns use space more efficiently if their breech blocks moved down instead of sideways?

Downward movement brings gravity and elevation problems; sideways movement consumes turret width, so changing direction does not remove the installation tradeoff.

The question proposes moving German breech blocks downward instead of sideways. Moving a heavy block vertically would require machinery to handle its weight against gravity and could limit gun elevation. Sideways movement creates a different difficulty by demanding space between the guns. The exchange criticizes the German arrangement for the space it consumes, while also acknowledging the problems of the proposed alternative. A mechanism that works well by itself still has to fit and operate inside a naval turret.