How can a common Royal Navy gun outperform a more refined weapon with better trial figures?
Short answerSea conditions, ship movement, reliability, and rate of fire matter; land-based trial performance does not reproduce the full operational problem.
NotesA refined design or impressive trial result does not automatically make a destroyer or gun superior. A shore trial cannot reproduce a moving ship, a moving target, sea conditions, reliability demands, and a crew under combat pressure. The Royal Navy preferred rapid-firing, somewhat smaller guns because more rounds created more chances to correct for movement and secure a hit. Operational context matters more than isolated maximum figures from controlled tests.