The breech needs enough clearance to recoil and load while the barrel reaches a much steeper elevation. Raising the weapon by roughly six inches would demand a stronger foundation and would affect metacentric height when repeated across a ship's battery. Loading at the full 80-degree position is unnecessary, but the crew still needs a workable high-angle loading position. The proposal also benefits from the Royal Navy's existing pool of sailors trained on the 4.7-inch system, reducing the human transition cost alongside the industrial one.
Notable Point · 9:06-12:14
Mount geometry, stability, and an experienced gun workforce
Making the gun reach 80 degrees requires more than lifting the barrel: the mount, deck foundation, ship stability, loading geometry, and trained crews all shape feasibility.