Why naval gun inflation is hard to measure

Which measure best captures naval gun inflation?

There is no single measure because gun number, caliber, shell and broadside weight, rate of fire, and range can change independently.

The exchange shows why a single claim about naval gun inflation can conceal several different trends. Gun count and caliber describe different kinds of growth, while shell weight and total broadside weight measure the delivered mass of fire. Rate of fire can increase combat output even when caliber remains unchanged, and longer range changes when that output can be used. Any comparison therefore needs to state which measure is increasing rather than treating firepower as one simple quantity.