Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:01:10-3:03:14

Pounder names do not convert neatly to caliber

Common pounder labels are learned individually; the captioned six-pounder example is inconsistent, so the passage should not be used as a conversion table.

2-Pounder Guns6-Pounder GunsGun CalibresNaval GunneryNaval Terminology
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Question

Is there an easy conversion from naval pounder names to gun diameter?

Short answer

Learn the common pairs individually. No dependable general conversion is supplied, and the six-pounder figure is inconsistent in the captions.

Notes

Common gun labels and their associated diameters have to be learned individually. The two-pounder is paired with 40 mm and the twelve-pounder with 76 mm. The six-pounder example moves between 57 mm and 37 mm in the captions, so this passage is not a reliable conversion table. Its consistent advice is to learn the individual associations rather than assume that a proportional increase in projectile weight gives the same increase in diameter.