Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 48:12-49:41

Ready-use ammunition buys time for the supply chain

A question about ready lockers leads from opening fire to the deck routes and extra crews needed for sustained ammunition supply.

6-inch GunsAmmunition HandlingHMCS HaidaReady Use AmmunitionWarship Crews
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Question

Does the amount of ready-use ammunition limit a gun's sustained firing?

Short answer

It limits the opening period, but mainly buys time for crews to establish a continuous supply from deeper ammunition spaces.

Notes

Ready-use ammunition limits only the opening period if a ship's deeper supply system is functioning. Its purpose is to let the gun fire immediately while additional crew establish the flow from magazines and handling rooms. The chutes and deck arrangements visible on HMCS Haida show how ships prepared those routes. Sustained rate of fire is therefore a shipwide logistics and manpower problem that extends far beyond the locker beside the mounting.