Krupp 87mm field gun M. 1886

Bulgarian designation :8,7-см далнобойно полско оръдие “Круп”87-мм нескорострелно полско оръдие “Круп”Krupp designation :9cm Feldkanone C/80Calibre :87mm L/24Weight of the barrel :450 kgWeight of the breech-block :38.5 kgWeight of the carriage :610 kgWeight in action :1060 kgWeight of the limber :500 kg (empty) – 895 kg (loaded)Weight in marching order :1955 kgWeight of ammunition wagon :2075 kgLength of the barrel :2.1 mLength of the bore :1865 mmLength of twist :3915 mm – 45 calibresBarrel groovesnumber :24depth :1.25 mmwidth :8.40 mmBattering charge :1.5 kg of black powder (Grobkörniges Art.-Pulver)600 g of Russian pyroxylin smokeless powder П.К.О.530 g of 7x7x5.5 scaly nitroglycerine powder K.R.500 g of 4x4x1 scaly nitroglycerine powder D.R.P.Common shellweight :6.21 kg – charge: 210 glength :215 mmmax. range :6800 mShrapnel C/88weight :7.1 kg – charge: 80 g of black powder180 bullets x 16 glength :188 mmfuze :time – graduated up to 10’max. range :2600 mShrapnel C/91weight :7.1 kg – charge: 80 g of black powder260 bullets x 13 glength :188 mmfuze :time and percussion – graduated up to 15”max. range :4000 mShrapnel C/97weight :7.1 kg – charge: 90 g of black powder305 bullets x 11 glength :188 mmfuze :time and percussion – graduated up to 17”max. range :4500 mCase shotweight :6.7 kg – 82 zinc ballsmax. range :400 mMuzzle velocity :460 m/s with common shell435 m/s with shrapnelRemaining velocity :217 m/s at 6000 m with common shell195 m/s at 4000 m with shrapnelLength of the line of sight  :1050 mmElevation :+ 24° / + 8°Track :1.528 mTransport :drawn by six horsesAmmunition :carriage – 1 case shotlimber – 30 rounds, 2 case shots and 35 chargesammunition wagon – 85 rounds, 2 case shots and 90 charges8 ammunition wagons for every eight-guns battery (with six-guns batteries only 6 ammunition wagon)Remarks :Slow firing jacket field gun (Mantelrohr), cylindro-prismatic wedge breech mechanism with an expanding steel obturating ring, traverse on pivot. It was fitted with a direct fire sight and aiming circle. It was modernised to use smokeless powder, but the rapidity of fire was not very great. It was adopted also by the Rumanian and Turkish Army.More pictures from Sofia Military MuseumMore pictures from a Krupp cataloguefrom a Flickr file of the “Biblioteca do Exército Português” (thanks to MC Heunis)