List of the largest cannon by caliber

Early 15th-century Flemish giant cannon Dulle Griet at Ghent (caliber of 660 mm)

This list contains all types of cannon through the ages listed in decreasing caliber size. For the purpose of this list, the development of large-calibre artillery can be divided into three periods, based on the kind of projectiles used, due to their dissimilar characteristics, and being practically incommensurable in terms of their bore size:

  • Stone balls: Cannon of extraordinary bore, which fired stone balls, were first introduced at the turn of the 14th to 15th century in Western Europe. Following a logic of increasing performance through size, they had evolved from small handguns to giant wrought-iron or cast-bronze bombards within a span of just several decades.[1]
  • Iron balls and shot: By the 16th century, however, a general switch from stone balls to smaller, but much more effective iron projectiles was in full swing. This and the parallel tendency towards standardized, rapid-firing cannon made the enormously costly and logistically demanding giant guns soon obsolete in the European theatre (with the exception of the odd showpiece).[2]
  • Explosive shells: In the Industrial Age, artillery was again revolutionized by the introduction of explosive shells, beginning with the Paixhans guns. Breakthroughs in metallurgy and modes of production were followed up by new experimentation with super-sized caliber weapons, culminating in the steel colossi of the two World Wars. In the post-war era, the development of extremely overpowered artillery was gradually abandoned in favour of missile technology, while heavy guns are still demanded by various arms of the service.

The list includes only cannons that were actually built, that is, cannons that existed only as concepts, ideas, proposals, plans, drawings or diagrams ("paper cannons" if you will) are excluded. Also excluded are those cannons that were only partially built (not a single complete artillery piece of the cannon type in question built). The list includes cannons that were completed (fully built) but did not fire even once (or there is debate/insufficient evidence about whether the cannons were ever fired). Also cannons that never were used in combat are included. Naturally the list only includes real cannons (made from metal and meant to be fired with gunpowder and a projectile to cause major destruction) and replicas etc. (made from plastic or fiberglass for example) and other non-real cannons (meaning those cannon-like pieces that were not meant to be fired with gunpowder and a projectile capable of causing major destruction) are excluded.

Cannon by caliber

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Stone balls

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Heyday: 15th to 17th centuries

Caliber (mm) Name Type Produced Place of origin Made by Remarks
A view of the Tsar Pushka, showing its massive bore and cannonballs. 890[CB 1] Tsar Cannon Bombard 1586 Tsardom of Russia Andrey Chokhov 1 made; it is debated whether the cannon was ever fired (evidence of gunpowder residue in the gun has been found in some studies); never used in combat; 1 survives
Backside of the Pumhart von Steyr 820[CB 2][3] Pumhart von Steyr Bombard Early 15th century House of Habsburg,  Holy Roman Empire 1 made; 1 survives
745[CB 3] Basilic Bombard 1453 Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire Orban 1 made; used in combat; none survive
Engraving by Johann Georg Beck from 1717 735[CB 4][6] Faule Mette Bombard 1411 City of Brunswick,  Holy Roman Empire Henning Bussenschutte 1 made; fired 12 times during its existence; none survive
The Malik-i-Maidan at the western ramparts of Bijapur fort 700 Malik-i-Maidan Bombard 1549 City of Bijapur, Adil Shahi dynasty Muhammad Bin Husain Rumi 1 made; used in combat; 1 survives
The Dulle Griet at Ghent, close to the Friday Market square in the old town 660[7] Dulle Griet Bombard First half of 15th century City of Ghent, County of  Flanders, Duchy of  Burgundy 3 made (the Dulle Griet, the Mons Meg, and a third piece that went to France); used in combat; 2 survive (the Dulle Griet and the Mons Meg)
635 Thanjavur cannon (Rajagopala Beerangi) Bombard 1620 Thanjavur Nayaks Vikas Naikwade 1 made; used in combat; 1 survives
Dismantled Dardanelles Gun in 2007 at Fort Nelson 635[8][9] Dardanelles Gun or Great Bronze Gun Bombard 1464 Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire Munir Ali 1 made; used in combat; 1 survives
530[10] Galeazzesca Vittoriosa Bombard 1471 Duchy of Milan

Caliber: 530 mm (ball diameter); Mass: ~ 8.6-8.8 t; Shell weight: 209 kg[11]

Giovanni Garbagnate
520[12] Faule Grete Bombard 1409 Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights Heynrich Dumechen 1 made; used in combat
520-820 Grose Bochse Bombard 1408 Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights 1 made
Mons Meg with its 50 cm caliber cannonballs 520[13] Mons Meg Bombard 1449 Mons, County of Hainaut, Duchy of Burgundy Jehan Cambier 3 made (the Mons Meg, the Dulle Griet, and a third piece that went to France); used in combat; 2 survive (the Mons Meg and the Dulle Griet)
Bronze bombard of the Knights Hospitaller cast in 1480. 510[CB 5][14] Bombard 1480 Knights Hospitaller

Iron balls and shot

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Heyday: 16th to 19th centuries

Caliber (mm) Name Type Produced Place of origin Made by Remarks
Kanone Greif 280[15] Kanone Greif Scharfmetze ("medium size") 1524 Electorate of Trier Master Simon 1 made; evidence of being fired exists; no evidence of use in combat exists; 1 survives
The Jaivana cannon 280 Jaivana 1720 Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur Riyasat 1 made; fired once; never used in combat; 1 survives
Dalmadal 286 Dal Madal Kaman/Dala Mardana 1565[16][17] or 1742[18] (differing sources) Mallabhum, Malla dynasty Jagannath Karmakar[19] 1 made; according to an Indian local legend of divine intervention, fired only once in battle;[20] 1 survives
Jahan Kosha 152 Jahan Kosha Cannon 1637[21][22] Bengal Subah, Mughal Empire Janardan Karmakar 1 made; 1 survives
240 Zamzama 1757 Durrani Empire Shah Nazir 2 made; used in combat; 1 survives
390 Roaring Meg Mortar 1646 Kingdom of England Created by Colonel Birch for the Siege of Goodrich Castle
508 Dahlgren smoothbore cannons, XX inch 1864 American Civil War John A. Dahlgren 4 made; never used in combat
508 M. 1864 20-inch Rodman gun 1864 American Civil War Thomas Jackson Rodman 2 made; 2 survive
508 20 inch Perm Tsar Cannon/"Perm Giant" 1868 Russian Empire Motovilikha manufacturing plant 1 made; never used in combat; 1 survives

Twenty-inch (508 mm) Rodman and Dahlgren smoothbore cannons were cast in 1864 during the American Civil War[citation needed]. The Rodmans were used as seacoast defense. Although not used as intended, two 20-inch Dahlgrens were intended to be mounted in the turrets of USS Dictator and USS Puritan. Both Rodman gun and Dahlgren gun were designed to fire both shot and explosive shell.

Explosive shells

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Heyday: 19th to 20th centuries. List contains cannons of 16 inch and greater caliber.

Caliber (mm) Name Type Produced Place of origin Made by Remarks
Mallet's Mortar with 36 inch shells which would have contained 480lb (217kg) of gunpowder 914 Mallet's mortar Mortar 1857 United Kingdom United Kingdom Robert Mallet 2 made; never used in combat; 2 survive
Little David at the Aberdeen Proving Ground 914 Little David Mortar 1945  United States 1 made; never used in combat; 1 survives
The Schwerer Gustav Railway gun 800 Schwerer Gustav Railway gun 1941  Nazi Germany Krupp 1 made; used in combat; sister gun to Dora; none survive
US Soldier with 800mm gun dora 800 Dora Railway gun 1942  Nazi Germany Krupp 1 made; unknown if used in combat (that is, unknown if fired in anger); sister gun to Schwerer Gustav; none survive
The Mortier monstre 610[23][24] Mortier monstre Mortar 1832 Belgium Belgium Henri-Joseph Paixhans 2 made; used in combat; at least 1 survives
60 cm Karl-Gerät "Ziu" firing in Warsaw, August 1944 600
(later, 540) 		Karl-Gerät Mortar 1940  Nazi Germany Rheinmetall 7 made; used in combat; one survives
520 Obusier de 520 modèle 1916 Railway howitzer 1918 France France Schneider et Cie 2 made; used in combat; none survive
508 Dahlgren smoothbore cannons, XX inch Naval gun 1864  United States John A. Dahlgren 4 made; never used in combat
508 M. 1864 20-inch Rodman gun Naval gun 1864  United States Thomas Jackson Rodman 2 made; 2 survive
508 20 inch Perm Tsar Cannon/"Perm Giant" 1868 Russian Empire Motovilikha manufacturing plant 1 made; never used in combat; 1 survives
The 36 cm 45 caliber 5th Year Type at Kamegakubi Proving Grounds in December, 1945. The actual size is 48 cm. 480 45 caliber 5 Year Type 36 cm gun Naval gun 1918–1922  Empire of Japan Kure Naval Arsenal
The Japanese battleship Yamato under construction 460 46 cm/45 Type 94 Naval gun 1940  Empire of Japan Kure Naval Arsenal ~27 made; used in combat; main guns of battleships Yamato and Musashi; the largest ever ship-installed gun by caliber; none survives
Boche Buster at Catterick, 12 December 1940 457.2 BL 18 inch railway howitzer Railway howitzer 1920 United Kingdom United Kingdom Elswick Ordnance Company 5 made; never used in combat; one survives
An 18-inch gun fitted to HMS Furious (47) in a single-gun turret (1917) 457.2 BL 18 inch Mk I naval gun Naval gun 1916  United Kingdom Elswick Ordnance Company 3 made; used in combat; the largest ever ship-installed gun by shell weight; none survives
A display at the U.S. Navy Dahlgren Naval Weapons Facility 457 18"/48 caliber Mark 1 gun Naval gun 1942  United States 1 made; never used in combat; one survives
Elswick 100-ton gun at Gibraltar 450 100-ton gun(RML 17.72 inch gun) Naval gun 1877 United Kingdom United Kingdom Elswick Ordnance Company 15 made; 2 survive
Admiral Felice Napoleone Canevaro and the officers of Italia pose under a pair of her 17-inch (432-mm) guns. 432 432 mm (17 in) guns Naval gun (?)1877 (?)United Kingdom United Kingdom (?)Elswick Ordnance Company
One of the first Big Berthas being readied for firing 420 Big Bertha Howitzer 1910s  German Empire Krupp 12 made; used in combat; none survive
Side view of a Gamma-Gerät 420 42 cm Gamma Mörser Mortar 1910s  German Empire /  Nazi Germany Krupp 10 made; used in combat; no known survivors
2B1 Oka 420 2B1 Oka Self-propelled artillery 1957  Soviet Union KBM, Kirov Plant 4 made; never used in combat; at least one survives
Austro-Hungarian 42 cm Haubitze M. 14/16 420 42 cm Haubitze M. 14/16 Howitzer 1914-1918  Austria-Hungary Škoda 8 made; used in combat
BL 16.25 inch naval gun 412.8 BL 16.25 inch Mk I naval gun Naval gun 1888  United Kingdom Elswick Ordnance Company 12 made; never used in combat
406 mm gun from Japanese battleship Mutsu 410 41 cm/45 3rd Year Type Naval gun 1920  Empire of Japan about 40 made
410 Experimental 41-cm-Howitzer Howitzer 1926 Empire of Japan Japan Steel Works
Crowds in New York watch the shipment of the 16-inch coastal defense gun M1895, January 1915 406 16-inch gun M1895 Coastal Artillery 1895  United States Watervliet Arsenal 1 made; never used in combat; none survive
16 inch Coastal Defense Gun at Aberdeen Proving Ground 406 16"/50 caliber M1919 gun Coastal Artillery 1919  United States Watervliet Arsenal at least 7 made; never used in combat
16-inch howitzer M1920 at Fort Story, Virginia 406 16-inch howitzer M1920 Coastal Artillery 1920  United States Watervliet Arsenal probably 5 made, 4 deployed; never used in combat; none survive
USS Colorado (BB-45) with her 16"/45 caliber gun turrets 406 16"/45 caliber gun Naval gun 1914-1920  United States Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., Bethlehem Steel 41 made
16 inch Mark 2 Gun at the Washington Navy Yard 406 16"/50 caliber Mark 2 gun Naval gun 1917-1922  United States Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., Bethlehem Steel 71 made
Port/forward turret on HMS Inflexible 406 80-ton gun (RML 16 inch gun) Naval gun 1874 United Kingdom United Kingdom Royal Gun Factory 8 made; 2 survive
Guns of HMS Rodney at maximum elevation, 1940 406 BL 16 inch Mk I naval gun Naval gun 1927  United Kingdom 29 made
Batterie Lindemann gun, 1942 406 40.6 cm SK C/34 gun Naval gun 1934  Nazi Germany Krupp at least 12 made
2A3 Kondensator 406 2A3 Kondensator 2P Self-propelled artillery 1956  Soviet Union KB SM, Kirov Plant 5 made (1 prototype, 4 production); never used in combat; at least one survives
A 406 mm/50 B-37 naval gun in MP-10 test mount 406 406 mm/50 B-37 naval gun for Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleships Naval gun 1937  Soviet Union Barrikady Plant, Stalingrad
16"/45-caliber guns aboard the battleship USS South Dakota (BB-57) 406 16"/45 caliber Mark 6 gun Naval gun 1941  United States Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
A cutaway of a turret mounting 16-inch guns 406 16"/50 caliber Mark 7 gun for the Iowa-class battleships Naval gun 1943  United States Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
HARP 16-inch (410 mm) gun 417 Project HARP 16.4 inch gun Research gun 1962-1968  United States
 Canada 		Repurposed American 16 inch naval guns used for high-altitude atmosphere studies. 1 made, located in Barbados; never used in combat; 1 survive
406 Project HARP 16 inch gun Research gun 1962-1968  United States
 Canada 		Repurposed American 16 inch naval guns used for high-altitude atmosphere studies. 2 made, located in Highwater Range in Quebec and in the Yuma Proving Ground; never used in combat

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The bombard has a conical bore of 82.5–90 cm.
  2. ^ The bombard has a conical bore of 76–88 cm.
  3. ^ Bown[4] indicates a larger bore of 36 in (914 mm), but Hollenback[5] says that Kritoboulos, a contemporary source, indicates a circumference of 12 spans and concludes that in this case the smallest of three possible sizes of span is the correct unit, giving 0.745 m for the bore. Hollenback also notes that granite cannonballs dating from the siege of Constantinople had a diameter of 0.711 m and could have been shot from this weapon using a wooden sabot.
  4. ^ The bombard has a conical bore of 67–80 cm.
  5. ^ The bombard has a conical bore of 45–58 cm.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Schmidtchen 1977b, pp. 228–230
  2. ^ Schmidtchen 1977a, pp. 153–161
  3. ^ Schmidtchen 1977a, p. 162; ball diameter is 20 mm less (p. 171, Fn. 41).
  4. ^ Stephen R. Bown (2005). A Most Damnable Invention: Dynamite, Nitrates, and the Making of the Modern World. Penguin Group. ISBN 0-670-04524-1.
  5. ^ George M. Hollenback (2002), "Notes on the Design and Construction of Urban's Giant Bombard", Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 26 (1): 284–291, doi:10.1179/030701302806932231, S2CID 161056159
  6. ^ Schmidtchen 1977b, p. 222; ball diameter is 20 mm less (p. 171, Fn. 41).
  7. ^ Schmidtchen 1977a, p. 164; ball diameter is 20 mm less (p. 171, Fn. 41).
  8. ^ "Gun - Turkish Bombard - 1464". Royal Armouries. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  9. ^ ffoulkes, Charles (July 1930). "The 'Dardanelles' Gun at the Tower". The Antiquaries Journal. 10 (3): 217–227. doi:10.1017/S0003581500041032.
  10. ^ E. Rocchi, Le artiglierie italiane nel Rinascimento, Rome, 1899
  11. ^ L. Beltrami, La Galeazesca Vittoriosa, Milan, 1916
  12. ^ Schmidtchen 1977b, p. 218; ball diameter is 20 mm less (p. 171, Fn. 41).
  13. ^ Schmidtchen 1977a, p. 166; ball diameter is 20 mm less (p. 171, Fn. 41).
  14. ^ Schmidtchen 1977b, p. 236, Fn. 103
  15. ^ Archiv für die Officiere der Königlich Preußischen Artillerie- und Ingenieur-Korps, Vol. 19, Berlin, Posen, Bromberg 1846, p. 101
  16. ^ Dasgupta, Biswas & Mallik 2009, p. 55.
  17. ^ "ASI, Kolkata Circle".
  18. ^ Sengupta, Kaustubh Mani; Das, Tista, eds. (2009). Heritage Tourism: An Anthropological Journey to Bishnupur. Mittal Publications. p. 55. ISBN 9788183242943. LCCN 2009310777.
  19. ^ Chatterjee, Annesha (27 June 2019). "Bengal's artillery". The Statesman (India). Kolkata. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024. Jagannath Karmakar, an experienced blacksmith and engineer from the district of Bishnupur was the principle man behind the manufacture of the cannon.
  20. ^ Sengupta, Kaustubh Mani; Das, Tista, eds. (12 August 2021). Rethinking the Local in Indian History: Perspectives from Southern Bengal. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781000425529. LCCN 2021007732. Narrating the legend of Madanmohan, the patron god of Bishnupur, who assumed human form and fired the famous Dalmadal Cannon to oust the bargis (Maratha invaders), she argues that divine myths have deep cultural roots that influenced the production of local histories.
  21. ^ Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh: Humanities, Volumes 36-38 Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, 1991
  22. ^ The Land of the rupee Bennett, Coleman, 1912, the University of Michigan
  23. ^ Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon, Vol. 14, Leipzig 1908, p. 160: "Mörser": caliber of 61 cm
  24. ^ Journal des Sciences Militaires, 2nd series, Vol. 22, Paris 1838: caliber of 22 pouces = 59,6 cm (p. 49); outer diameter of the barrel: 1 m (p. 54)

References

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  • Schmidtchen, Volker (1977a), "Riesengeschütze des 15. Jahrhunderts. Technische Höchstleistungen ihrer Zeit", Technikgeschichte, 44 (2): 153–173
  • Schmidtchen, Volker (1977b), "Riesengeschütze des 15. Jahrhunderts. Technische Höchstleistungen ihrer Zeit", Technikgeschichte, 44 (3): 213–237
  • Dasgupta, Gautam Kumar; Biswas, Samira; Mallik, Rabiranjan (2009), Heritage Tourism: An Anthropological Journey to Bishnupur, A Mittal Publication, p. 55, ISBN 978-8183242943
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