page_title: RML 40-pounder gun
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: RML 40-pounder gun / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Diagram showing British RML 40 pounder gun on overbank top on travelling siege carriage. a&#160;: vertical bolts securing wrought-iron overbank top to carriage b&#160;: clips for same c&#160;: bolts for same d&#160;: top carriage e&#160;: elevating gear f&#160;: roller g&#160;: breech loop for shifting gun from travelling to firing trunnion holes
context_page_description: The RML 40-pounder gun was a British rifled muzzle-loading siege and fortification gun designed in 1871. It was intended to supersede the RBL 40-pounder Armstrong gun after the British military reverted to rifled muzzle-loading artillery until a more satisfactory breech-loading system than that of the Armstrong guns was developed.
context_section_description: The original Mk I short barrel of 18 calibres suffered from irregular velocity and hence accuracy, due to incomplete burning of the powder charge, hence only 20 were built.
  The Mark II of 1874 with barrel lengthened to 22 calibres solved this problem and became the definitive model.
  The gun consisted of a central toughened steel "A" tube surrounded by wrought-iron coils, with a trunnion ring and cascabel. Rifling was the "Woolwich" pattern of three broad grooves, with a uniform twist of 1 turn in 35 calibres (i.e. in 166.25 inches).
caption: 40-pounder gun on overbank carriage for use in fortifications
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