8.8 cm SK L/30
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	German Empire
Service history
In service	1892–1945
Used by	German Empire  Nazi Germany
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designed	1890–1892
Specifications
Mass	644 kilograms (1,420 lb)
Length	about 2.64 meters (8 ft 8 in)
Shell	fixed
Shell weight	7 kilograms (15 lb)[1]
Caliber	88 millimeters (3.5 in)
Breech	horizontal sliding-wedge
Elevation	Depends on mount: MPL C/89: -10° to +20° Ubts.L: -10° to +30°[1]
Rate of fire	15 RPM
Muzzle velocity	590 m/s (1,900 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	Depends on mount: MPL C/89: 7,300 metres (8,000 yd) at +20° Ubts.L: 10,500 metres (11,500 yd) at +30°[1]

The 8.8 cm SK L/30 (SK - Schnelladekanone (quick loading cannon) L - Länge (with a 30-caliber barrel) was a German naval gun that was used in World War I on a variety of mounts.

Description

The 8.8 cm SK L/30 gun weighed 644 kilograms (1,420 lb) and had an overall length of about 2.64 meters (8 ft 8 in). It used the Krupp horizontal sliding block, or "wedge", as it is sometimes referred to, breech design. In addition to mounts for surface ships there was also a submarine version which was on either a retractable or fixed pivot mount. The Krupp mount retracted vertically through a hatch, while the Erhardt version folded down onto the ship's deck.^[1]

Naval service

The 8.8 cm SK L/30 was a widely used naval gun on World War I pre-dreadnoughts, cruisers, coastal defence ships, avisos, submarines and torpedo boats in both casemates and turrets. Its primary use on pre-dreadnoughts, cruisers and coastal defence ships was as an anti-torpedo boat gun, while on avisos, submarines and torpedo boats it was their secondary armament.

Ship classes that carried the 8.8 cm SK L/30 include: