15-Pounder R.F. Gun and Model of 1902 Barbette Carriage Instruction Manual
$35.00
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15-Pounder R.F. Gun and Model of 1902 Barbette Carriage
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Add an important piece of early twentieth-century U.S. coast artillery documentation to your collection with this reproduction of the 15-Pounder R.F. Gun and Model of 1902 Barbette Carriage Instruction Manual. This manual reproduces the type of technical publication originally issued for one of the lighter rapid-fire coast-defense gun systems used in the era of permanent harbor fortifications, making it a useful reference for collectors, historians, restorers, and museums focused on American seacoast artillery.
As a reproduction, this manual offers the historical appearance and research value of the original without the cost, fragility, and handling concerns that come with scarce period paperwork. It is an excellent companion piece for ordnance collections, fortification displays, museum exhibits, and artillery reference libraries.
The 15-Pounder R.F. Gun and Model of 1902 Barbette Carriage
The 15-Pounder R.F. Gun belongs to the period when the U.S. Army was modernizing its coast-defense system with faster-firing guns intended to protect harbors, mine fields, channels, and fixed fortifications against smaller, faster naval threats. The R.F. designation stands for rapid-fire, reflecting the move toward quicker-loading artillery systems that could deliver repeated fire more efficiently than the heavier, slower-firing guns used for long-range coastal defense.
Mounted on the Model of 1902 Barbette Carriage, this gun formed part of the lighter defensive layer within the broader U.S. harbor-defense network. A barbette carriage was designed to mount the gun in a position where it fired over a parapet, making it suitable for fixed seacoast batteries where strength, controlled recoil, and reliable service were essential.
For collectors and researchers, this combination is historically important because it represents the practical, working side of coastal defense. These were not the largest guns in the fort system, but they were part of the complete layered defense structure that protected American ports and waterways in the years before and after the turn of the twentieth century.
About This Reproduction Manual
This listing is for a reproduction manual, not an original government-issued copy. That makes it especially useful for:
- U.S. coast artillery collections
- harbor-defense and fortification displays
- museum exhibits on American seacoast artillery
- artillery and ordnance reference libraries
- collectors of military manuals, technical books, and historic paperwork
Because it is a reproduction, it can be handled, displayed, and studied much more freely than an original period manual.
Why This Manual Matters
Large guns and carriage components tell only part of the story. Manuals like this explain how the equipment was intended to be mounted, operated, maintained, and understood by the personnel who used it. For collectors and museums, that makes a manual an important companion piece rather than just an accessory.
A reproduction of the 15-Pounder R.F. Gun and Model of 1902 Barbette Carriage Instruction Manual adds historical context to any coast artillery display and helps document the technical side of early U.S. harbor-defense systems. It is especially useful for anyone building a collection around fixed coastal fortifications, rapid-fire coast-defense guns, or pre-World War I American ordnance.
Ideal For
This reproduction manual is a strong fit for:
- U.S. coast artillery collections
- rapid-fire coast-defense gun displays
- fort and harbor-defense museum exhibits
- military manual and paper collections
- research libraries focused on American ordnance history
Approx length 9", Approx width 6", Approx height .1", Approx weight .2lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item's general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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