A range table was a list of angles of elevation a particular artillery gun barrel needed to be set to, to strike a target at a particular distance with a projectile of a particular weight using a propellant cartridge of a particular weight. They were used for several centuries by field and naval gunners of all countries until gradually replaced by computerised fire-control systems beginning in World War II (1939–1945).

Range table for US 3-inch (76.2 mm) field gun, models 1902-1905

This gun used a standard "fixed" cartridge with 15 lb (6.8 kg) shell, hence a single set of tables applied to all its ammunition.

Range tables for US 3-inch field gun, models 1902-1905.

Range table for British 3 inch (76.2 mm) Stokes Mortar, 1917

Different propellant charges were used to achieve required range, angle of descent and flight time. This is typical of mortars and howitzers.

(Provisional) Range Table For 3-Inch Stokes Mortar, Printed in September 1917.[1]
Cartridge : 95 gr (6.2 g) ballistite, reinforced with Charges : 5 grains, guncotton yarn
Rings : 110 gr (7.1 g), .3 mm flake cordite
Projectile : Bomb, 10 lb. 11 oz (4.85 kg)

Cartridge Only 1 Ring 2 Rings 3 Rings 4 Rings
Range Time of
Flight		 Range Time of
Flight		 Range Time of
Flight		 Range Time of
Flight		 Range Time of
Flight
degs yds secs yds secs yds secs yds secs yds secs
45 240 7·1 420 9·6 550 11·6 660 13·2 800 15·0
50 233 7·6 411 10·4 538 12·5 649 14·3 780 16·2
52 228 7·8 404 10·7 530 12·9 639 14·7 767 16·6
54 222 8·0 395 10·9 518 13·2 626 15·1 748 17·0
56 215 8·2 384 11·2 503 13·5 608 15·4 726 17·4
58 207 8·4 371 11·4 486 13·8 589 15·8 701 17·8
60 197 8·5 357 11·7 467 14·1 567 16·1 672 18·2
61 193 8·6 349 11·8 457 14·3 554 16·3 656 18·4
62 187 8·7 340 11·9 445 14·4 542 16·4 640 18·5
63 182 8·8 332 12·0 434 14·5 528 16·6 623 18·7
64 176 8·8 323 12·1 422 14·6 514 16·7 605 18·8
65 170 8·9 313 12·2 409 14·8 499 16·9 586 19·0
66 164 9·0 303 12·3 396 14·9 483 17·0 567 19·1
67 158 9·0 292 12·4 383 15·0 468 17·1 547 19·2
68 152 9·1 281 12·5 369 15·1 451 17·2 526 19·4
69 145 9·2 270 12·5 354 15·2 434 17·4 505 19·5
70 138 9·2 259 12·6 339 15·3 416 17·5 483 19·6
71 131 9·2 247 12·7 324 15·4 398 17·6 460 19·7
72 124 9·3 235 12·8 308 15·5 379 17·7 437 19·8
73 117 9·3 223 12·9 292 15·5 360 17·8 413 19·9
74 109 9·4 210 12·9 275 15·6 340 17·9 389 20·0
75 102 9·4 197 13·0 259 15·7 320 18·0 364 20·1

Notes

  1. ↑ Range Tables transcribed and supplied courtesy of John Reed

References

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