Russian Artillery Equipment
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Contents
Introduction
The great reformer of the Russian artillery in this era was General-Feldzeugmeister Count Peter Ivanovitch Schuvalov (1710-1762). Although he had little formal academic ballistic knowledge, his enthusiasm and ability to push forward improvements to the weapons and equipment bordered on genius. He came at just the right moment, for Peter the Great had neglected his artillery and many infantry regiments were now without their guns. He was supported by Mikhail Vasilievich Danilov (1722-1790) and by Peter Alexandrovich Rumyantsev (1725-1796).
Artillery Pieces
The artillery pieces of the Russian army were heavier that those of western European powers. Each piece was accompanied by two small ammunition wagons, holding 120 solid shot and 30 canister rounds.
Cannon
The Russian field artillery used 12-pounder, 8-pounder and 6-pounder cannon. The 3-pounder cannon were attached to infantry battalions.
In 1759, 181 of Schuvalov's secret howitzers, oval-muzzled pieces were issued to the infantry regiments in place of their 3-pounders; after one short year, they were withdrawn again and concentrated into batteries within the field artillery. Some of these weapons were captured by the Prussians, others were given to the Austrians; neither nation found them to be effective enough to be adopted into their armouries.
3-pdr Cannon


Each 3-pdr cannon had 2 small mortars fixed to its carriage. Each 3-pdr cannon was drawn by 2 horses.
6-pdr Cannon

These guns could fire balls, canister, and ¼ pud grenades. They were in use in the Russian army for about 100 years.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Shuvalov 6-pdr | 492 kg | 146 cm | ? cm | 15 ¼ | 2.84 kg | 9.57 cm | ? | ? kg | 7 |
8-pdr Cannon
Each 8-pdr cannon was drawn by 9 horses.
12-pdr Cannon
These guns could fire balls and big grenades. They were in use in the Russian army for about 100 years.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Shuvalov 12-pdr | 820 kg | 201 cm | ? cm | 16 ½ | 6.07 kg | 12.19 cm | conical | ? kg | 15 |
Howitzer
The Russian artillery used 1-Pud (a Pud weighed 16,4 kg) and 1/2-Pud howitzers.
1/2-Pud Shuvalov Secret Howitzer

Each 1/2-Pud howitzer was drawn by 7 horses.
![]() Russian Shuvalov Secret Howitzer – Picture taken at the Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps reproduced with the kind authorisation of the website: SYW.CWG.narod.ru |
![]() Detail of the bore of a Russian Shuvalov Secret Howitzer – Picture taken at the Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps reproduced with the kind authorisation of the website: SYW.CWG.narod.ru |
1-Pud Howitzer

Each 1-Pud howitzer was drawn by 15 horses.
Unicorn
The Russian artillery also used a ballistic oddity: the “Unicorn”, a cross between a cannon and a howitzer. Therefore, it could fire, bombs, incendiary bombs, cannonballs and canister. This piece took its name from the unicorn (in fact Shuvalov's arms) decorating its breeche. It was lighter than a cannon and easier to move on the battlefield, but the reduced charge meant that its range was limited. Its main drawback was that it requires more time to load than most cannon, this seriously reducing its fire rate.
8-pdr Unicorn

Each unicorn had a 2-horse draught and 1 artilleryman; two 2-horse draught ammunition wagon with 1 servant each. Ready ammunition per piece was 60 bombs, 10 cannonballs and 50 canister rounds.
These pieces took more time to load than a 3-pdr cannon. However, their canister fire was stronger than 3-pdr and they could easily be transported on bad roads impracticable to 3-pdr cannon. These unicorns could also be disassembled. They were in use in the Russian army for about 100 years.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shuvalov 8-pdr Unicorn | ? kg | ? cm | ? cm | 9 | 3.63 kg ball 2.72 kg grenade |
? cm | conical | 0.68 kg | 2 |
12-pdr Unicorn
These pieces were also designated as “¼-Pud Unicorn”. Each unicorn had a 2-horse draught and 1 artilleryman; three 2-horse draught ammunition wagon with 1 servant each. Ready ammunition per piece was 60 bombs, 10 cannonballs and 50 canister rounds.
When fighting cavalry, their use of grenades was more effective than the cannonballs fired by 3-pdr cannon. They were in use in the Russian army for about 100 years.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shuvalov 12-pdr Unicorn | 197 kg | 109.7 cm | ? cm | 9 | 6.07 kg ball 4.15 kg grenade |
12.19 cm | conical | 1.02 kg | 2 |
24-pdr Unicorn

These pieces were also designated as “½-Pud Unicorn”. Each unicorn had a 5-horse draught and 2 artillerymen; five 3-horse draught ammunition wagon with 1 servant each. Ready ammunition per piece was 90 bombs, 10 fireballs and 50 canister rounds.
They weighed less than 6-pdr cannon and fired as 12-pdr cannon. They loaded twice faster than Russian howitzers of this period and could fire bombs, balls and canister.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shuvalov 24-pdr Unicorn | 410 kg | ? cm | ? cm | 9 | 10.89 kg ball 9.07 kg bomb |
? cm | conical | 2.27 kg | 5 |
48-pdr Unicorn
These pieces were also designated as “1-Pud Unicorn”. Each unicorn had a 7-horse draught and 3 artillerymen; six 3-horse draught ammunition wagon with 1 servant each. Ready ammunition per piece was 70 bombs, 10 fireballs and 70 canister rounds.
They were very accurate for firing at earth fortifications. Because of their small weight, they were used in the field.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shuvalov 48-pdr Unicorn | 738 kg | ? cm | ? cm | 9 | 21.77 kg ball 18.14 kg bomb |
? cm | conical | 3.17 kg | 7 |
96-pdr Unicorn

These pieces were also designated as “2-Pud Unicorn”. Each unicorn had a 16-horse draught and 6 artillerymen; twelve 3-horse draught ammunition wagon with 2 servants each. Ready ammunition per piece was 90 bombs, 10 fireballs and 50 canister rounds.
They were very accurate for firing at earth fortifications. They could advantageously replace 2-pud mortars because they could fire at distant range as far as 3,000 meters (mortars had a range of about 1,500 meters). In fact this piece could fire fireballs and bombs as far as 5,300 meters. No other piece could do that.
Canister used in these pieces had 8 times more balls than the canister for a 24-pdr cannon.
Model | Barrel Weight |
Barrel Length |
Barrel Bore |
Calibre (Ratio Length/Shot Diameter) |
Shot Weight |
Shot Diameter |
Chamber | Charge | Horses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shuvalov 96-pdr Unicorn | 1476 kg | ? cm | ? Cm | 7 ½ | 43.54 kg ball 32.8 kg bomb |
? cm | conical | 5.44 kg | 16 |
Mortars

The Russian field artillery used 2-Pud (a Pud weighed 16,4 kg) mortars while 6-pounder Coehorn mortars where attached to infantry battalions. Each 2-Pud mortar was drawn by 9 horses.
Types of Shot
Artillery cannon used solid shot and grape or canister. All howitzers used explosive shells as well as incendiary bombs.


Firing Procedures
No information available yet
Piece Barrel
As with the artillery of other nations at this time, the bronze barrels were ornately decorated and the pieces were heavier that those of western European powers.
Gun Carriages
No information available yet
References
Dawson, A L and P L Dawson and Stephen Summerfield, Napoleonic Artillery, Crowhurst Press, 2007
Großer Generalstab, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher). Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen. Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. vol. IV Gross-Jägerndorf und Breslau, Berlin 1902, Anlagen 1, Das Kaiserlich Russische Heer, p. 9-13
Konstam, Angus; William Younghusband; The Russian Army of the Seven Years War
Korobkov, N.; Siemiletniaja wojna: (diejstwia Rossi w 1756-1762 g.g.), Moscow, 1940
Russian websites
- http://wars175x.narod.ru/art_rus18_2.html
- http://syw-cwg.narod.ru/art_01_rgm.html
- http://wars175x.narod.ru/art_rus18.html
- http://syw-cwg.narod.ru/art_02.html
- http://www.museum.ru/museum/1812/army/Nilus/index.html
- http://www.museum.ru/museum/1812/army/Nilus/Tables.html
Stein, F von, Geschichte des Russischen Heeres vom Ursprung Desselben bis zur Thronbesteigung des Kaisers Nikolai I Pawlowitch, Leipzig 1895
Acknowledgments
Digby Smith for the initial version of this article and Tomasz Karpiński from Gniezno/Poznań for additional information