Krupp continued theoretical research on a replacement for the Paris Gun during the Weimar Republic-era, but it was the Nazi government that finally authorized funding for experiments to solve some of its worst problems.

It is believed that the one Paris Gun destroyed by a premature detonation in the bore was caused by loading one of the serially numbered shells out of order.

For transport the gun itself was disconnected from its recoil system and drawn back some 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) to reduce the mounting's overall length and allow it to fit in the normal railroad loading gauge.

This placed the breech perilously close to the ground and a hydraulic jacking system was built in each subframe to elevate the mount 1 metre (3.3 ft).

Krupp discovered, on trying to rectify this problem, that hydro-pneumatic balancing-presses could work at much greater weights and pressures than previously believed.

The British recovered shell fragments near Rainham, Kent, 88 kilometres (55 mi) from the nearest point on the French coast.