The Ordnance BL 12-pounder 7cwt[note 1] was the British Army's field gun which succeeded the RML 13-pounder 8 cwt in 1885.

The carriage was found to be too complicated and dust caused the metal surfaces of the axle traversing device to seize.

The 12-pounder 6 cwt gun was thus developed in 1892, when the new more powerful cordite replaced gunpowder, as a lighter alternative.

It had a barrel 18 inches (460 mm) shorter, on a lighter and simpler carriage, and it entered service with the Royal Horse Artillery in 1894.

The introduction of Cordite also led to the decision that the 12-pounder was capable of firing a heavier shell up to 15 lb (6.8 kg).