 The primary armament of the Kongō class consisted of eight 45-calibre 14-inch guns, mounted in four superfiring twin-gun turrets. The turrets had an elevation capability of − 5 / + 20 degrees except in Kongō whose turrets had a maximum elevation capability of + 25 degrees. The shells could be loaded at any angle and the guns had a firing cycle of 30 – 40 seconds. These guns and their turrets underwent multiple modernizations throughout the ships' careers. During the first reconstruction of the class during the 1920s, the elevation of the main guns was increased to a maximum of + 33 degrees. The recoil mechanism of the guns was also changed from a hydraulic to pneumatic system, which allowed for a faster firing cycle of the main guns.
