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Atomic Annie

Short answer: In the Grable test (May 25, 1953, Nevada), the 83-ton M65 Atomic Cannon fired the only nuclear artillery shell in history.

VideoWrite-up

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What should you know about Atomic Annie?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Atomic Annie, the M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, is the only artillery piece ever to fire a nuclear shell.

    DD-004-F01 · Write-up · Intro

  2. The M65 Atomic Cannon, nicknamed Atomic Annie, weighed 83 tons.

    DD-004-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit A

  3. On May 25, 1953, in Nevada, Atomic Annie fired the only nuclear artillery shell in history during the Grable test.

    DD-004-F03 · Write-up · Exhibit B

  4. The nuclear shell fired in the 1953 Grable test had a yield of about 15 kilotons.

    DD-004-F04 · Write-up · Exhibit C

  5. Atomic Annie fired the Grable test's nuclear shell about 7 miles downrange.

    DD-004-F05 · Write-up · Exhibit D

  6. The 1953 Grable test was part of the U.S. nuclear test series Operation Upshot-Knothole.

    DD-004-F06 · Reel transcript (burned-in captions)

Video transcript: Atomic Annie: The Only Cannon Ever to Fire a Nuclear Shell (Grable Test, 1953)

Did you know? The Grable test was a historic U.S. nuclear weapons test conducted in 1953 during Operation Upshot-Knothole, notable for being the only time a nuclear weapon was fired from a cannon. The device was launched by Atomic Annie, an enormous 280 mm artillery gun, which fired a nuclear shell roughly seven miles before it detonated in the air with a yield of about 15 kilotons, similar to the Hiroshima bomb. Now you know!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (caption-band strips) · 24s Reel ·

Video coming soonAtomic Annie · Instagram Reel
Atomic Annie: The Only Cannon Ever to Fire a Nuclear Shell (Grable Test, 1953) Instagram Reel · · 24s

The write-up

The M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, nicknamed Atomic Annie, is the only artillery piece ever to fire a nuclear shell.

  1. Exhibit A

    M65 280mm Atomic Cannon

    Atomic Annie weighed 83 tons.

  2. Exhibit B

    The Grable test

    On May 25, 1953, in Nevada, it fired the only nuclear artillery shell in history.

  3. Exhibit C

    15 kilotons

    The shell's yield was about 15 kilotons.

  4. Exhibit D

    About 7 miles

    The shell was fired about 7 miles downrange.

Questions people ask about Atomic Annie

How much did Atomic Annie, the M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, weigh?

Atomic Annie weighed 83 tons.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (M65 280mm Atomic Cannon)

On what date did Atomic Annie fire its nuclear shell in the Grable test?

The Grable test took place on May 25, 1953, in Nevada.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The Grable test)

How many nuclear artillery shells have ever been fired?

Atomic Annie's Grable shot was the only nuclear artillery shell ever fired.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The Grable test)

What was the approximate yield of the Grable shell?

The Grable shell's yield was about 15 kilotons.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (15 kilotons), from the Reel

About how far downrange was the Grable shell fired?

The shell was fired about 7 miles downrange.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (About 7 miles), from the Reel

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How much did Atomic Annie, the M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, weigh?

    1. 8 tons
    2. 30 tons
    3. 83 tons
    4. 250 tons
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. 83 tons Atomic Annie weighed 83 tons. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (M65 280mm Atomic Cannon)

  2. On what date did Atomic Annie fire its nuclear shell in the Grable test?

    1. May 25, 1953
    2. July 16, 1945
    3. August 6, 1945
    4. October 30, 1961
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. May 25, 1953 The Grable test took place on May 25, 1953, in Nevada. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The Grable test)

  3. How many nuclear artillery shells have ever been fired?

    1. Dozens
    2. Exactly two
    3. Just one
    4. None
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Just one Atomic Annie's Grable shot was the only nuclear artillery shell ever fired. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The Grable test)

  4. What was the approximate yield of the Grable shell?

    1. About 1 kiloton
    2. About 15 kilotons
    3. About 150 kilotons
    4. About 15 megatons
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. About 15 kilotons The Grable shell's yield was about 15 kilotons. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (15 kilotons), from the Reel

  5. About how far downrange was the Grable shell fired?

    1. About 700 yards
    2. About 1 mile
    3. About 70 miles
    4. About 7 miles
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. About 7 miles The shell was fired about 7 miles downrange. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (About 7 miles), from the Reel

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Atomic Annie." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-004, last updated Apr 25, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/atomic-annie/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/atomic-annie/ · Last updated

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