Canadian 6pdr anti tank gun early model

[Rod Bellars (RIP)]

Well here is a project I am awaiting sourcing missing parts and time for me and my specialist welder to get to work on it slowly rebuilding ready for final restoration . Although I like to try and use all orignal parts and preserve as much original finnish as possible it wil not be possible on this gun due to initial condition .
i have done a lot of the stripping on this gun and well on the way to welding in new metal where old was rotted away etc although still a lot of this work needs doing on trail legs the shields and saddle ,recoil slide are all reduilt .
When i first saw this gun many years back it was one of a number of different guns adorning the base at Portsea that was the school of infantry then taken over by army health in final days before disposal . The gun had been subject to worst possible storage under pine trees and 50 yards from sea front :-( for forty years
I tried for a number of years to recover this gun and others but was hamstrung by changes in staff and attitudes to individuals trying to get these items out of army bases in decline .Suddenly one day while reading a local paper i saw an add from a scrap yard, "guns for sale "and went down and to my amazement they had scrapped most of the guns from the base and this scrap dealer was trying to offload them. i immediatly saw a couple of very sick 25pdr and bofor guns and asked if he had any more he said only a small one and it was around the back of course it was the 6pdr and I imediatly bought it and took it home .
Normally on salt damaged guns i dont restore them as its too much of an issue to restore them back to perfect but made an exception with this one as its so rare being firstly a very early short barrel gun and few 6pdr have survived scrap drives here and this one was reasonably complete .

From the paint remains I could see desert camo under the many layers and as odds are it was a significant gun at the time it was selected to adorn the base I would assume it was a gun shipped direct to troops in North Africa and made its way back from there, local made variants differ in barrel lengh and its doubtful many saw overseas service this one being made in 1941 and one of the approx 1400 guns held by Australia of which approx 500 were local made and 120 usa 57mm m1 guns

The gun had severe rustouts in shield bottoms where it sat near ground on concrete postes and these were cut out and replaced with new steel , the saddle also had rot outs and the trails yet to be fully rebuilt and the two bars for "travelling" the gun . the elevator was present and in good conditon one interesting aspect of salt damge is it attacks spots and leaves other areas perfect the elevator was one such perfect spot as was the complete breach mechainsm and breach ring . The barrel was also sound but sleigh sufferred but can be rebuilt I am in need of a set of sheet dust guards here and may have to make these . The recoil housing was rotted behind one trunion and required replaced new steel and milling and the recoil internals were all gone . lucky I have parts of another two guns in bits and salavaged a new unissied recoil mechanism for this gun from one of them but i need the rear lock nut as well . The sight mount and shutter control that bolts to the elevator was misisng and need this if anyone knows of one out there on a range wreck etc .The saddle is rebuilt and sound but the pivot bush was damaged on stripping by me not detecting a weld and needs replacing as well if anoyone has a bush unit out there .The trails are sound but need some cut and shut repairs all sheilds are now fine after repair but need a lower shield flap off front spaced shield again if cant source original may have to make one when we get that far .i have a lot of spare stores for 6pdr ie shield boxes ,cleaning brushes , hubs, axles ,shield and recoil parts , ammo boxes and packings etc and am more than happy to trade for wanted parts even a spare set of tyres that you all know are fairly hard to get