[tanktrack]

Any one know who might have made this gunners quadrant m1a1 or how old it might be no date on it is all brass except for the square pads they are steel and the scale looks to be aluminum serial numbers are in 2 places on the underside of the glass level is 6129938-5 and on the side of the glass level is 8228868C is it USGI would it work on a 1917a1 any info appreciated thanks

 

[slowfire]

there is only one serial number, and that is located next to where it says serial number, the other numbers are probably part number

as will it work for a 1917A1 MG, yeeeah it could be used for the M1917A1, since it has a flat surface to lay the gun in, but I doubt that there is a fire table for those.

those are primary used for indirect fire weapons, ie artillery

 

[tanktrack]

any idea how old this gunners quadrant might be

 

[cptned27]

The deisgn predates WW2. In fact it has not changed, except they are now all steel. I have an almsot brand new one on my desk now, and they are still used on howitzers to measure elevation and cant. Same on tanks, but you probably knwo that.

 

[Armorer]

I have one made by Minneapolis Honeywell Reg Co. in 1943. It is labeled Quadrant Gunners M1. So I guess the M1A1 was made later. Without the makers name on the data plate it's very dificult to tell who made it. As near as I can tell they were used for artillery, mortars and tank gunners but the M1917A1 machine gun came with the Clinometer M1917 which was similar in appearance and function but somewhat smaller and had a rectangular leather case. The case for the quadrant was I believe the M19 and was roughly the shape of the quadrant. The M19 case had a carying strap. I believe the case for the clinometer was worn on a belt and did not have a carrying strap. I suppose the quadrant could be used for the M1917A1.

I notice that the manual for the Browning .30 Cal machine guns from 1955 still shows how to use the clinometer but later manuals dispense with it entirely. That's probably because the use of machineguns in the indirect fire mode had largely disappeared (if it had actually ever been done much) by then. The manual says that the clinometer "is a leveling instrument used for laying the machinegun in elevation or when the gun is laid, for measuring its elevation." but it does not really say why you might wish to do this. These were graduated in mils with 840 mils total elevation and 140 mils total depression.