[Allied Armament]

We have a parts kit that came to us as a 1919 but the sideplate although identical to a 1919's has relief cuts for a sidefire and it has 3/4 extra holes in the front. Does anyone know what model this may be???

 

[Lucky#13]

James,

Sounds like an early tank or aircraft gun. I am very interested. Can you get pics? E-mail me at [email protected]

 

[Allied Armament]

Well I can get pics but I am away from the shop for about a week, so you'll have to anticipate a wait. Unfortunately whoever rearsenaled the gun in Israel, filled and welded the sideplates side fire. but, it doe do one thing it gives us the position of the sidefire if ever needed.

 

[Lucky#13]

Thanks, James. No hurry!

 

[slowfire]

could be for attaching a spotting device, something that shoots tracer rounds. or a subcaliber device used for training to sight the weapon in. many years ago.....20 or more years back, some civilain whiz kid, who had more education then common sense, at the Logistics compound at Ft. Lewis, came up with this hookey platform that was mounted on the VULCAN barrels, so a M60 MG could be attached, with a solonid attached to the trigger that connected to the gun motor, so that when you pressed the control panel trigger, it activated the solonoid on the M60 and fired the ammo from it.........it was suppose to let gunners practice areial firing on Ft. Lewis, without having to go to YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER to fire 20mm rounds........the concept seemed sound, but in practical application it sucked......when you elevated the cannon to track the aerial target, a giant RC styroform plane that looked like a MIG-27, the rounds didn't feed right into the M60, and it constantly jammed.

 

[Lucky#13]

Well, I may be misinterpreting the description. What I am thinking of is the early guns that had openings for the side mount trigger a la M2. Reversible feed wasn't developed yet, but early versions of the stirrup bottom plate were showing up. I am just wondering if this is a left over from that period. Interesting, to say the least!

I have an oddball Left Side Plate that I believe is a leftover from Westinghouse production. It has all the marks of a Westinghouse plate, but never received the dovetail for the 1917 bottom plate. Seems it got finished much later into a 1919, but it also had some odd shaped sight bracket on it at one time. The out line and the remains of welds show where it was. No telling of that happened before or after it was removed from government service, though.