Ordnance QF 6 pounder
| Ordnance QF 6-pounder 7 cwt | |
|---|---|
QF 6 pounder at Batey ha-Osef
|
|
| Type |
Anti-tank gun Tank gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942–1960 |
| Used by |
British Empire Canada United States Israel Ireland Netherlands Pakistan South Korea France USSR Brazil Philippines |
| Wars |
World War II Korean War 1956 Suez War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1940 |
| Produced | 1941–1945 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2,520 lb (1,140 kg) |
| Barrel length | Mk II, III: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m) 43 calibres Mk IV, V and M1: 50 calibres |
| Crew | 6 |
|
|
|
| Shell | 57×441 mm. R |
| Calibre | 2.24 in (57 mm) |
| Breech | vertical sliding block |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -5° to +15° |
| Traverse | 90° |
| Muzzle velocity | See ammunition table |
| Effective firing range | 1,650 yd (1,510 m) |
| Maximum firing range | 5,000 yd (4,600 m) |
| Sights | No.22c |
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6 pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, serving as a primary anti-tank gun of the British Army during World War II, as well as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles. It was first used in North Africa in April 1942, and quickly replaced the 2 pounder in the anti-tank role, allowing the 25 pounder to revert to its intended artillery role. The United States Army also adopted the 6 pounder as their primary anti-tank gun under the designation 57 mm Gun M1.
Limitations of the existing 2-pounders were apparent even as the gun was first entering service, and an effort was made to replace it with a much more capable weapon starting as early as 1938. The Woolwich Arsenal was entrusted with the development. The 57 mm calibre was chosen for the new gun. Guns of this calibre were employed by the Royal Navy from the late 19th century, and therefore manufacturing equipment was available. The design was complete by 1940, but the carriage design was not completed until 1941. The production was further delayed by the defeat in the Battle of France. The loss of equipment - most of the BEF's heavy equipment had to be left behind in France during Operation Dynamo - and the prospect of a German invasion made re-equipping the army with anti-tank weapons an urgent task, so a decision was made to carry on the production of the 2 pounder, avoiding the period of adaptation to production, and also of re-training and acclimatisation with the new weapon. It was estimated that 100 6-pounders would displace the production of 600 2-pounders. This had the effect of delaying production of the 6-pounder until November 1941 and its entry into service until May 1942.
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