Ordnance QF 6-pounder
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6-pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, serving during the Second World War as a primary anti-tank gun of both the British and United States Army (as the 57 mm Gun M1). It was also used as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles.
| Ordnance QF 6-pounder 7 cwt | |
|---|---|
QF 6-pounder at Rawalpindi | |
| Type | Anti-tank gun Tank gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942–1960 |
| Used by | Allies of World War II and other users |
| Wars | World War II First Indochina War Korean War 1956 Suez War North Yemen Civil War Nigerian Civil War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1940 |
| Produced | 1941–1945 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2,520 lb (1,140 kg) Mk II 2,679 lb (1,215 kg) Mk IV and M1 |
| Barrel length | Mk II, III: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m) 43 calibres Mk IV, V and M1: 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) 50 calibres |
| Width | 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) |
| Height | 4 ft 2 in (1.28 m) |
| Crew | 6 |
| Shell | Fixed QF 57×441 mmR |
| Calibre | 2.244 in (57 mm) |
| Breech | Vertical sliding-block |
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic |
| Carriage | Split trail |
| Elevation | -5° to +15° |
| Traverse | 90° |
| Rate of fire | 15 rpm |
| 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 |
Although designed before the start of the war, it did not reach service until the North African Campaign in April 1942. There, it replaced the 2-pounder as an anti-tank gun, allowing the 25-pounder gun-howitzer to revert to its intended artillery role.
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