Ordnance QF 6-pounder

Ordnance QF 6-pounder 7 cwt
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

The Ordnance Quick-Firing 6-pounder 7 cwt,^{[note 1]} 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.

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.

^ Windrow, Martin (20 September 2018). French Foreign Légionnaire vs Viet Minh Insurgent: North Vietnam 1948–52. Combat 36. Osprey Publishing. pp. 50–59. ISBN 9781472828910.
^ Cite error: The named reference Yemen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. New York: Collier. p. 17. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.

Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).

[Viet_Minh-1] Windrow, Martin (20 September 2018). French Foreign Légionnaire vs Viet Minh Insurgent: North Vietnam 1948–52. Combat 36. Osprey Publishing. pp. 50–59. ISBN 9781472828910.

[Yemen-2] Cite error: The named reference Yemen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:0-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. New York: Collier. p. 17. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[note 1]

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^[1] Korean War 1956 Suez War North Yemen Civil War^[2] 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)^[3]
Height	4 ft 2 in (1.28 m)^[3]
Crew	6

Shell	Fixed QF 57×441 mmR^[3]
Calibre	2.244 in (57 mm)
Breech	Vertical sliding-block^[3]
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic^[3]
Carriage	Split trail
Elevation	-5° to +15°
Traverse	90°
Rate of fire	15 rpm^[3]
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