3.7" AA drill round.

[Quatermass]

I picked this up earlier in the week, its a 'Cartridge, Drill, Q.F. 3.7-Inch, Mark I'.

Conditions not to bad but I wondering if I should try and tidy up the woodwork with some new varnish and polish up the brass work?
The top strengthening band has come away slighty from the body (pic 4), I've no idea how to fix that, any ideas?

Any ideas on how much its worth? I picked it up (hopefully) cheaply but I've never seen one for sale before so I've no real idea on value.

P.S. The round next to the 3.7-inch in pic 1 is a 2-PR drill for scale.

 

[roller63]

Nice looking object QM, two options really, a full resto job or just a clean and a coat of Briwax or similar, depends on how you want it to look. Personally I don't like shiny brass on my ordnance but not that many grenades made of brass so not really a problem. Good find though. Tony.

 

[Quatermass]

Its a difficult one Tony, it appears from the 'Pass the Ammuntion' booklet that originally the brass would have been polished but I do like the aged patina the round has at the moment.

I would like to do something with the wood, would you recommend a full strip or as you say just a coat of Beeswax?

 

[roller63]

You could try waxing the wood first and seeing what it looks like, if you dont like it then it would come off easily with some white spirit. I think it would look odd if the the wood looked new and not the brass or the other way around.

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Nice rare item ?

Hi "Q" what a nice item that is and I would reckon pretty rare as I have never seen one before.

It's condition is fairly good but I observe from your attached photo's that it would originaly have been machined Brass which was then varnished or lacquered over the top to maintain it's new look along with polished wood.

If it were mine I would be tempted to do a restoration job on it as the work looks to be fairly straight forward and easily achievable.

 

[waffenamt]

Hey Q!
Ive picked one up a couple of weeks ago for 165. Its hopefully going for a swap next week with a fellow BOCN member.

best

waff

 

[Quatermass]

Thanks Tony and Chris, I think I'll try a 'sympathetic' restoration, I'll beeswax the wood and see how that looks before I attempt to polish up the brass.

Any idea how I could bend back the top band?

Waff, could you post a picture of your round? My round cost less than a third of yours so not such a bad find.

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Soft solder or Fatigue ?

"Q" from the looks of your picture I wonder if the top band has been soft soldered together or it has just "fatigued" and broken ??

If it has been soft soldered then I suggest a good clean up once removed and another application of flux and solder-if it has fatigued then pm me !

 

[Gambardier]

Very nice - my Grandfather served on the 3.7" AA Gun, my dad has a shell casing but always fancied a whole shell

 

[Quatermass]

"Q" from the looks of your picture I wonder if the top band has been soft soldered together or it has just "fatigued" and broken ??

If it has been soft soldered then I suggest a good clean up once removed and another application of flux and solder-if it has fatigued then pm me !

Thank Chris, The bands are made with a joint so I'm guessings its not fatigued?
I've attached a photo of both bands for you to look at.

Theres a little 'give' in the band and I'm wondering if I clamp the gap shut, then just tightening the screw may hold it in place?
Now would I need to buy myself a brass screwdriver to protect the screw head from damage?

 

[waffenamt]

Hi Q,
here we are pal..


cheers

waff

 

[Gspragge]

I'm thinking

If you undo the screws does the band come off ? It rather looks to me like a factory "brass weld" or joint that has split. If the band comes off you might be able to squeese it together (I see that you can) and have it rebrazed, but on the inside? solder wouldn't be strong enough.If it goes together with the screw tightened I wouldn't worry then. Try the wax, a total redo would involve taking the whole apart and it looks pretty good now.

 

[navyman]

Hello Quatermass,
For shrunken woodwork, eg; rifle stocks that have been displayed in centrally heated rooms, I use boiled linseed oil applied with a paintbrush. Keep applying a little at a time allowing time for it to be absorbed until the wood will take no more. wipe excess off with a clean lint free rag and buff up. The linseed can be mixed with a little turpentine to thin it. This can take quite a few days for the wood to gradually soak up the linseed if too much is applied at once and the wood becomes sticky, again use turps to remove excess.
Regards,
navyman.

 

[waffenamt]

I restored the wood transport case for my KwK43 round by using some Sunflower oil and it came up a treat!!

best

waff

 

[mach1bang]

Hi QM,I have a mint one of these with a no 208 mk1 fuze marked inert.3 one piece brass collars,no joins, top one threaded for fuze,one at bottom of olgive,one where shoulder of case would be.Brass base with headstamps RLB 1942 &1943 3"GUN.Mine is finished with a dark red brown laquor with a slight shine to it.Your example looks to be quite dried out wood,if it was mine I would remove old varnish and treat with teak oil after a light sanding to replenish the wood,then restain or varnish or both to desired finish.I think these are quite rare,I paid alot of money for mine,although it is mint.Will post photo if have time.Cheers Tim.