Gun Staves
 

I was out at my favorite scrapyard yesterday and found a box with a set of 3 NOS staves in it. The box indicates "Staff assembly" and part number C97385.
Two of the staffs have part numbers on them of B110688 and the other B110689. They are wood with steel ends about 48.5inches long and about 1-1/2 wide.
Can anyone ID what gun these are for? I could not find them in my various manuals.See attached photos.

I must have a hoarding problem because when I went out to the corner of the shed where I keep the artillery stuff, it turns out I have 2 more sets of these. They must have been for something in Cdn service, and are too small for 105 and 155. They do not match the part numbers in my Sherman gun manual. Could they be for Staghound?

What was this used for please? Ron

Rob,

A search for “C97385”, produces results for “Cleaning Staff M14”, as issued with US produced 40mm Automatic Gun M1 (AA).

See pages 268, and 269 of this manual:
https://archive.org/details/TM9-252/page/n269/mode/2up

Colin

Good catch Colin, my google search did not come up with that. They are a different pattern to the Cdn Bofors as I have those. I have since found a thread on the G503 where they are also for the 37mm guns. I guess it would make sense for the Americans to use something already in their system as opposed to adding a new item to do the same job.
It also makes sense that they would be in a surplus store in this area. The artillery here were using the Bofors into the 80s for the air defense role.

They will be used to pull through the gun barrel with attachments like a mop or brush. They will also be used with an attachment to push out a round back out of the chamber if required.

Thankyou Rob. Ron

If you want to part with one of those sets, please PM me :thup2:

I actually have a 40mm Bofors barrel and one of those sets would be very helpful for ridding my barrel of the rocks, cigarette butts and various other bits of garbage that somebody filled it up with while it was on display...

Chase
Would be happy to flog a set off, but postage on something that long to the US would be insane.

Yeah I didn't think about that :eek: