Neophyte needs wisdom re: 25 pounder gun refurb

[Dan Johnston]

OK, update.

In service, the 25 pr gun had an unpainted breech ring/breech block/firing apparatus. The whole arse end of the gun was left in the white. You'll note ours isn't.

So that green crap's gotta come off. Enter the first really nice evening here in Edmonton in a while and a big ol' jug of gel paint stripper. Let's slop it on the horrifically-heavy breech ring and the muzzle brake (several outfits operating the 25 as a ceremonial gun have polished their muzzle brakes to a high gleam. Looks flash, if not authentic, but we can always repaint.)

Early success reveals that paint stripper is colour-sensitive. It hates green paint...



...but is entirely powerless against red primer sprayed over a sandblasted finish. The wee bit of bare metal you see on the right is from light sanding with 1200 grit paper.



Hand sanding will be laborious and possibly only marginally effective against paint down in tiny pits. I reckon some sort of bead blasting/soda blasting/dry ice business will be called for. We retire to consider our options.

In the meanwhile, a package arrives from England, courtesy of Mr. Rob Nixon.



It's a replacement for the long-lost cocking handle, packaged in January of '45 and readied for somewhere warm and humid. The envelope is heavily waxed and made of horsehair or something.





Upon careful opening, we find a wee package of wax paper. What could be inside?



It's the promised cocking piece!



Last touched by humans seventy two years ago. The cotter pin attached by a length of wire wound on there by someone likely long since gone west.



Many strange numbers and markings.



She needs a ride through the solvent tank to get the remains of the Tropic Proofing off her, but I did a quick test fit and she threads straight onto the firing pin. I am very pleased indeed.

Progress is slow, which is fine. We've made up a list of priorities and intentions and if we can find what we need we can be firing our first blank in no time.

Cheers,

Dan