WW2 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun in Action

Honza

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about 6 shots in one minute.....
 

Michael Dorosh

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about 6 shots in one minute.....
The real one would kick because of recoil (this one is obviously firing blanks that don't cause recoil). I'm not sure how that affected laying the gun. I once worked with a guy who had served 17-pounder anti-tank guns after the war and he said the gun trails leapt up off the ground with each shot.


Doesn't seem so bad in this video, but the huge clouds of dust would probably be a hindrance.


Some grainy shots, but show the actual recoil of the 6-pounder nicely.
 

Servius

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Interesting, I wondered about that because the gun was so still. Figured they weren't firing ammo as powerful as the real thing.
 

Michael Dorosh

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Interesting, I wondered about that because the gun was so still. Figured they weren't firing ammo as powerful as the real thing.
Most Hollywood movies have gotten this wrong - they use blank firing systems that don't make the gun recoil. Once you know to watch for it, it will be conspicuous. CGI is improving it, and some film companies take the time to rig up recoil mechanisms for their blank firing artillery, tank guns, and heavy weapons. That's an expensive proposition - potentially dangerous also if non-professionals are using it - so most reenactors will go the way these fellows have gone.

Otherwise, the reenactors in the OP put on a good show.
 

Yuri0352

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The real one would kick because of recoil (this one is obviously firing blanks that don't cause recoil). I'm not sure how that affected laying the gun. I once worked with a guy who had served 17-pounder anti-tank guns after the war and he said the gun trails leapt up off the ground with each shot.


Doesn't seem so bad in this video, but the huge clouds of dust would probably be a hindrance.


Some grainy shots, but show the actual recoil of the 6-pounder nicely.
Note:
The '2 pounder' shown near the beginning of the b/w 6 pounder video is actually the 37mm Bofors L/45 AT gun.
 

Eagle4ty

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The real one would kick because of recoil (this one is obviously firing blanks that don't cause recoil). I'm not sure how that affected laying the gun. ...

Doesn't seem so bad in this video, but the huge clouds of dust would probably be a hindrance....
Not to mention, it would be a pretty good dead give-away for the gun's position (always hated that about the TOW & Dragon (especially the DRAGON).
 

KhandidGamera

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Most Hollywood movies have gotten this wrong - they use blank firing systems that don't make the gun recoil. Once you know to watch for it, it will be conspicuous. CGI is improving it, and some film companies take the time to rig up recoil mechanisms for their blank firing artillery, tank guns, and heavy weapons. That's an expensive proposition - potentially dangerous also if non-professionals are using it - so most reenactors will go the way these fellows have gone.

Otherwise, the reenactors in the OP put on a good show.
Not to mention, it would be a pretty good dead give-away for the gun's position (always hated that about the TOW & Dragon (especially the DRAGON).
One of the things that Fury did get right was the engagement verses the AT Gun - to the points above.

Underlining the danger of firing the real things - couple of guys got killed firing the 76mm of a still functioning M18 Hellcat several years ago:
http://www.ktvz.com/news/deschutes-county/investigators-tank-blast-occurred-as-round-was-fired/68835247
 
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