Cooling cylinder

[HMP]

Ive been googling some of these part numbers, but Im having zero luck.
But then I keyed in on the 'cooling cylinder' part and thought that the gun experts on here might be able to narrow down what he could have been building.

Great grandparents had my grandmother in 43 or 44. I think. I know it was during WW2 when she was born.
So by that point he was probably in late teens or early 20s and working, but I dont know exactly.

He passed in the early 90s, long since retired by that point

So what was he building? Here are some instructions on one of the toolboxes that I have of his
What sort of guns had cooling cylinders? Is/was it common?

 

[nbkky71]

The only guns that come to mind with "cooling cylinders" would be a water cooled MG (such as the Browning 1917) or something like an air-cooled Lewis gun.

 

[Ben Jefferson]

The talk of a cooling cylinder makes me think of a water cooled .30 cal machine gun. We were using M-60s for a light mg by the time I was playing so I'm not sure. Member @BudE may have a better idea if that's true. Who is an old my fan out there?

 

[nbkky71]

Larger auto-cannons (20mm and up) make reference to cooling cylinders, but those are usually turret/aircraft mounted. Not "against shoulder" as mentioned in the instructions.

An very intriguing question here...

 

[rdinatal]

Not "against shoulder" as mentioned in the instructions

Not sure 'shoulder' in the instructions is on a human. It could be a reference place on another part... Like the sight?

 

[Button Pusher]

Perhaps he repurposed the crate for his tools?

 

[HMP]

Perhaps he repurposed the crate for his tools?

Perhaps, very likely.
But I can assure you he was NSA and I know that at one point he was in weapons manufacturing, now the timelines...I dont know. So that makes me curious what he was building
I know he did a lot of machining, by the other thread on his tools

 

[BigWaylon]

@Combat Diver ought to have a guess or twelve.

 

[BudE]

The talk of a cooling cylinder makes me think of a water cooled .30 cal machine gun. We were using M-60s for a light mg by the time I was playing so I'm not sure. Member @BudE may have a better idea if that's true. Who is an old my fan out there?

Not regrettably, that was before my time. (I believe it was called a Model 1917). Even though when I was in we carried muskets, the 0331s (machine gunner) ha d 1919A4s. This was an air cooled belt fed gun in 30-06. The belts were fabric if I recall correctly. The gunner carried the tripod and the asst-gunner carried the gun itself. The gunny would say, "set up here," and the gunner would sling the tripod forward extending it and the asst-gunner would set the gun on the tripod. I never saw one of those water cooled guns when I was in.
I just looked at this and it's probably way, way more info than you wanted to see. I'm going to try to find pics on the internet.

I got lucky:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...F6AF1B4F6CECD6887D34F6A&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

 

[Combat Diver]

The only guns that come to mind with "cooling cylinders" would be a water cooled MG (such as the Browning 1917) or something like an air-cooled Lewis gun.

I'll guess Lewis gun also

OP list sounds like installing the Aircraft sights

Another piece of history. Look at the operation rod/rotating bolt of the gun. Germans copied this system from the Lewis gun into the FG42 automatic rifle and we copied that into the M60 machine gun.


CD

 

[BatteryOaksBilly]

CD you're a treasure!

 

[Gator]

I'll guess Lewis gun also

OP list sounds like installing the Aircraft sights

Another piece of history. Look at the operation rod/rotating bolt of the gun. Germans copied this system from the Lewis gun into the FG42 automatic rifle and we copied that into the M60 machine gun.


CD

Unbelievable ( that you figured it out ). I'm impressed.

.

 

[HMP]

I'll guess Lewis gun also

OP list sounds like installing the Aircraft sights

Another piece of history. Look at the operation rod/rotating bolt of the gun. Germans copied this system from the Lewis gun into the FG42 automatic rifle and we copied that into the M60 machine gun.


CD

I dont think my greatgrandfather fought in WW2 (never heard a single thing about him being in), so maybe he was manufacturing during the war, were these built during WW2?

I appreciate your, and others, input here. Trying to find out more about the man and what he did.
Unfortunately my great grandmother passed about 15 years ago, I wish I had asked more questions

 

[Combat Diver]

I dont think my greatgrandfather fought in WW2 (never heard a single thing about him being in), so maybe he was manufacturing during the war, were these built during WW2?

I appreciate your, and others, input here. Trying to find out more about the man and what he did.
Unfortunately my great grandmother passed about 15 years ago, I wish I had asked more questions

Did he live in Massachusetts? Savage Arms produced the Lewis gun during WWI and WWII.

CD

 

[HMP]

Did he live in Massachusetts? Savage Arms produced the Lewis gun during WWI and WWII.

CD

No, they were in the DC area for as long as I know,but I'll ask my grandmother today

 

[HMP]

He worked at the Navy Yards in/near DC during the war
Never lived in MA, born in Lebanon PA, then over to the suburbs of DC (Wheaton / Silver Spring)

 

[nbkky71]

I've been scouring GOOGLE since this post showed up trying to figure out what it could be. I've had partial text matches to everything from Sten guns to 5" gun carriages... all to no avail.

I'm not giving up yet, but I think this one might be lost to the sands of time.

 

[Button Pusher]

You can try to find his military records here https://www.usa.gov/military-records

 

[HMP]

You can try to find his military records here https://www.usa.gov/military-records

Man, I must be missing something, Im having a hard time with that site.
Herbert Arnold of Lebanon PA, but, as stated, worked at Naval Yard (according to his daughter/my grandmother)
But she says he wasnt enlisted

 

[HMP]

I've been scouring GOOGLE since this post showed up trying to figure out what it could be. I've had partial text matches to everything from Sten guns to 5" gun carriages... all to no avail.

I'm not giving up yet, but I think this one might be lost to the sands of time.

I love your enthusiasm, Ive been searching too but no luck
I hope one of us can sort this out

 

[Combat Diver]

He worked at the Navy Yards in/near DC during the war
Never lived in MA, born in Lebanon PA, then over to the suburbs of DC (Wheaton / Silver Spring)

The Navy and Coast Guard were the largest users of the Lewis gun in the US during WWII. He may have been a contractor armorer like I am over here.

CD

 

[HMP]

The Navy and Coast Guard were the largest users of the Lewis gun in the US during WWII. He may have been a contractor armorer like I am over here.

CD

So a civilian working for the gov?
Again, according to my grandmother he wasnt IN the Navy, just worked at the Naval Yards.
I really wish this CV wasnt going on, I could go visit my grandmother and jot down as many notes as possible vs texting

 

[Combat Diver]

So a civilian working for the gov?
Again, according to my grandmother he wasnt IN the Navy, just worked at the Naval Yards.
I really wish this CV wasnt going on, I could go visit my grandmother and jot down as many notes as possible vs texting

US Govt been using contractors/civilians since we started. Started with ship dock workers, wagon teamsters, ferry workers, Indian scouts, armorers, pilots, truck drivers, etc.

CD

 

[HMP]

US Govt been using contractors/civilians since we started. Started with ship dock workers, wagon teamsters, ferry workers, Indian scouts, armorers, pilots, truck drivers, etc.

CD

Would there be any .gov records of that available?

 

[Combat Diver]

Would there be any .gov records of that available?

Don't know who for that, sorry.

CD