Armourer’s tools and gauges

For details of the ‘every-day’ spares tools carried within the MG Section, please visit the Spares Page.

How armourers used these gauges and tools is covered in some of the manuals found on this page: Armourer’s Documents & Parts Lists.

Bags

Cat No. B2/BC 3016, List of changes A 1599, BAGS, ARMOURERS M.G., MK. 1, EMPTY – Demand as “Bags, armourers, S.A., Mk. 1” – Leather; with shoulder strap and buckle, and 2 buckles for flap straps; for tools and components for repair of small arms in the field.

Chests

Cat No. C1/SM 13GA, List of changes C 3480, CHESTS, INFANTRY WEAPONS EXAMINATION, NO. 2, MK. 1 – Wood; with 10 blocks and 5 trays containing gauges, tools and selected components to service – Guns, machine, Bren, .303-in., Browning, .30-in., Polsten, 20-mm., Vickers, .303-in., Mk. 1 and Mtgs., tripod, M.G., Mk. 4B

General Tools:

Lamps, brazing

General Routine Order 1081 dated 13 August 1915

Lamps, brazing

Approval is given for the issue of one “Lamp, brazing, 1-pint” to each Infantry Battalion and Cavalry Regiment for the use of Armourer Serjeants in carrying out repairs to machine guns.

Indents should be sent to Ordnance Officers concerned.

Gauges

SM 7A – Armourers, selected, sear

A selected component with spring. For checking action of lock or comparison with similar component.

In the 1931 Instructions for Armourers, the purpose of the selected sear (with spring) is given as ‘for height and length of bent (High)’.

Cat No. C1/SM 36A, List of changes C 4045, GAUGES, Inspectors, Plug, testing, adaptor, condenser, Mk. I – Steel
Cat No. C1/BD 2507, PLUGS, Test, adapter, condenser, Vickers .303-in. M.G., Mk. I – With cap and retaining pin

Steel plug assembled to gun-metal cap and pin. Insert plug in adaptor and secure by the cap. The shoulder on the plug must be flush with the top surface of the cap.

Cat No. C1/SM 37A, List of changes C 4045, GAUGES, Inspectors, Level, spirit, M.G., Mk. 1 – Brass and glass.

General purposes.

As of 1918, the Level, Spirit, MG, Mark I, was carried in each and every spare parts case with each gun. It was used for all aspects of indirect fire to ensure the gun was level before laying any elevation on it. It was in the 1923 handbook still carried in the same case but by 1930 it had been removed. It then appeared in the 1931 Instructions for Armourers as gauge number 4741 ‘for testing alignment of barrel and breech casings.’

Cat No. C1/SM 38A, List of changes C 4045, GAUGES, Inspectors, Cases, spirit level, Mk. 1 – Wood; for M.G. spirit level
Cat No. C1/SM 74, List of changes C 421 and C 3298, GAUGES, ARMOURERS, Plug, .306-in., No. 1, Mk. 1 – For checking .303-in. barrel wear

Steel, barrel wear. Inserted in breech end of barrel.

An alternatively marked example

SM 124 – Armourers, plug, 0.301 in., Mk. 1.

Steel, plug accept bore. Barrel held vertically.

SM 125 – Armourers, plug, 0.307 in., Mk. 1.

Steel, plug reject. Inserted at muzzle end.

SM 128 – Armourers, plug, lead, No. 2, Mk. 1.

Steel, plug reject. Inserted in the chamber.

SM 139 – Armourers, headspace, .064 in., No. 1

Steel, low limit. Inserted in the extractor lip of the lock and into the chamber.

SM 164 – Inspectors, plug, 0.088 in., Mk. 1

Steel, reject diameter of striker hole. Inserted in the firing pin hole on the extractor.

SM 171 – Inspectors, straight edge, 8″, Mk. 1

Steel, bevelled edge. General purposes.

SM 172 – Inspectors, level, spirit, Mk. 1

Spirit level mounted on steel bar.

SM 174 – Inspectors, sleeve, plug, Mk. 1

Steel, sleeve. Used in conjunction with SM 292.

SM 175 – Inspectors, plug, 0.64 ins., Mk. 1

Steel, reject gland muzzle attachment. Inserted in the barrel bearing of the gland muzzle attachment.

SM 178 – Inspectors, headspace, .058in., Mk. 1

Steel, for checking gib seating. Gauge inserted on the gib face and held by the gib and spring.

SM 179 – Inspectors, plug, .303in. and 0.253in. Mk. 1

Steel, reject compound. The 0.303in. plug inserted in the left side of the tumbler pin hole. The 0.253in. plug in the right side of the tumbler pin and trigger pin hole.

SM 180 – Inspectors, plate, 4.445in. and 4.438in. Mk. 1

Steel, accept, reject lock assembled. Assembled lock cocked and side levers held parallel to the lock flange. Gauge applied between the head of the side levers and the cartridge seating face of the extractor.

Cat No. C1/SM 181, List of changes C 3298, GAUGES, ARMOURERS, Firing pin protrusion, No. 6, Mk. 1 – Limits H .068-in. L .056-in.; for Gun, machine, Vickers, .303-in.
SM 182 – Inspectors, cartridge, head, 0.07in. Mk. 1

Steel, reject extractor cartridge groove. Applied to the cartridge grooves of the extractor.

SM 183 – Inspectors, plate, 0.627in. Mk. 1

Steel, reject diameter of barrel bearing. Applied at 1in. from the muzzle end for distance of 1.50in. towards the breech end.

SM 184 – Inspectors, plug, 0.565in. Mk. 1

Steel, reject diameter of crosshead joint pin hole on gun and mounting. Applied to the right side of the crosshead joint pin hole of the gun and mounting.

SM 185 – Inspectors, plug, 0.45in. and 0.445in. Mk. 1

Steel, rejecting diameter, of elevating pin hole on gun and mounting. Plug 0.45in. applied to the right side of elevating joint pin hole of the gun. Plug 0.445in. applied to the left side as above and both sides of the inner screw, elevating gear of the mounting.

SM 186 – Inspectors, plate, 0.556in. and 0.436in., Mk. 1

Steel reject diameter of joint pins. Gap 0.436in. applied to pin, joint, elevating gear. Gap 0.556in. applied to pin, joint, crosshead.