Gun Retainer Wrench???

[PLOMB LOVER]

So I came across this wrench in my buddy's lot of tools..On the shaft it reads, GUN RETAINER with part no. C-54068 and size 2-3/8 on the head. No brand name on either side..Id be interested in any information on this wrench specifically, but for starters I'd like to know, what is a gun retainer wrench...PS..I've been reading the threads put on this forum for years now -Incredible wealth of knowledge...Thanks in advance.

 

[930dreamer]

A picture would help.

 

[dchawk81]

I'm guessing it's for the retainer nut for pole guns. Maybe not this specific one though.

 

[MR.X]

So I came across this wrench in my buddy's lot of tools..On the shaft it reads, GUN RETAINER with part no. C-54068 and size 2-3/8 on the head. No brand name on either side..Id be interested in any information on this wrench specifically, but for starters I'd like to know, what is a gun retainer wrench...PS..I've been reading the threads put on this forum for years now -Incredible wealth of knowledge...Thanks in advance.

Years ago I fell thru the floor of an abandoned building near Norfolk and found a wrench marked like that in the machine shop room below. It was a Plomb with those exact #'s you mentioned and a 1940 date code. There's a vintage Gun Retainer Nut wrench on eBay right now ( which I also have an example of) that is also I believe a 2 3/8". It looks completely different than my Plomb other than it's also a long single open end wrench. I believe that one might be a contract wrench from Boston Coupling Co. who also made a "Navy Combination Spanner" for Hose coupling. My Plomb example was painted a battleship gray so with all those clues I've always kind of assumed it was a Navy contract hopefully actually related to a "Gun". I've posted pics somewhere before of the two wrenches but It might take awhile to find them again....One other thing. I met a guy once who said he saw a similar wrench as part of a display when touring an old WW2 ship. Hopefully some old Navy guy can weigh in.

 

[PLOMB LOVER]

Years ago I fell thru the floor of an abandoned building near Norfolk and found a wrench marked like that in the machine shop room below. It was a Plomb with those exact #'s you mentioned and a 1940 date code. There's a vintage Gun Retainer Nut wrench on eBay right now ( which I also have an example of) that is also I believe a 2 3/8". It looks completely different than my Plomb other than it's also a long single open end wrench. I believe that one might be a contract wrench from Boston Coupling Co. who also made a "Navy Combination Spanner" for Hose coupling. My Plomb example was painted a battleship gray so with all those clues I've always kind of assumed it was a Navy contract hopefully actually related to a "Gun". I've posted pics somewhere before of the two wrenches but It might take awhile to find them again....One other thing. I met a guy once who said he saw a similar wrench as part of a display when touring an old WW2 ship. Hopefully some old Navy guy can weigh in.

 

[PLOMB LOVER]

Thanks...Interesting info. Love them old Plomb's....Wish mine had a brand name on it.

 

[PLOMB LOVER]

A picture would help.

 

[PLOMB LOVER]

Tried to post pics initially but they wouldn't take..Got it this time ..Thanks

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't know anything about these wrenches, and I have no definitive information to add, but if you open TM's from WWI through the present, including WWII, all kinds of artillery, howitzers, AAA (Oerlicon, Bofors), and bigger guns (Mark 7, Mark 12) including shipborne, have retaining nuts on all kinds of subcomponents, from feed mechanisms to recoil to barrells. You might be able to neck the possibilities down by size. A 2-3/8" AF diameter is a bigass retaining nut. No luck on that part number in any references I have.

 

[MR.X]

found some old pics of mine.