WWII US 37mm M3 Anti Tank Gun Dated 1941

In need of total restoration, entire field piece displays a light coat of rust but generally not pitted. The breech block is welded in place and the barrel is filled with concrete. The front lower shield is detached and hinges are rusted through – they are thin metal as is the tool box which is also rusted through and missing its lid. The trail hinges are free and working as are the elevation wheels. One wheel is detached from the axle, the other is rusted through.  The barrel, mechanism and trail are solid and its appears that they would clean up nicely.

The 37mm M3 was the first dedicated anti-tank fielded by United States forces in numbers. Introduced in 1940, it became the standard anti-tank gun of the U.S. Infantry with its size enabling it to be pulled by a jeep. However, the continuing improvement of German armor quickly rendered the 37 mm ineffective and, by 1943, it was being gradually replaced in the European and Mediterranean theaters. In the Pacific, where the Japanese tank threat was less significant, the M3 remained in service until the end of the war.

The piece measures 12 foot 3 inches long with a 5 foot 3 inch width and weighs about 900 pounds.