1917A1 Tripod T & E Question

[recoilless]

I'm slowly rebuilding a demilled 17A1 WC tripod. The T&E was torch cut thru the traversing mechanism so the threaded portion of that is ,well, pretty much toast. I do have the two ends of it, about an inch worth each. I put a thread gauge on it and it reads 11 tpi. It is also a triple start thread.
Does this make any sense? It had to have been manufactured in the 40's at the latest. Only thing I can think of is this odd ball had something to do with the math involved with the T&E at given ranges, etc. I divide 11 by 3 and I don't see that number on the QC boxes on any of my lathes. I can't change the pitch because it interfaces with female threads on unit. SARCO does not carry this particular part.
Any suggstions?

The rest of rebuild has been easier, lots of welding and fitting, rotab work but this is the stumper so far.

[Bguns]

1Mil = 1/6400th of a Circle.
MG's are sometimes used in Indirect fire just like artillery...

To make a triple start thread for that one, might take a special gear or two :)

You don't see 3.66666 TPI on many stock manual lathes..

Probably easiest to hand over to a CNC lathe for a one off....

or bore out female threads and put in a 4 tpi 3 start insert. Make new male thread to match..

Doubt you will notice anything at civilian distances....

At around $1,000 for a complete tripod, don't get too carried away...

[recoilless]

Yeah I hear you, I had to fab two 7tpi double start studs for the two front legs. Each one was about 1.25 " of thread. I cut the blanks to size, basically did everything but the threading, even gave an actual example to a friend of a friend to do. He did the threading, begrudgingly, after unsuccessfully trying to convince me to go single start. I explained the clamping handles are already setup for double starts. Guy ended up asking me for $150. Both my lathes only go to 4tpi, unless as you said, you get some special gears.

Oh well, its been mostly fun so far. Slow going as my workload (excavation)has been nuts since February and won't slow down as far as I can tell.

Concerning indirect fire, you are right as this is a classic old school (read Great war) style tripod.

[Yankee1]

Hi
We used to put our left hand over the handle and push the slack out to the right when firing. There was considerable slack.
Yankee1