Tactical Ordnance Takes on Fort Stevens Restoration Project
Battery Pratt 6” disappearing gun
Historical Manufacturing Project
At Fort Stevens, Oregon USA
It all started when Jack and Teresa Buckmeier visited the Fort Stevens Historical area in the summer of 1989. They went to Battery Pratt and Teresa asked “What went over the large holes at the top of the battery” Well that started everything. Jack explained what was there to Teresa, but then he got to thinking there is a lot of other people that are asking the same thing. When they returned home Jack who owned Graphic Services N.W. and was an accomplished millwright started to do research on what exactly did go over the holes in Battery Pratt. He did countless hours of research and also got together with the Coastal Defense Study Group that helped him immensely with recommendations and plans he was missing . After getting all the information he could, Jack got approval from Fort Stevens and started making the barrel in his driveway in July of 1997. It took 3 years, was 23.1 feet long and weighed 4500 lbs. In September of 1999 the barrel was set up on the battery for the public to see while Jack started to work on the rest of the gun. Between Aug of 1999 and 2014 the rest of the gun was completed and assembled to where it is today. Jacks health deteriorated to where he was unable to finish. He passed away in 2016 without seeing his project finished and there is still a lot to be done.
Since then Teresa his wife had been trying to find someone to finish the project and honor Jacks memory. In May of 2018 she was referred to Heller Enterprises by the the St. Helens, Or VFW. where Heller had restored a 105MM Howitzer for them. Heller Enterprises Tactical the parent company of Tactical Ordnance manufactures firearms, Extreme accuracy Rifle barrels and firearm components in St. Helens, Or. After talking to Teresa and hearing the story of Jacks dream Rob Heller agreed to take on the project to complete the 6” Disappearing gun project. The Friends Of Old Fort Stevens , The group that have been funding the project for the last 19 years have lost some of their revenue sources and We want to make sure once the project in finished that there is enough money to maintain the gun down the road. That is why we are trying to secure funding to finish the project and make sure there is sufficient funds left to maintain the gun in the harsh salt air environment of the Oregon coast. for generations to come.