Hiow Much Did A Shell Weigh?

[Rob Chester]

Hello All,

I am interested to know how much an 18 pounder shell would have weighed. Obvioulsy, I know the answer is 18lbs, but what I want to know is how much the whole shell, including its brass cartridge would have weighed when it was loaded into the breach of the gun. I assume that it is only the iron shell at the end that weighed 18lbs.

Rob

[Tom Morgan]

I have a note that that when the projectile was a shrapnel shell, the whole lot weighed 22 pounds 14 ounces, so very nearly 23 pounds. The projectile weighed 18 and a half pounds.

Tom

[Chris Henschke]

Tom, out by 1/16 oz.!!

Here are pages 42-43 from Handbook of the 18-PR. Q.F. Gun, Land Service, 1915.

[RaySearching]

10 kg 351.83 grams

regards Ray

[nigelfe]

The correct answer is 'it all depends'. What you mean by 'shell'.

Eg, empty unfuzed shell (ie just the shellcase, some variation in weight depending on the planned fill).

Filled shell unfuzed (varying with type of filling).

Filled shell fuzed (fuzes varyied in weight, in WW1 notably the type of metal used for the fuze body, obviously aluminium bodies were notably lighter than brass ones).

Complete round (fuzed shell with cartridge and maximum propellant, cart case if used and primer, there could be weight variations depending on the type of propellant used)

Complete round in individual packaging.

Average weight of complete round packed and boxed with other rounds.

[Rob Chester]

Chris, that tells me all I wanted to know. Many thanks, Rob