lumpy1 Posted 21 June , 2015 Share Posted 21 June , 2015 Can anyone identify this round? The round measures 1 1/2" (37mm) in diameter and stands 4 3/4" tall. The projecitle is pre-fragmented and there are no markings on the headstamp. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 21 June , 2015 Share Posted 21 June , 2015 Possibly Mle 1916 Canon d'Infanterie, also produced and used by US Army as M1916 Infantry Gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loader Posted 21 June , 2015 Share Posted 21 June , 2015 37MM cannon as seen in the famous photo of US troops advancing in the Argonne in 1918. Gun team with this gun in the foreground with advancing men in the background. Used to bust bunkers & mg nests. Very effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpy1 Posted 23 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 23 June , 2015 I first thought this could be an M1916 round but the absence of a driving band makes me wonder if this was instead a mortar round. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 23 June , 2015 Share Posted 23 June , 2015 Are we sure that the projectile and the cartridge case do actually belong together? If so, I wonder if this is not military at all and we are talking something like whaling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 24 June , 2015 Share Posted 24 June , 2015 I'm not sure about this one, it's new on me. Everyday in this job you learn something new but this makes no sense. If it were a mortar it would be breech loaded, it would have to be a smoothbore weapon as their is no driving band for forwards obturation. Where is the fuze? If it is base fuzed then a look at that would be good. The cartridge case seems to be a different diameter to the projectile and smaller than it. This is not right and makes no sense as to breech load it the cart case would have no support and being rimmed it could load in no other way, I suspect a marriage of two items, can the projectile be separated and photographed and the base of the cartridge case likewise? Are their any markings? Rod SG, It's not like any whaling item I've seen and I've dealt with quite a lot of their stuff over the years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 24 June , 2015 Share Posted 24 June , 2015 Could it be a 'put-together' of a 37mm cartridge case and all or part of the projectile of some sort of rifle-grenade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 24 June , 2015 Share Posted 24 June , 2015 SG, I need to see the other end of the projectile. The fuze on this one will be the give away! It does look like a 37mm (1 Pdr) Cart Case with a modified grenade inserted. The pre-formed frag body is very familiar though, with it's tapering curved base it definately rings a bell. Process of elimination, Not UK, Not German! Not for France, Italy, Russia and Austria. Of course it could be a commercial mock up! Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpy1 Posted 24 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2015 I will try to get a photo of the fuze but it may be a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 25 June , 2015 Share Posted 25 June , 2015 Looking forward to more pics. Just looking at the 'shell' end. If it is a modified or specific grenade I think it was professionally cast in the form we see, the fragmentation lines come to a natural end above the part inserted into the case. Are they signs of a machined out screw thread or marks from the lathe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 25 June , 2015 Share Posted 25 June , 2015 The WW1 American Fragmentation Grenade is remarkably like this one! The middle two look about right and either could be the item in question! Another fact is that the Americans painted their grenades either Yellow or Red. Both colours showing on the one in question. Sorry about the standard of picture, I'm in work!! Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpy1 Posted 1 July , 2015 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2015 Here are some pictures of the fuse. The stem is hollow and is 1 7/8" long. There is a number 5 painted on the bottom of the fuze as well as the number 18. The 18 has one of the base holes drilled thru most of it. The bottom of the shell has a concave wood plug. Perhaps this is to keep the powder dry? This appears to be an American experimental shell. Hopefully these pictures will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 1 July , 2015 Share Posted 1 July , 2015 Can you also detach the pre-fragmented part? Definitely one for Rod and his colleagues to puzzle over. Is it perhaps a charge for testing a barrel to destruction, or even for deliberately destroying captured/surrendered/de-commissioned weapons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 1 July , 2015 Share Posted 1 July , 2015 A few observations. That seems like a serious amount of thread just to retain the base. Do the two drilled holes have a thread in them: if not how was a seal effected? If the two holes are not original, how was the base screwed tightly into the body. There is no knurling on the base on which to get a purchase, and nowhere to insert a tool.. If the two holes are not original, how was the item filled? If it was full of (eg) powder, the fuse(?) could not be inserted. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogilwy Posted 3 July , 2015 Share Posted 3 July , 2015 I think more and more that this is someones mock-up. Everything about it does not quite work or ring true. I'll pass it round the fraternity and see if their is any other thoughts but I think that someone has used items to create their own interpretation! I may even give this to students as a 'work this out'. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasemuseum Posted 5 July , 2015 Share Posted 5 July , 2015 Hi, Agree with Rod, this just looks wrong in an inconsistent sense. RT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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