German Pre WW1 Artillery Shell Casing Questions

[MikB]

MikeyH got there first. It's usually called the primer, although it's a bit more of a subassembly than the Boxer or Berdan in a smallarms round.

[worx]

Hi Mike, I was hoping screwed in, thank you, time to engineer a tool 👌

[MikeyH]

55 minutes ago, worx said:

Hi Mike, I was hoping screwed in, thank you, time to engineer a tool 👌

Make sure you dose it with 'plusgas', or similar releasing spray or fluid.  It will be TIGHT.

Mike.

[MikB]

If you have to heat the case to expand  around it, do so gently so as not to discolour it.

[Spaceman]

I've only attempted to remove one primer (off a British 18-pdr shell case) and that was a massive challenge. I had the right tool for the job but that wouldn't budge it and, in the end, I had to use a lot of heat and a suitably sized pin punch. I don't think it was cemented into place but, when removed, there was a lot a whitish deposit all over the thread which made it hard to unscrew.

[MikB]

3 hours ago, Spaceman said:

I've only attempted to remove one primer (off a British 18-pdr shell case) and that was a massive challenge. I had the right tool for the job but that wouldn't budge it and, in the end, I had to use a lot of heat and a suitably sized pin punch. I don't think it was cemented into place but, when removed, there was a lot a whitish deposit all over the thread which made it hard to unscrew.

Well, yes, the recesses don't look deep, or sharp - and there might be some electrogalvanic action after such a bunch o' years.

I think you'd have to really, really want to get it out, to have a good chance of success without collateral damage.