CarBoot - German Shell , is it safe ??

willand · 06-26-2010, 05:10 PM

I have just found this site and need some advice. Earlier today whilst browsing through some Brasses i came across a German Shell which i presumed had been converted into an ornament.
It had been highly polished and looked pretty smart.
However i have now began to wonder if it is in fact safe and has been defused or whatever you do with them.
It has on the base the words and numbers - K 16 , AUG 1918 ,
Sp255 , 917. it is 16.5 cm high and 43mm across the base.
Can i be assured that its safe. I bought it off an animal rescue charity stall among other ornaments so i presume its ok.
Please take a look at the picture .. Any advice would be appreciated

**panzerjaeger44** · 06-26-2010, 05:11 PM

dont know if it has any charge inside it but it dont have a primer cap to fire it so more likely safe that not

willand · 06-26-2010, 05:17 PM

Thanks for that.I Don`t mean to sound numb but is the top of it supposed to be flattened , the ones i have seen appear to be to more of a point.

**panzerjaeger44** · 06-26-2010, 05:22 PM

youd nede t oask one of the shell experts on that one mate i only know its got no primer lol

**GasMasksUK** · 06-26-2010, 06:14 PM

by willand

Thanks for that.I Don`t mean to sound numb but is the top of it supposed to be flattened , the ones i have seen appear to be to more of a point.

It'll just be a different design to other projectiles, by the looks of things it was almost certainly made like this

I wouldnt worry about it being live either as the primer has been removed so I'd say that theres quite a chance that its had other things done to it so its safe. If you are still in doubt and want to check to be safe you might be able to seperate the projectile from the shell and look inside

Thanks

Danny

**shadowwolf** · 06-26-2010, 06:40 PM

ONLY see if the projectile will pull by hand out of the case. If it does not DO NOT try any other method of extracting the projectile, just in case it is still live.
If you can free the projectile from the case by hand it is safe. If it will not move at all, then it may still be live.
Regards, Simon.

**dogdog47** · 07-11-2010, 07:22 PM

hi this is a sotleflack round please forgive the spelling.
this projectile was loaded with a small amount of black powder behind a brass disc these are usually missing. the rest of the projectile was filled with magnisium. the idea was that the shell left the barrel of the gun and the black powder set fire to the magnesium this would burn while in flight and set fire to air ships etc one.
yours looks like it has been pushed too fare into the case the copper band should sit above the brass.
the projectile is fairly safe unless you throw it in a fire you just need to know if the case is empty?
hope this helps
Andy