Let's settle this !

**Steve T** · 12-10-2008, 11:33 AM

Ok guys

Now let's stop messing around because this is driving me NUTS !

Let's have views on what on earth these cartridges have been deliberately cut through for. They were all found on a number of different visits to an old WW2 airfield, close to the armoury. They have all been very deliberately cut through and are shown only after cleaning.....i have done nothing to them myself !

We have 2 current views..

1. They were cut up and used in trench art

2. They were cut up to provide pieces of metal for repairing other items.

What do you guys think ? I believe either could be a reasonable suggestion BUT why cut a cartridge up with the bullet, and therefore the powder, still in place ? Wouldn't this be rather dangerous ?

Anyways....here are all of them in one photo.

relichunter

**snowjob** · 12-10-2008, 02:54 PM

Is it possible they were cut because they missfired and instead of throwing them out they cut them in half so that they would not be put in a clip again. Just a thought.

Frazer

**Steve T** · 12-10-2008, 02:57 PM

by snowjob

Is it possible they were cut because they missfired and instead of throwing them out they cut them in half so that they would not be put in a clip again. Just a thought.

Frazer

Hmmmm another possibility but....if they had misfired why not just detach the bullet and empty out the powder ?

relichunter

**ssg keay** · 12-10-2008, 08:32 PM

Could be that the armorer used the for calibration of some sort...nowadays we have gauges for that...maybe they were used to test the bolt/barrel spacing....I am a military weapons tech and that is what I would guess! Danny

**packin9** · 12-11-2008, 09:45 PM

The blue tip, dummy round? (practice)

**adlerfan53** · 12-12-2008, 12:43 AM

Interesting. Head space testing? Mis-fire? No real idea. What is interesting is that the primer has been hit so it must have been used for somthing. I do lean more toward a dummy round. Maybe someone was just bored and decided to cut this up and left it there.

**Steve T** · 12-12-2008, 12:43 PM

So...head space testing seems a viable possibility.

adlerfan53 - The 20mm with the primer that's been fired is not seen in the other 'part' 20mm casing....the primer is intact in this one. Also maybe they were bored....but I have found 6 so far ! They must've been REALLY bored

packin9 - Nope. See the pic below

thanks guys keep the ideas coming, or better still grab the nearest vet you can and ask them !

relichunter

johnny88 · 12-12-2008, 12:53 PM

I should say misfirings recovered from the airplanes weapons - bad brass gives you this type of cuts when reloading.

**packin9** · 12-12-2008, 05:40 PM

by johnny88

I should say misfirings recovered from the airplanes weapons - bad brass gives you this type of cuts when reloading.

I've never encountered those kind of cuts. Splits around the neck from metal fatigue, but nothing like that.

**Mike Peters** · 12-12-2008, 05:44 PM

Ever consider that some Soldier was making a "Trench Art" Ashtray or something to send home ? These could have been what was left over ..what he didn't use.
could be ?