75 mm shell
I'm completely befuzzled on this one. I'm good on Civil War ordnance, but after the Spanish American war, all shells start looking the same.
My first thought was because it was 75 mm, was practice tank shell but I completely don't know. I don't even know how old it is besides old. Heck, is it still live?
Anyways, I got it for free, so no matter what it is, I'll be happy with it.
Thanks!
The more I look at it, the more I think it has something to do with tanks or anti-tank guns. I figured out that it is solid, and the "fuse" was where tracer compound went. APT round, 75mm. Now for what tank and when?
It is not a tank round. The lack of canneleur groove means it was QF Separate, (Quick firing Separate, a separate Cartridge Case and Projectile) and the tank rounds were all QF fixed, (The Projectile is crimped into the mouth of the Cartridge case). The driving band is exceptionally thick and that is the main identifier on this one and will give the positive identification. So AP(T) yes but for what ? Where was it found, hopefully on the ground as that may give a clue. More sizes and a bit of it's history if known would help immensely.
As for post Spanish American War or as we say, Post Victorian period or 20th Century, the ammunition then gets really interesting and starts to take on some fascinating subtleties regarding identification.
Oh and the pedant in me says, "Fuses, are for plugs, Fuzes are the initiators in ammunition!
Regards,
R
Some guy brought it into a gun shop, and said it was from the Civil War. No provenance or anything, just left it.by vegetius
Definately not that early. Tracers did not come into regular use until the 30's with an occasional experial on from the end of WW1. The driving band is missing so probably removed and sold as scrap. I would put this as a 75mm field gun projectile as a back up AP shot and anything from 1918 to 1940ish.
Could it be a practice shell? It just looks so similar to some of the 75mm tank rounds like the M18.
The driving band is too thick and no canneleur groove to fix it in the cart case. I will pull the specs on the m18 and have a look though. I may be wrong, indeed I teach that as an EOD operator the day you think you know everything give it up as you will kill yourself!
I'm no expert either, I have no idea what a driving band looks like, and barely know what a canneleur groove is.
Unfortunately for my sins, I am an expert and do this for a living. However I am exceptionally busy at the moment and work comes first,(before everything, ask my firstv wife!). I will look inti it when i can but better dimentuons would help. The diameter exactly across the base and the width of the grove around it where the driving band goes and overall length.
It took some time, but with the help of some others on the International Ammunition Collectors forum, the shell was ID'd this morning as an M339 AP-T. These were fired by M4A1-M4A2 Shermans.
Similar Threads
Posting Permissions
.
Bookmarks