Is this de-activated?

[henrygatech]

I got this from a local militaria show, I forgot to ask whether is had been de-activated when I bought it.

Can I get some expert opinion on it?

[MAP]

Wait for our explosive ordinances experts but the fuze and primer are missing. Can't tell however if the round was taken off to remove the powder

[vegetius]

The fuze is missing the explosive filled inertia pellet and the percussion cap is absent from the cartridge case. Does the projectile contain any explosive or the cartridge case, I cannot tell but the means of initiation of both are absent.

However you do demonstrate the problem with collecting these things, how do you know it is safe, how capable was the idiot doing it, (I use the word idiot deliberately), what was done with the contents. In most countries the act of 'Inerting' ammunition is illegal and in fact called illegal modification or tampering.

Periodically we get to visit someone who has been doing it, most are injured to one degree or another and some dead. Sympathy is short on the ground for them it is just a shame others get hurt.

Lesson for today, there is no reliable way to ensure ammunition is safe except decades of experience backed up with formal government authorised training. Even when it looks safe it may not be and if swabbed then you can be in a whole world of trouble with the law enforcement agenceys. Oh, and asking first is always better but remember sellers lie!

Other than that a WW1 37 / 85mm (or 1 Lb'er if you are British).

R

[lebus12]

Ligne Maginot - Munitions de 37 mm modele 1885

[KatManDude]

.....and a photo of this ammo "in action"

[GlennAgain]

If it's still loaded with powder, you'd be able to tell by shaking it, like with a salt-shaker...

[Kilian]

So from the link provided by lebus12 I conclude it is a French shell, 37mm caliber, M1885, manufactured by Pinchart Deny à Paris, lot number 400, from September 1917. And the flaming bomb is a Navy mark.

[henrygatech]

thanks for your reply!

I conducted some further checks, It looks like it is not live.

1. ⁠I was able to unscrew the fuse by hand, I confirmed that there’s no powder in the projectile
See pic





2. ⁠Since I can’t unscrew the shell from projectile. I took a x ray scan. And it seems the shell base appears to be empty as well. See x ray pic :



3. I shake it, there no sound.

Based on above evidence, can we safely conclude that it is not live?

[MAP]

Sounds like it is good, but wait for Vegetius for confirmation.

Not many people have an XRay machine sitting around the house

[vegetius]

Map,

Quite right on the xray, and a nice clear image but not enough to get through the projectile which is normally the case when doing QF fixed rounds. As these were both projected by low explosive and had Gun Powder (GP) fillings they are not massively a problem, except that GP in the fuze threads is sensitive enough to function through friction. Shaking it is not a great indicator, as GP is massively hygroscopic it can turn into explosive porridge which does not work with the 'shake test'.

Henrygatech I am asuming the xray is a medical one. It certainly does not look like ours in EOD which believe it or not are absolutely cutting edge.

Kilian, fully agree, I could not put time into it yesterday as work got in the way in a quite spectacular manner. The 37 / 1 Pdr is exceptionally common but it is nice to see one of the French driving bands and not our usual Vickers Sons and Maxim (VSM).

No matter what though, I will still say again, be very careful if collecting this sort of stuff. It is too easy to get it wrong and there are some real idiots out there despirate for a Darwin Award.

R