US 37mm M1 ammunition

Does anyone know anything about such a cartridge?

The case is a bottle-necked, "rimless" type, unlike the 37mm round for the dinky anti tank gun and the secondary armament in the M3 medium tank, etc..

Actually, the rim, at 2" / 51mm. is a bit larger than the rear of the case body; more of a "semi-rimmed" style.

Case length is 220mm / 8 11/16".

I only have a fired case, no projectile. In profile, it looks like a "real-man's" .30-06.

The head-stamping is VERY faint and there are coarse lathe-tool marks across the head. Probably WW2 "accelerated production.

US Navy, perhaps?. The only other 37mm that springs to mind is the one fitted to the P-39, which were operated in the area where this originated.

I have one here... I also have the FM here if I needed. They weren't navy, they were everyone's.

I grew up with a U.S. M80 tracer armor piercing projectile that I used as a paper weight.

https://picturearchive.gunauction.co...nd100-2864.JPG

It got lost when we broke up housekeeping at the family home and I've been looking for one ever since.

Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob Womack

a U.S. M80 tracer armor piercing projectile

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That would be almost impossible to find again.

Here's some more info from the book to help the OP...saves me taking pics of it.

Help identifying excavated WW2 fired round - #5 by bdgreen - General Ammunition Discussion - International Ammunition Association Web Forum

The thing with the one I have, is that is part of a piece of "trench-art", made by my Dad, the WW2 Australian vehicle mechanic. His workshop, part of an artillery Regiment, was stationed near Townsville, Queensland for quite a while, training for the invasion of Japan. It seems that, in their "down-time' there was a flourishing "cottage industry' making souvenirs both to send "to the folks back home", or as 'trade goods"; swapped with other units, both Oz and US, for whatever might be needed in the workshop or just took their fancy. If I can peel the photo off the phone, I will post it.

The M1 Autocannon was widely used by the U.S. Army in WWII mounted on a towed carriage or the M15 Motor Gun carriage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruce_in_Oz

The case is a bottle-necked, "rimless" type, unlike the 37mm round for the dinky anti tank gun

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So I actually showed you the wrong round, reading this again. I don't have the other, wish I did. Thing is, they use the same projectile and even share dimensions except the rim. Yes, they had those in the nose of the P39/P60 but I think it was shorter.

Here's the easiest way to distinguish them for me...side by side.
3 U.S. 37mm rounds.
Far left is a 1942 brass M17 case with a 1943 M51B1 projectile.
Center is a 1943 steel M16 case with a 1941 M55A1 projectile.
Far right is a round for the M4 Auto Gun as used in the Bell P-39 Airacobra & later on the Navy's PT boats. The case is not dated & the projectile is also a M55A1 dated 1941.

Second pic is marked.

"Trench Art" 37mm case "dinner gong.

Attachment 132225

The frame is 1/8" steel welding rod.

The "mallet" is assembled from a couple of fired .30-06 cases, a length of approx 5/16" brass rod an a .30 Cal bullet.

The base had small rubber feet, but they perished decades ago.

Yep, M17 case. Love to find one of those too. Nicely done with great history.