$10 Money Pit, 81mm Mortar

On a whim, I bought an 81mm mortar body off Coleman's for something like $10. Wasn't real happy when it arrived as they demilled the top by blow torch cutting it about 3/4's of an inch. So it sat here in my office for three weeks. Found fins for $50 and a fuse for $34 and a gas check for $5. So I'm maybe regretting this whole $10bargain but I have to say, it looks real cool. I just have the fins, not the fuse so I'll wait to post photos. After all this, I found a complete one for sale for about $30-$40 more than what I have in this pieced together one so I guess it's still a "bargain".

81MM Mortar Bomb Casing - Colemans Military Surplus

Don't beat yourself up over this one. It's the bits and parts that are hard to find, and to get them all together is even harder. Now you have it and it won't go down in cost. I saw an ad asking for any 60mm training bombs or artifacts...anything... I thought about selling my 60mm solid bomb for about a minute and then thought about the head shaking of collectors here...why would you sell it? How do you replace it? Guess my kids can do that...

Waiting for pics...

Some collectors sell & trade I'm like Jim I do not really on sell kit unless I have a couple of them then I am more likely to trade as cash seems to go through my fingers like sand and I end up at my wifes side asking like Oliver Twist!
Who tries to understand my passion for collecting "Stuff!" as for my son one hopes he appreciates it when my perch snaps.

I am chasing a 75mm projie for a Pak that I can share between a M4 case I have H.E or A.P does not matter thing is it will have to be an Australian contact as getting it from O/seas would be too costly and may cause panic in customs!
I priced one from a seller over in the eastern states he only had a complete round which he wanted $600 for (passed on it).............!

I'm not regretting it really, the cool factor of how this looks just puts a smile on my face when I hold it. And that's with just the fins attached. I'll have to dremel out the threads on the top so I can screw the fuse on. I just hope the fuse is the right size. Looks like these things are pretty standard, no trouble with the fins other than having to clean the threads up a little there also. They shipped the fuse and gas check today so hopefully I'll have them early next week.

Only real drawback with this thing is how to display it. the fins are about 7 inches long and made out of aluminum. The mortar body probably weighs 15-20lbs and is top heavy even without the fuse. Have to lay it on its side on a shelf I suppose.

Do what I did for my 3" M/B make up a sitting Jig the bakerlite transport plug I keep separate and leave the fuse in the bomb as those plugs are pretty well impossible to get if it gets broken.

My mortar has a solid base. Still had the firing mechanism in it. It isn't active but it's there. It's a raised "primer" that sets off a charge which goes through a small hole into the main fin base. I will try to get some photos up this afternoon after work. Fin comes apart also.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

15-20lbs

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Really? The 81mm bombs I fired were about 10 lbs...even the long smoke and illum. Here's my 81mm and 60mm...

Coleman's says it is 5lbs 2 ounces but I think it weighs a lot more than that. Maybe not. I don't have a scale.

When we say "Gas check" is that the band around the upper part of the projectile?

Took some photos, will make explanations easier. That is a 50 cal for scale. I have three rulers which are usually sitting on a shelf above my desk and they are all missing.

This is the top of the shell where they blow torched about an inch down. I'll have to clean up these threads to get the fuse screwed on and then probably fill it with JB weld unless someone has a better suggestion.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../9oSX1hB-1.jpg

Here is with the fin broken down. The gas check goes into the groove a little over halfway up the shell. These are expandable so I can put a new one into the groove. You can buy a 500 count box of them on gunbroker if you have need of them, not sure why anyone would but hey, they are there.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../0qscc1k-1.jpg

And the fin and shell assembled. May not be the correct fin for the shell but I don't care. Listed as a US Navy mortar fin, also used by the British for HE rounds.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ZmTBaLD-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by WarPig1976

When we say "Gas check"

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We mean the obturating ring...

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

The gas check goes into the groove a little over halfway up the shell. These are expandable so I can put a new one into the groove.

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You have to understand these aren't recovered. These are H.E. and are gone, at least that bomb is. The obturating rings often as not are around the baseplate position after. The old bombs had "Bourlettes" cut right into the bomb. The new plastic ones had an angle at the ends so they would be forced out to seal the bore when gasses forced the bomb out.

To weigh it, just take it in hand and step on your scale at home. The step off and put it down and step back on. The difference is...

No scale. Never had one. That is a bit unusual I know.

Not sure if the new obturating ring is plastic or not. Photo was kind of crap. It is split kind of like a key ring.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

It is split kind of like a key ring.

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That's what I expect to see...split and slides up to pop into the groove.

Money pit got even deeper today. Fuse and obturating ring came and the fuse does not even come close to fitting which is odd because from the photos, it should. So now, not only to I have to find another fuse, I have to find a shell body for this oversized fuse. It never ends.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

fuse does not even come close to fitting

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Wrong thread?

Wrong thread, wrong size. I have doubts this fuse is even for an 81mm. If it is, it's not for one of the "tear drop" types like i have. It looks like it has an outer ring thread on top of a smaller thread rim that would actually fit my threads but the head itself is still too big. It would stick out about a quarter inch all the way around.

well i can weld that up an make it look good on out side but re thread is going to be tricky.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

It would stick out about a quarter inch

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Sounds like a 105...maybe it'll go on the WTS, there's ammo collectors hereabouts...

You were right. There was some writing on the side that I couldn't quite make out in natural light so I got a high power flashlight out. This fuse is an PD M557 105mm fuse. It is what they have in the photo on the site I bought it from CDVS but they ID it as an 81mm fuse.

Now the question is should I complain or just keep it as an additional piece for my collection. Can't find anyone selling them to see if I paid a fair price for it.

Keep it and get a 105mm shell to poke it in you may be able to swing a discount off the place you got it off citing they mis ID'ed the fuse so they may give you a bit if they have an 81mm fuse otherwise keep searching.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

they ID it as an 81mm fuse

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They have no idea, very much buyer beware. You HAVE to know what you're buying.

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

Keep it and get a 105mm shell

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I have to say, that will likely be next. I have a WW1 105 type that will procreate a projectile as soon as I part with it... So, here it sits.