Some of my bigger gear

Thought I would show some of my larger pieces of ordnance that have found their way to a good home.
Picked the Centurian 20Pdr shell case @5 years ago and it had an unfired smoke shell in it it was pretty good looking piece got from a chap in Darkan who was moving. (Deloused)
I brought a few other bits from him as well and will put them up later on.
Roll on to Feb last year and the prac A.P projectile came up on flebay with a buy it now price which considering what it was I thought cheap as so brought it.

It does not have the retaining petals for the tungsten core but that's understandable I was thinking it is as it is damn heavy but probably not being a prac round. (Wrought Iron maybe)
The cup is very light, I think made of a light metal maybe aluminium but not sure you arty guys may know!

I'm still looking for a 20pdr myself. Missed one a couple years back here as I thought $300Cdn was too expensive. Still looking.

A complete 88mm Splinter shell came up the other day on used guns it lasted 2 days sold for the asking price of $3000.oo/AUD

Well, we had that one here...complete...went to a rookie collector as the basis of a collection. $1000CDN

Yes I remember you telling me about that one Jim as we agreed the price to pack and post from CNDA would have been more than the shell was worth, that splinter shell was from a flak 88 and I gather was in effect a shotgun when bursting at the predetermined height in the bomber stream.

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

that splinter shell was from a flak 88

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Variable time fuze for altitude...

From my collection 88mm time fuse, its a bit gnarly but you don't often see them come up for sale I brought the holder for it as well.

We’ve got this...
Grandpa digged it out from the yard in front of our house after the Allied swept over Ancona in 1944.
I don’t remember exactly, but looks like a 105 mm. Should ask dad.
They were trying to knock out a German 88 that had destroyed 4 Shermans on the road at the other side of the valley. Our house was in Osimo, and the tanks were coming over from Castelfidardo.
The 88 was damaged at some point and the Germans towed it away and left.
Dad remembers lots of gauze and bandages with a lot of blood on them.
This shell landed directly in front of the house, in very wet earth (luckily).

Attachment 117375

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

88mm time fuse

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Surprising how scarce they are considering how many were made, I guess they were using them up as quickly as they could. No point in trying to take them home.

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

looks like a 105 mm.

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I don't know about that Ovidio, US 105mm were more like a boat tail bullet. Is it hollow base? Like a base ejection smoke? Measure the base across and it'll give us a better idea.

I trust you have ensured it is inert?

Grandpa did;)
I’ll ask dad. But I don’t think he can lift it anymore. I’ll have to go see asap.
I remember, hopefully not wrong, that the base was flat. Hollow inside, with very thick mantle.

---------- Post added at 09:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------

In our area, there were Polish and British troops...

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

Hollow inside, with very thick mantle.

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But a solid base...well, you know what base ejecting smoke and HE casings would look like anyway.

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Originally Posted by Daan Kemp

I trust you have ensured it is inert?

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Lovely original patina, looks quite "untouched".

Maybe tell the wife she doesn't need to dust around it anymore. ;)

It is wholly untouched. It stood for decades in grandpa’s living room, then, about 15 years ago, it was taken to my parent’s house. And again, never touched by anybody.
It has been cleared of all explosive or whatever it might have contained.
I have to admit that I never really looked at it.

Another this one is a 6Pdr solid shot with a unfired projectile nice driving bands.
Al I did was clean up the body of the projie and flat black paint it pretty happy with it displays really well. (303 Mk VII round for scale)

Yep, I have one of those. Apparently they were the sponson guns for the male tanks in WW1 also. Mine has dates of pre 1900, WW1 and WW2 on it...

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

Another this one is a 6Pdr solid shot with a unfired projectile nice driving bands.
Al I did was clean up the body of the projie and flat black paint it pretty happy with it displays really well. (303 Mk VII round for scale)

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I don't have the 6pdr shell but I do have those three books (the new Guinea offensives, a bastard of a place (guess based on look of the spines), and kokoda) to the left of the shell. Latter two I picked up in Sydney about 4 years ago. Probably a bunch others too

Ovidio, I can't help wondering how you can be sure that shell has been deactivated? Do you know this for a fact from your father or grandfather, or is there some evidence of the casing being opened at the bottom?

At the very least you have an impact(?) fuse there that may still be live, even if the explosive charge in the shell was removed.

I remember looking at it many years ago. The bottom was open and the inside of the shell is completely empty.
The fuse is another question. But I know that grandpa told me the thing was completely deactivated.
He was an officer and had a lot of years of active war duty on his shoulders, so I guess he knew what he was talking about quite well.
But I’ll look at it again as soon as the chance arises.
Also to see what we have there.

Before/After the 106 RCL HEATFS came to me via another member whom I purchased a lot from that was scaling back their collection and the round was one of the items I needed as I had 2 of the cases sitting here with no projectile. The nose comes off to expose the shaped dome inside to shape the charges explosion. I did not attempt to straighten the fins into the extended position rather just leave it pretty much as is. It forms a good talking point in my collection as they are not often seen in these parts. 303 Mk VII round Btm Rt of completed round for scale.

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

The bottom was open and the inside of the shell is completely empty.

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So, that's a base ejecting smoke of some kind...or could it be illumination?

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

106 RCL HEATFS

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I remember when the ranges were covered with the TPT versions of these...

I’ll go to my parents in the near future, and check the thing. Now you got me curious...

2Pdr No2 from my collection 303 Mk VII for scale driving band is a bit messy on one spot but it's an unfired projectile which is always nice to have.
Shell case is in pretty good nik also in my state these larger calibre rounds don't grow on trees nor do we have 2nd hand shops in abundance that sell this gear like the USA or the U.K.
I look at what available on gunbroker in the UK and go a bit green with envy the prices are a bit high but then again a huge selection.
I would certainly like to complete my English Nitro express collection one day.

Well...here I am, pouring ash on my head.
I mixed up two different things.
I called my dad and asked him.
He told me that shell in his house is a 120 mm or 4.7” shrapnell round, with timed fuse.
It went off and kicked out the base, without bursting.
It landed close to home and was retrieved by grandpa after the war.
He also had the other one, but gave it to the ordnance teams.
I’ll make pictures next time.

105mm Leopard 1 HEAT practice round with the latter steel case the rarer one to have is the brass 105mm TK which I have in my collection just trying to procure a 105mm H.E for it but they are like the brass cases very hard if not impossible to obtain.
Pic #2 303 Mk VII round down bottom by the fins of the projectile for scale.

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

the brass cases very hard if not impossible to obtain.

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Sad I had two that I watched fired and decided not to bring with me on the posting. Then two more in a surplus store about five years back and one two months ago in a local shop. Sold now, but would have cost $300CDN to ship...if not more.

20Pdr with the smoke projectile (Unfired but deloused) pretty nifty having an intact driving band as they are usually engraved with rifling or taken off as allot of WWII & WWI gear due to copper shortages.
The projectile itself is very long when shown next to the 20Pdr APDS projectile it's pretty hefty as well the 303 Mk VII round is for scale.
I don't know its burn time perhaps some artillery chap's or Tankers who operated the Centurion may know.
It is another one in my collection that I really like.

I've had one of those since the mid '80s and missed an opportunity to get the brass a while back. It would have cost about $300CDN then. Shipping extra. I left behind the 155MM base ejecting smoke projectile, probably a good thing as it weighed probably 80 lbs empty.

This is a 4" H.E projectile that was in my family before I was born and one of the few things I managed to end up with after mum & dad had passed.
It came into our family via my brother (Dec) when he was a teenager he went to a scrap yard that was located near the railway line just down from the Royal Perth Hospital how he managed to get it home I just don't know.
But he rode home with it precariously balanced in the front basket of his 28" push bike with my eldest sister riding her bike behind him!
It was our front door stopper, [When you could leave your doors open at night] for as long as I can remember it claimed many a visitors toes as they stubbed them on it when entering our house me included it has a solid base and had flat transport cap installed.

About 10 years ago I had a local machine shop dummy up a brass cap and fake driving band and just painted it up with no real reference to colouring except for the yellow band which I thought represented H.E.

Has /|\ [/|\] then B K underneath that it has N O followed by other markings as follows 4 IN 35Lb I B A.N F.A. M C 21 F S any clues on the lettering I thought the ANFA stood for Australian National Field Artillery could be wrong.

As a side note I used to train at home with it for free pistol when using my Drulov holding that shell straight out at arms length in the shooting stance to strengthen and train my upper body and arm strength with that hefty piece of kit I can assure you that my arm and that Drulov felt like a feather when shooting.
When I was home and only very young I also employed using it for arm curls but got into trouble for moving it from my dad I then just went to what Charles Atlas used dynamic tension that with playing allot of basketball all year round kept me in top form.

Nice piece...the guy that I gave my 155mm to died some years later and no one has any idea what happened to his collection...gone.

Regarding the 155mm Jim there are those that swoop in a persons most dire and vulnerable circumstances when strange decisions are being made regarding splitting up of a collection, had an experience with that.
I offered a person when they were still vertical and extremely good price for his collection had a few grenades in it lots of N.E's and full N.E packets which can range in the 100's $'s.
But was out swooped by a person I know who picked it up for half of what I offered the original owner mind you he must have been in a weak moment and relented but it still irks me.
I have another person that's promised me a heap of MKVII ammo but we will see if that ever comes to fruition.

I operate on the proviso of your words your bond if you say your going to do something or promise a person then that's it your locked in, I see so often in todays world people made out of wood and of no intrinsic or moral value.

No projie for this one a 90mm M19 shell case could be from a TD don't know maybe a person familiar with the round may help out 303 MKVII for scale.

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

Regarding the 155mm Jim there are those that swoop in a persons most dire and vulnerable circumstances when strange decisions are being made regarding splitting up of a collection, had an experience with that.
I offered a person when they were still vertical and extremely good price for his collection had a few grenades in it lots of N.E's and full N.E packets which can range in the 100's $'s.
But was out swooped by a person I know who picked it up for half of what I offered the original owner mind you he must have been in a weak moment and relented but it still irks me.
I have another person that's promised me a heap of MKVII ammo but we will see if that ever comes to fruition.

I operate on the proviso of your words your bond if you say your going to do something or promise a person then that's it your locked in, I see so often in todays world people made out of wood and of no intrinsic or moral value.

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I know what you mean cinders, I have taught and continue to teach my 24 year old son to be a man of his word, that his word is all he's really got in this world and to keep his word every time he gives it. That is a moral that is absolutely dying in today's society it seems

Bit of a rare one a 105mm Leopard 1 brass case took a while to get one about 9 years thing is not much comes up in the way of this type of gear.
There is the arms & armour society but most of them are dealers and most certainly charge the earth for stuff.
I got this at a buy it now price $150/Aud which is cheap its in good nik as well.
Chasing a H.E projectile for it but that will never eventuate a chap I know over east has a splinter/cannister shot projectile for one but he wanted $700/Aud for it and that was 12 months ago!

Still got a few to got more to come on the military ordnance may show my wildcat cartridge collection I think around 90+- odd cannot remember as I got them as a bulk lot.

2pdr No.1 Mk 2 think this one has been chopped as the correct length for the MKII round is 158mm however I will get around to attaining a correct one was there a shortened version of the round.
I may be getting confused with the Maxim Nordenfeldt pom pom cannon from the Boer war but it cannot be as that was 37mm not 40mm. Anyway its a talking point but b*gger to the person who so damaged the base!

I had a two pounder case for a couple decades...or three and finally found a complete round to get a projectile from for it. The case had been dropped on it's base from height and the proje had collapsed the shell part way, inverted it. I put the two together and cut the damaged part off in a lathe, trimming nicely. I sold the shortened case at gunshow to an older guy(Older than me) and he was overjoyed to have found a nice clean case for $20... My point is, something like that could have happened to yours also.

37mm M16 1941 B in a diamond which I take for Birmingham manufacture may be incorrect Projectile is boattailed flat base on driving band Lot 154 1941 - OWS - 37mm - M54, Fuse P A. 2 - 42 PD M66 Lot 2 - 15535 - 119 so I am gathering by the great hole in the side of the fuse is where the range setting was (Pre-set).

The very tip of the fuse comes off to expose a firing pin so I am gathering that it it went the set distance it would go off and striking say an aircraft it had an impact set up so that would initiate the main charge.
It may have been used in the Lee Grant or the P-39 Airacobra or a field piece is the fuse any give away as to its intended purpose. TIA

Fuse says in it's markings, ...42 point detonating M66... Nice piece. The case you have it in is like mine, for one of the anti tank guns or maybe the staghound...I think it's supposed to be for the auto cannons. Different case I think. Here's some pics of them in original...third pic you can see the side access plug, no adjustments.

Thanks Jim appreciate the feedback

Change for a bit J & S (3") 10Lb mortar 4/44 with transport plug, fuse and the initiator got this a while ago a nice clean example with all the pieces apart from the bags (Obviously) it has the bakerlite transport plug intact which I have heard is pretty rare given the fragility of the stuff the fuse breaks apart. Think it cost me $120/Aud from a friend on todays climate and prices it would be worth allot more now.

Aussie issue I think 2 x 2" Mortar H.E rounds had these a while they are in what I consider pristine condition both are inert and have inert fuses as well not sure on ones tail fin being 1942 vintage with a '80 mortar body! I have since found the end cap for the initiator cartridge that the one on the left is missing.
I have a 2" smoke round but that is just a hollow round not much to see in that one except its WWII vintage 7-43 on the body - MD /44 on the tail fin and /44 in the initiator end cap.

25Pdr Smoke projectile I had a 25Pdr case so found this one up in Perth for it sadly the fuse is all but destroyed still looks pretty good when sat in the shell not the thing to drop on ones foot.

Several cases for that one for sale here at present... Ordnance - Collector's Source, Military Collectibles Online

My Mills 36 (1941 on the base plug) with grenade launcher plate Pic #3 shows dis-assembled with internals I procured a copy of the initiator fuse.
These 36's when they do come up fetch reasonable $'s.

A U.S Pineapple picked this up a while ago it was minus the spoon and other bits but since sourced those it has an underlying yellow base colour the green is what it came to me with not sure if that is a typical colour for these things.
All I can find on it is an upside down 4 near the neck and the letters A H in a rather strange font sorta like flattened out and I am not sure if the spoon is the correct for type any one know if they came in all yellow I thought that was for a H.E grenade from the U.S inventory, assistance is always appreciated by myself. TIA

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

not sure if the spoon is the correct for type

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It looks to be correct for the training grenades of a bit longer ago, the later type had a double finger set at front. Here's a site for you to memorize...very informative. American Grenades

From my collection little bit smaller stuff a couple of 30mm rounds think from memory the one on the Rt is from an Aden, I have some other 30mm prac rounds will see if I can find a pic of them. As usual the 303 MkVII round for scale

I had to make a projectile for mine, they just aren't available in this area...turned it out of aluminum.

Post'er up Jim be good to see your handy work.

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

Post'er up

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I'm always meaning to join in these show and tells with pics but I'd have to actually get up and go take pics. So lazy...anyway, here's the Aden cannon case with home turned projectile and my 35x228 Oerlikon also had to make myself as neither would ever come available here.

Nice work Jim, I have the Oerlikon's mate here that I got from you yonks ago will hunt the dimensions of the projie and get a friend to turn one up.

I since see links like an MG for these Oerlikon cases and wish I'd had my brother bring me several and links too. Not sure those guns used them though. What I WANTED was live rounds. He didn't get that part...

I built flat nose projees to replicate some of the 2Pdr ammo I've seen. I still have one to make for my Jap 37mm as the only projee I've seen is about $375CDN and original. Just can't do it though.

That is Cool Thanks for sharing it.

:thup:

Not normally my thing to do but in this case it's a continuance to resurrect this thread...finally after 35 or so years I found a 20 Pdr Centurion case. I'd picked up a smoke proje back in '87 in Wainwright and held it until finding this case. If not rare, then what are they? This is brass and marked the same year as the proje, '56. The projectile sat for 25 years in the same spot and then all in one week it gets refurbished and mounted in it's new home...pics.

Splendid.

Awesome Jim sometimes it takes allot of years to get what one requires they just don't grow on the back yard tree and only a fellow collector can really understand just how long it takes, hours spent on the net searching, flea markets and second hand shops plus I have a mate..........