A Productive Saturday

[Aragorn243]

Today was not good. Nothing other than a couple of WWII books at the yard sales. Outside antique extravaganzas partially rained out and no military items at all that I could afford. One dealer had all kids of stuff at some of the highest prices I've ever seen and I know my way around bayonet values pretty well.

I did decide to go back to the place I bought the shell casings yesterday as I knew he had a couple of others so it wasn't a total bust. I picked up a 37mm anti tank casing and a 105mm artillery casing both from WWII. I still have tomorrow, hoping the rain stays away.

[browningautorifle]

37mm anti tank casing

Would this be a little short guy? They're like the 2pdr aren't they?

[Aragorn243]

The 37mm is small compared to the other shells I picked up this weekend but does not look like a 2pdr. It looks like a very large rifle cartridge. Imagine a 50 cal shell that's about 8 inches long. I'll get some photos up soon.

I went out this morning to finish up the extravaganza shows but came home empty. Saw lots of stuff but I either had it already, it was not in a condition I would like or it was too expensive. Saw a nice air warden German helmet for $125 which was tempting, especially as they were being discussed in the other thread but with what I already bought this weekend with the shells, figured I better not push the wife too far. A guy also had a 6 inch brass naval shell which I thought was nice but the price tag was considerable.

What I was really hoping for was a new rifle but there were not many, just a few Arisakas, one Martini Henry and two 1873 Springfields.

[browningautorifle]

does not look like a 2pdr. It looks like a very large rifle cartridge.

Rimmed I'm thinking, anyway when it appears, I'll compare the one I have...for interest sake.

[Aragorn243]

Photos of this weekends shell casings. They are as earlier mentioned in order of size from smallest to largest, a 37mm anti-tank or HE round, rimmed dated 1942, a 105mm howitzer dated 1944 and a 5 inch short clearing round dated 1945. I have included a 50cal round for size comparison. All are US.















The 5 inch round has a couple of interesting features. The first is it has "FLASHLESS" stenciled on its side. The second is it's long primer. You can see one hole near the top but the holes run the length of the primer. I believe this would be to more uniformly set off the powder charge in the shell.





The 5 inch shell base has all sorts of information on it that does not show up on the photo due to the mottled condition. There is only one small area which I can't read. It also has the ordnance symbol like the other two.

Machete will be in the edged weapons forum

---------- Post added at 10:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:56 AM ----------

Rimmed I'm thinking

Yes, this one is rimmed. There is another version which is nearly identical but is semi-rimmed. This is an anti-aircraft round and somewhat rarer than this type.

[browningautorifle]

Yes, that's the one I have, with projectile... It's like they made them all at once. I haven't seen any far from the date mine is made.

[Aragorn243]

They had to have produced them the entire war as they were used by the light tanks in particular. The little anti-tank guns were probably almost useless against the Germans mid war but still could have taken out the Jap tanks. The projectile is nice. I'm thinking about making wood projectiles for mine. I need to find someone with a lathe first. Diagrams with dimensions would be nice also. I've found some but not all.

[browningautorifle]

I'm thinking about making wood projectiles for mine. I need to find someone with a lathe first. Diagrams with dimensions would be nice also. I've found some but not all.

I'm at that very thing, I have a small lathe and will be using aluminum to make a projectile for an Aden 30mm and a 37mm anti aircraft gun we used back about 25 years ago. I have cases but no projectiles. The Aden is easy, the other will be proprietary. Guess I'll have to trot them out after... If you look at Collector Source you see a wood fuse that was made probably by base workshop to fill the need for drill ammunition. This 37mm, I was lucky back in about '78 or so when I had a spare Rarden casing and traded it for the complete 37mm (Staghound I think)with about $30 CDN to cover the lack of projectile. I kept my 30 Rarden with projectile...traded a WW2 UK para helmet for that one. That deal still hurts...

[Aragorn243]

I have an odd little projectile that I have no idea what it is. I've had it for years, was in my Grandfather's stuff but he never served in the military so not sure how he got it. It's bigger than 20mm and smaller than 30mm. Might be 27mm but I can't find anything on something that small. I'll have to post pics and maybe someone can tell me what it is. It was never fired, expansion ring is intact. Appears to be solid but with a different colored tip on the end. It's about 73mm tall and 26.5mm in diameter

It looks like a Japanese 25mm anti-tank round but they are only supposed to be 24.5mm in diameter.

[browningautorifle]

More like a 25mm then. We have cannon like that in service today. Pics may help and we can figure it out.

I too have one...a 20mm projectile that came from Egypt some decades back and was given to me by the DCO of my Battle School when I was teaching recruits. He found it in a spot that looked like there'd been an explosion of ammo and it was lying intact in the desert sand. After our discussion about non drop safe 20mm ammo on that other thread, I'm wondering if I have something I should take to the range and shoot at distance with a .308...