Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

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JRD
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Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by JRD »

I was shown what I suspect is an inert WWI, possibly British, artillery shell that I’m stumped in identifying. A friend has had it for years and recently showed it to me. What’s unusual is it’s marked as a 70m/m which is smaller than the very common 75mm projectiles.
Searching the internet shows there is lots on artillery brass cases, many made into trench art, but much less on the projectiles themselves. (Probably because someone had to disassemble the projectiles and remove the explosive charge and fuse to become a souvenir.)
Can anyone point me to a resource that could identify this projectile?
Jason
Pictures of the shell at:
https://m.imgur.com/a/oWvn5vG
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gamekeeper
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by gamekeeper »

No expert here but the BL 2.75 inch Mountain Gun fired a 70mm projectile and was used during the First World War.
2.75_inch_Mountain_Gun.jpg
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Pete44ru
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Pete44ru »

.

I'm certainly no expert either, Jason - but it looks like that projectile still has it's (nose) fuse, and may very well still be "live" (not "inert"), so please take care.



Image



My google-fu, however, tells me that:

The 70mm HE (high explosive) projectile (aka: 2.75") was used in a "mountain howitzer" that was adopted in 1911 and began entering service in 1914.


The weapon served primarily with the Indian Mountain Artillery in the northwest portion of British Indian territory (on what is now the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan) and participated in British-led military action in that theatre.

It also served in Mesopotamia and the Salonika front during World War I.

Due to its specialized nature, the gun itself was produced in only limited numbers, with just 183 manufactured during the war (WWI), when it got replaced with the 3.7" mountain howitzer.

It was a screw gun design, where the barrel could be separated into two parts via a screw joint.
This allowed for the gun to have a heavier barrel, but still be broken into smaller portions for transport by mule teams.
This was important for a weapon designed to be used in mountainous and rough terrain, or where adequate vehicle and horse transport was not readily available.
The weapon could be carried by six mules or towed.



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Rusty
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Rusty »

Not an expert either but just from casual observation, as was already stated the fuse seems to still be intact which might be of some concern. It would be nice to know if 1) it still has the HE component in the shell, and 2) if the fuse is still intact.
Judging from the driving band it doesn't show any rifling so I'd say it was never fired .
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JRD
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by JRD »

It’s definitely insert. That’s the first thing I wanted to make sure of myself so I tapped on it with a hammer to see if it sounded hollow...


Just kidding. The fuse unscrews and the shell was emptied out years ago. The fuse is just a cap with nothing other than the shell. The fuse must have been an impact fuse versus a timed fuse because there are no rotating dials to set time.

I did find references to the 2.75” mountain gun but projectile imaged I’ve found showed a much shorter shell. Also the mountain gun was very low production and my guy feel says it’s more likely to be something common.

I’ve not found any references to the markings on the bottom.
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by AJMD429 »

JRD wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:12 pmI’ve not found any references to the markings on the bottom.
The 'PEW' is just signifying the noise it makes when fired - "....pew, pew, pew...." :D
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Jay Bird »

AJMD429 wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:08 pm
JRD wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:12 pmI’ve not found any references to the markings on the bottom.
The 'PEW' is just signifying the noise it makes when fired - "....pew, pew, pew...." :D
Doc...what are you smoking? :D That was funny.
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GunnyMack
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by GunnyMack »

Since it only has PEW on it it must have been a training round. Otherwise it would have had PEW- BOOM stamped on it. :lol:
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2ndovc
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by 2ndovc »

AJMD429 wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:08 pm
JRD wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:12 pmI’ve not found any references to the markings on the bottom.
The 'PEW' is just signifying the noise it makes when fired - "....pew, pew, pew...." :D
That was my first thought too! :D

jb 8)
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Jay Bird »

Wow...I think I have a loaded HE 40mm rd.....dated 1943. Think I'll toss it out the window of the Jeep or just wing it in the burn pit.---6

Image

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Image
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GunnyMack
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by GunnyMack »

Naw just bring it to the Maine Gun Room and we will build something to shoot it!
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Mike Armstrong »

Anybody ever notice that a 40mm Bofors autocannon round looks just like a huge .22 Hornet? I wonder how that happened.
Jay Bird

Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Jay Bird »

Mike Armstrong wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:12 pm Anybody ever notice that a 40mm Bofors autocannon round looks just like a huge .22 Hornet? I wonder how that happened.
Good pick out Mike...I never noticed that until now. I may have an answer......

Maybe it's the same way the .223, 30-06, and the 50 BMG all look the same. The boys knew then what worked ...and worked to perfection........all this Remington ultra mag b.s. along with about every cartridge except the 40 S&W developed in the last 50 years is just that...b.s.

At our long range half scale silhouette matches I've been giving the 6.5 Creedmore guys with 5 K setups a little bit of competition using a stock 16" AR in .223 and a cheap $500 Vortex using 77 Sierra Matchkings. I'm about 4 hits out of 40 from catching up in their class. I'll soon be working with the new Berger VLD 85.5 gr. Hybrids and confidently, will be knocking them off their high horse. ---6
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Re: Any WWI artillery shell experts here?

Post by Mike Armstrong »

I'm with you on the new "wonder cartridges" that come along so often....the game doesn't change, the land changes very little, the human body doesn't change much. So why would the basic weapons that are associated with these things change much?

My son got a commendation for killing a sniper in Afghanistan at a range of nearly 400 meters. With one shot from an M-16 (not an M-4) with a basic issue optical sight. Reason? The rifle and cartridge were adapted to that military use over time by improved military specifications, and he was "issued" excellent vision (not by the USMC, although they taught him how to use the rifle).

I don't hunt big game any more at 76+, but when I did my favorite--and most successful--rifles were chambered for the .30-40 "Craig" as we used to call it....

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