Identify my artillery shell?
Discussion
No idea if there is even anywhere appropriate to post this on PH, but no idea where else to start!
We have an old brass artillery shell casing. My father found in an outbuilding in the depths of West Yorkshire a long time ago (maybe 50s or 60s). No particular family link to the military, so no leads there. No idea whether it’s from a World War, earlier or later, or what country it might have originated from.
Do I have a hope in hell of working out what it is/where it’s from?
The only seemingly identifying features are that it’s got a narrow stepped rim at the bottom, measures about 47mm across the opening at the top, is about 14 inches tall and has some stamps on the bottom.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/VkYULfwp[/url]
We have an old brass artillery shell casing. My father found in an outbuilding in the depths of West Yorkshire a long time ago (maybe 50s or 60s). No particular family link to the military, so no leads there. No idea whether it’s from a World War, earlier or later, or what country it might have originated from.
Do I have a hope in hell of working out what it is/where it’s from?
The only seemingly identifying features are that it’s got a narrow stepped rim at the bottom, measures about 47mm across the opening at the top, is about 14 inches tall and has some stamps on the bottom.
[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/VkYULfwp[/url]I know nothing about these but have spent the last 30 minutes determined to find it... getting close.
https://www.jcmilitaria.com/display_image.asp?ID=2...
Looks like it's Russian.
https://www.jcmilitaria.com/display_image.asp?ID=2...
Looks like it's Russian.
MyNewName said:
I know nothing about these but have spent the last 30 minutes determined to find it... getting close.
https://www.jcmilitaria.com/display_image.asp?ID=2...
Looks like it's Russian.
Actually, could be right. I like the markings, closer than any I've found. I was guessing UK/France from being found in the UK.https://www.jcmilitaria.com/display_image.asp?ID=2...
Looks like it's Russian.
MyNewName said:
MikeGTi said:
Looks like it’s from a 3.7-inch QF AA gun
Matches what I found, only query is another forum mentions a short casing and a long casing with the short being AA but no mention of what the long casing is? The 3.7” QF AA guns had various lengths of round themselves through development apparently (https://web.archive.org/web/20190125225534/https://quarryhs.co.uk/ammotable10.html).
I’m not an expert on anything that old though
MyNewName said:
I know nothing about these but have spent the last 30 minutes determined to find it... getting close.
https://www.jcmilitaria.com/display_image.asp?ID=2...
Looks like it's Russian.
Once again I’m flabbergasted by the PH collective! Thanks very much to you chaps, I had done some Googling but had drawn a blank on anything that matched, and seen so much variation in markings, that I had assumed this was an absolute wild goose chase.https://www.jcmilitaria.com/display_image.asp?ID=2...
Looks like it's Russian.
Armed with the Russian info (the 5/b being a specific character from another alphabet makes a lot of sense) I’ll see what more I can find out. Having seen that the year of manufacture was sometimes stamped on I did wonder if the 98-99 was referring to 1898, will have to recap my Russian history to see who they were firing shells at…
MikeGTi said:
Can you measure the casing length and rim diameter in mm?
The 3.7” QF AA guns had various lengths of round themselves through development apparently (https://web.archive.org/web/20190125225534/https://quarryhs.co.uk/ammotable10.html).
I’m not an expert on anything that old though
Casing is 675mm long and rim diam is 135mm. The 3.7” QF AA guns had various lengths of round themselves through development apparently (https://web.archive.org/web/20190125225534/https://quarryhs.co.uk/ammotable10.html).
I’m not an expert on anything that old though
I have others complete with the shells but this casing is the biggest.
fourfoldroot said:
Casing is 675mm long and rim diam is 135mm.
I have others complete with the shells but this casing is the biggest.
Judging by that chart then, if it’s correct, then it’s for a mk1-3 QF AA gun.I have others complete with the shells but this casing is the biggest.
The Mk6 round were longer. Other 3.7” guns were howitzers, anti-tank guns, and a few armoured vehicle guns.
Just to add a bit of info I’ve now tracked down myself… Turned up this thread of someone asking the same sort of question I did… https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/47-mm-shel...
So it seems my shellcase was likely ordered in 1898 and produced in 1899 and the anchor indicates it was for naval use, although I’ve seen that these guns were later on mounted on trains, motor vehicles, etc as well as being used as field guns…
So it seems my shellcase was likely ordered in 1898 and produced in 1899 and the anchor indicates it was for naval use, although I’ve seen that these guns were later on mounted on trains, motor vehicles, etc as well as being used as field guns…
fourfoldroot said:
Ooh. Can mine be identified too please. I guess its WW2 British. I would be interested to know what it would be fired from. I found it in my Aunts garage when the house was cleared. Now serving duties as an umbrella stand. Approx 24 in high and 3 3/4 in at top.
Ooo yes - I can help with this one!RLB stands for 'Royal Laboratory Birtley' aka Royal Ordnance Factory, Birtley, Co. Durham. I served my apprenticeship there (and the subsequent fifteen years) and indirectly manufactured thousands of shells, cases and other bits of ammunition.
Happy days!
Edit to add: I wasn't there in 1938, however.
Edited by littleredrooster on Tuesday 20th June 21:51
French 75.
https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/75mm-field...
Give a little more info on the markings "The 6 0’clock markings are :
Case manufacturer. Lot number. Date. Metal furnisher.
Loading factory is at 3 o’clock."
Going off that, yours was 1917 manufacture.
https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/75mm-field...
Give a little more info on the markings "The 6 0’clock markings are :
Case manufacturer. Lot number. Date. Metal furnisher.
Loading factory is at 3 o’clock."
Going off that, yours was 1917 manufacture.
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