Cleaning out my dad's basement and found this artillery round. Can anyone identify it? The only thing stamped on the end of the case is "N". The projectile appears to be solid. Looks like it was pushed into the casing with some fabric around it to keep it in place.
Can anyone identify this artillery round?
- Thread starter PennState
- Start date
Boomer58cal
New member
What diameter is it?
It looks like a Korean or Vietnam era 37 or 40 mm anti aircraft shell.
Boomer
It looks like a Korean or Vietnam era 37 or 40 mm anti aircraft shell.
Boomer
The length looks about right for a Bofors 40MM shell
I believe its a little short to be a Soviet/Combloc 37MM AA round. Also the taper looks wrong.
The case also does not look right for a 35MM Orlikin round
Unless it is something super exotic I think its a bofors 40MM round.
I believe its a little short to be a Soviet/Combloc 37MM AA round. Also the taper looks wrong.
The case also does not look right for a 35MM Orlikin round
Unless it is something super exotic I think its a bofors 40MM round.
g.willikers
New member
Yeah, judging from the second picture, taken from the rear, the primer looks very healthy.
Don't drop it.
Don't drop it.
Those things had explosive shells. And while I didn't see a fuze we didn't get a good look at the pointy end.
So you might have a very dangerous piece of ordnance in your house. Or you might have a display shell that is perfectly safe. But how are you going to sleep at night until you find out?
Best of luck.
Bart Noir
So you might have a very dangerous piece of ordnance in your house. Or you might have a display shell that is perfectly safe. But how are you going to sleep at night until you find out?
Best of luck.
Bart Noir
Mike Irwin
Staff
40 mm Bofors.
The shell looks as if it is a solid, not explosive.
The shell looks as if it is a solid, not explosive.
Most likely, 37mm or 40mm, either AA or infantry/tank cannon shell.
The British 2 pounder (40mm) cannon used in early WWII tanks fired a solid shot. Several different nations used a 37mm round as the standard tank and anti tank gun at the beginning of WWII (US, Germany, etc). Plus there are the different 37mm AA guns and aircraft cannon...
Each gun used its own shells (although there were "families" of guns using the same shells). These shells all look roughly similar, and the details of case dimensions are needed to correctly identify which one it is.
it is possible that the cloth is used to hold the projectile in the case from friction. It MAY be that the original "bullet" was replaced with an inert one. I have seen that done before, although usually done with a fired case to make a dummy round.
I have also run across live explosive shells that had their powder dumped and the warhead put back in the case to make a display round. Some don't know that doesn't make it safe.
If you just want it gone, call the cops, they'll send the bomb squad and take it away. They may even let you back into your house afterwards.....
Even if it is live, it hasn't gone off yet, so it likely won't. That does NOT mean it CAN"T go off. Carefully move it someplace where it would be safe if the worst happens, and if you can, get good measurements of all the dimensions (something better than the yardstick).
What I think you have is a display round someone made up, BUT it may not be, I can't tell for sure, so if you keep it, err on the side of caution until it is positively identified. If it does turn out to be a live explosive, it will have to be taken and disposed of by the authorities.
These kinds of things turn up often, cannon shells, artillery rounds, grenades and even aircraft bombs. Most of them are harmless. Some are not, even if someone at one time thought they were. Generally there is no problem if they are reported and dealt with by the authorities. But, if you know that it is a live explosive, and you keep it, there are legal problems involved in that.
be safe, and be legal.
The British 2 pounder (40mm) cannon used in early WWII tanks fired a solid shot. Several different nations used a 37mm round as the standard tank and anti tank gun at the beginning of WWII (US, Germany, etc). Plus there are the different 37mm AA guns and aircraft cannon...
Each gun used its own shells (although there were "families" of guns using the same shells). These shells all look roughly similar, and the details of case dimensions are needed to correctly identify which one it is.
it is possible that the cloth is used to hold the projectile in the case from friction. It MAY be that the original "bullet" was replaced with an inert one. I have seen that done before, although usually done with a fired case to make a dummy round.
I have also run across live explosive shells that had their powder dumped and the warhead put back in the case to make a display round. Some don't know that doesn't make it safe.
If you just want it gone, call the cops, they'll send the bomb squad and take it away. They may even let you back into your house afterwards.....
Even if it is live, it hasn't gone off yet, so it likely won't. That does NOT mean it CAN"T go off. Carefully move it someplace where it would be safe if the worst happens, and if you can, get good measurements of all the dimensions (something better than the yardstick).
What I think you have is a display round someone made up, BUT it may not be, I can't tell for sure, so if you keep it, err on the side of caution until it is positively identified. If it does turn out to be a live explosive, it will have to be taken and disposed of by the authorities.
These kinds of things turn up often, cannon shells, artillery rounds, grenades and even aircraft bombs. Most of them are harmless. Some are not, even if someone at one time thought they were. Generally there is no problem if they are reported and dealt with by the authorities. But, if you know that it is a live explosive, and you keep it, there are legal problems involved in that.
be safe, and be legal.
bamaranger
New member
not bofors
Pretty sure that is NOT a 40mm bofors. The neck/shoulder and case taper look way off. If I had to guess and its just a guess, I'd say its a 37mm cannon/ or anti-tank round from the wheeled/towed gun or the Stewart tank of WWII
Pretty sure that is NOT a 40mm bofors. The neck/shoulder and case taper look way off. If I had to guess and its just a guess, I'd say its a 37mm cannon/ or anti-tank round from the wheeled/towed gun or the Stewart tank of WWII
I with bamaranger. Looks closest to 37x223R anti-tank round. For the M-3 anti-tank gun among others. M-3.
Odd though, these type of rounds usually had fairly extensive headstamps identifying them. Don't think the fabric around the projectile is original. Probably stuffed in that way after it was pulled, hopefully to dump the powder.
Odd though, these type of rounds usually had fairly extensive headstamps identifying them. Don't think the fabric around the projectile is original. Probably stuffed in that way after it was pulled, hopefully to dump the powder.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Looking at it more, and at better examples of bofors rounds, I think my answer was incorrect.
Sigh...
Sigh...
bamaranger
New member
tube
There is a rather interesting video on Youtube of a guy reloading 37mm M3 shells and the example in the OP certainly seems to be similar.
The 37mm M3 has always intrigued me, but I guess it was obsolete by WWII, though it saw action. Read somewhere the Marines liked it with canister shot.
There is a rather interesting video on Youtube of a guy reloading 37mm M3 shells and the example in the OP certainly seems to be similar.
The 37mm M3 has always intrigued me, but I guess it was obsolete by WWII, though it saw action. Read somewhere the Marines liked it with canister shot.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Too small to be 40mm anything. The projectile scales about 1-1/4 inches. That's approximately 32 mm.
From the pic it could also be approx. 1.5" (37mm), but using an yardstick, at an angle is hardly precise, and could be off 1/4" and not be noticed, easily.
There are 30, 35, 37, & 40mm rounds, used in aircraft, AA, ground, and tank mounts by numerous countries since the late 1920s on up that fit the same general size and shape as the round the OP has. Absent identifying markings, accurate measurement is the only way to be reasonably sure which round it is.
There are 30, 35, 37, & 40mm rounds, used in aircraft, AA, ground, and tank mounts by numerous countries since the late 1920s on up that fit the same general size and shape as the round the OP has. Absent identifying markings, accurate measurement is the only way to be reasonably sure which round it is.
In 2006, in Ventura California, a teacher had a 40 mm projectile as a paper weight in the class room. Apparently had it for years. Then he smacked a bug and it went off, putting a hole in his hand in the ceiling.
In June, someone brought a 20mm to school:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/school-evacuated-after-boy-10-1936793
You know, there are all sorts of news articles on old unexploded ordnance that people kept around until the ammunition converted itself to exploded ordnance.
I have no idea. You need to take more precise measurements of the shell diameter and case length.
What about a nice clear picture of the case head?
In June, someone brought a 20mm to school:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/school-evacuated-after-boy-10-1936793
You know, there are all sorts of news articles on old unexploded ordnance that people kept around until the ammunition converted itself to exploded ordnance.
I have no idea. You need to take more precise measurements of the shell diameter and case length.
What about a nice clear picture of the case head?