Posted 12 years ago
Dr_Rambow
(88 items)
Not sure what the exact caliber this was listed as (inches, mm, or a gauge like English X-pound guns), either way it is about a 3" projectile. The round alone is 11" long, so the casing must have been just as large. Quite a nasty anti-personnel round, the 4th image describes how it functions after being fired. The brass fuse on the top sets the time (altitude) at which the round will go off, ideally at such time to spread the shrapnel over enemy trenches. It was used mostly during WWI and also saw some use in WWII, just to a much lesser degree.
Picked this up at a local pawn shop a while back. It was fairly rusty and dirty, but I think it cleaned up very well. I tried to keep the rich colors of the patina while removing enough oxidation to really make them look good.
The other rounds in the image are (from largest to smallest) a 1942 dated 20mm round, a .50 cal round, and the humble .22 short.
The brass fuse on the large one, I dug one exactly like it on Ft. Sill with a metal detector many years ago, but have since sold it on Ebay.
It will screw apart into four pieces.
Very nice find.
Nice! When researching, many hits will show metal detector find for the fuses. Must have been a surprising thing to find!
I tried to get it apart but since it had been fired, it had also hit something. Something that deformed the fuse slightly to make it very difficult to pry apart. I was able to get it off, just not into pieces. Oh well. I still love it.
Yes, a great find.