105mm brass case for testing primers

[F0031]

An interesting item I picked up at Chatham. Not trench art. A brass 105mm case adapted for testing primers? That seems to be what it says on the head-stamp. I suppose you in screw in a primer and then fire it whilst looking through the hole to see what happens. Also there is a steel clip attached to the inside of the case.

 

[nitrocellulose]

I think it might be missing the testing element. Electric primers are on tank ammo, so my guess is that you would load this into the breech and fire the circuit to test if the firing "pin" was functioning.

Just a guess, but we have similar items for testing circuits on grenade lauinchers, etc...

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

It looks like it has a Service catalogue number (in regard to its test use) stamped on the base and also 105 mm FD (Can't see further whether Mk 1 or Mk 2 System). 105 mm Field guns used the L10 Electric primer in the 1970s & 1980s. I guess it's a cut down 105 mm case modified for testing. I never saw anything like this while I was in but it might possibly have been used by the Royal Armoured Corps.

 

[nitrocellulose]

I checked the Service Catalogue number (NSN) on our CFSS and it wasn't there. That would have made life easy if it was. The numbers in that series all refer to 105mm Howitzer though.