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2 pdr. pom pom

Wow this scares me somewhat. Firstly your 2pr round photo'ed has the wrong shell in it, they dont look like that! If you find one on the sea bed it has explosive in it!!!! not just cordite propellant in the case. The early ones had black powder as the explosive, it does not get harmless in the sea!! the WWII ones have High Explosive in them that gets more sensitive in the sea. All have fuzes of different types which contain enought sensitive explosive to remove fingers if played with. The later shells, some have self destruct tracers which have been known to initiate themselves in poor conditions. Rounds were often dumped overboard if they failed to fire. The cases have a primer in the base which if you tamper with it also has enough power to take off fingers and of course that sort of detonation will throw particles around that can take out eyes. Why do you think the professionals wear bomb suits? I think you are encouraging some very dangerous ideas in that divers will investigate old ammunition and bring it ashore and endanger themselves, family and neigbours. The above is true for all natures of ammunition above small arms. There is plenty of information on this site but it is aimed at research not collecting dangerous souvenirs. Read the first post regarding finding things and informing the correct authorities. Not being a spoil sport but if some idiot causes a problem with ammunition then all the sensible one suffer the consequences.
 
The original poster is more than aware of the dangers of dealing with ammunition in such a condition. For him, this is essentially 'homework', probably to expand his knowledge on very obsolete ammunition and the web address is probably an example of a scenario where he might come into contact with it, when the divers bring the ammunition ashore and it all starts going horribly wrong.

TimG
 
Hello maz9977, Do you have any better pictures of the round?
I'm guessing the projectile has been heavily restored, do you have any pictures of the projectile in its original state?
Should be able to help with a little more info.
 
Some of the rounds look like they have blunt proof projectiles, which are a little less scary but I would not want to chip out anything from such a mass. If one goes off, more may be detonated.
 
Appologies to maz9977 if he is aware of the dangers but this forum gets looked at by all sorts of people and if they see the link and look at it they might think bringing stuff ashore is ok and we all know its not. Many years ago I wrote an article for Diver Magazine about ammunition with sectioned rounds and whats in them drawings because I met a chap who had taken a 2pr off a wreck then had it appart taking the HE out with a knike, he also thought 20mm Hispano was like a big .303 and had solid shell despite them having brass fuzes. It was most welcome by the editors and it did end stressing the potential danger.
 
Hi guys, I have only been given the printed image of the 2 pdr and asked to find out what it is and as much information as possible. I stumbled upon the image I had been given when doing research. I do not possess the round in question. Any information would be appreciated about the round. Thanks
 
Maz, the 2pr pom pom AA round is perhaps one of the most posted and replied rounds on this forum, my suggestion is that you use the search facility and put in 2Pr and variations on that but discount anything that comes up on 2pr anti tank ie the long case ones and anything on any other 2pr as there are a few other types. The one you are looking for has a case length of 158mm so is correctly refered to as 40x158R. Basicly it entered service around 1915 apx and fired base fuzed common pointed or common nose time fuzed shell as well as inert practice shell. By WWII it fired HE nose fuzed shell with and without tracer as well as practice. The nose fuze did not have a self destruct feature.
 
WW1 era 2 PR were black powder filled, later HV projectiles had a high explosive filling and had a self destruct via the tracer

2 PR HV & Bofors.jpg2 PR No. 246 fuze.jpg

What type of information are you looking for? projectile types, fuzes, filling etc. or history of the gun, ships used on etc?
 
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