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30 mm ADEN Practice 2Z

Defender

Defender

Well-Known Member
Moved by admin to projectiles,as this has turned into a good topic


Hello,

I'm looking for pictures, drawings, manuals of a special 30 mm ADEN practice round. I think the model is "2Z" as it is stamped on a cartidge case of 1957.

The manufacturer of the case ist Radway Green, the one of the whole cartridge is "SWN" - do someone know which ammo-plant this is?

The same on a practice projectile of 1957 (mayby according to the case): manufacturer "WB"??

It whould be very glad, if someone can help.

Best regards
Defender
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

"SWN" Is the Royal Ordnance Factory at Swynnerton, Staffordshire, in the West Midlands. I believe ROF Swynnerton closed in the late 1950s, but I could be wrong.
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

You are right and how stupid I was ... :blink:
SWN is to find in every .303 code list.

I found some additional information:
Swynnerton was the filling factory No. 5. Production started there in the summer of 1940 and ended in the autumn of 1958. Today the area is still in use of the army as Swynnerton Training Area.

So this part of my question is answered. But whats about the others?
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

"2Z" Indicates the case is loaded a Practise mark 2 projectile and is filled with Nitrocellulose propellant instead of Cordite.

Sorry I can't help you on "WB".
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

This is the TP-projectile in question. The inner part with the out-screwable fuze-dummy is made of solid aluminium. Is it the Mark 2 TP which Falcon ment?
30mm_TP.jpg
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Defender wrote:
You are right and how stupid I was ... :blink:
SWN is to find in every .303 code list.
Click to expand...

A minor detail but you will not find "SWN" on the headstamp of any .303 round. It was a filling station not a manufacturer.

Regards
TonyE
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Don't worry, I just get a bit pedantic about the .303!

SWN is indeed listed on the IAA site, quite rightly as it will be found on other calibres such as your Aden round.

The other site you quote, "enfieldking", has so many errors it is clear that he has just trawled the net and various books and complied that list. Most of it is from the Harrington site and has simply repeated the errors there. Anyone who has actually collected and studied the .303 cartridge would not make the errors shown there. However, it is probably 90% correct so it has some use..

As for your round, I do not cover 30mm calibre, but the first one appears to be a normal Parctice Mark 2z as you say. I cannot help with the manufacturer WB. Is this stamped on the proj or on the case?

Regards
TonyE
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

TonyE wrote:
I just get a bit pedantic about the .303!
Click to expand...

That's the right way to eleminate errors, of course.

TonyE wrote:
SWN is indeed listed on the IAA site, quite rightly as it will be found on other calibres such as your Aden round.
Click to expand...

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

TonyE wrote:
As for your round, I do not cover 30mm calibre, but the first one appears to be a normal Parctice Mark 2z as you say. I cannot help with the manufacturer WB. Is this stamped on the proj or on the case?
Click to expand...

The "first one" is just a case. My question is how the matching proj looked (dawings, pics, manuals are welcome).
Maybe pictured proj is the searched one - I don't know, so I asked for help. This piece is stamped "WB-57".

Regards
Defender
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

WB = Wilmot Breeden, Ltd. Birmingham.

This was the allocation in 1946 and there is no reason to suspect a change of manufacturer. The only thing that is odd is that Wilmot Breeden's core business is/was car keys, locks and door handles. Thus they would be used to working with brass and diecasting. So projectiles would be somewhat alien process to them. However, a government contract is invariably a licence to print money and not to be ignored. What part of the projectile is 'WB' on?

Tim. G.
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

The shell body (on my pic on the right side) is marked with 'WB-57'. Just a formed piece of metal.

The fuze-dummy has a 'XOA' or turned 'VUX' on, it's not stamped deep enough and hard to read.
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

I think your WB shell may be a Practice Mark 4z.

I have a drawing of the PRAC 1z (on the short Aden case) and also the PRAC 3z. I also have a drawing of an ADEN practice shell which I think is the 2z, although the drawing title is simply ADEN PRACTICE. In any case, the filler of both of them is different to your one which makes me think it is the 4z.

Is your 2z case the short or long case ADEN?

I will scan the drawings and post them, hopefully tomorrow. I say hopefully as I have the family and grandkids over for lunch!

Regards
TonyE
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

The 2z case is 111 mm long.

Scanned drawings will be very nice. And it doesn't matter if it takes some time.
Have fun with your family and your grandkids. That's more important than my questions ;-)

Regards
Defender
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Hi Defender
Here is a photo of some ADEN projectile the black ones are 2Z rounds & the blue a 4Z
The projectile in your photo looks like the type 8a that was used in the 2Z & 4Z rounds as well as the HE rounds, there are 2 types of nose plug fitted the long type like your one & a short type that ends behind the threads, as far as I can find out the long type can be fitted to both 2Z & 4Z but the short one was only fitted to 2Z.
30_x_113B_ADEN_HV_Photo_01_Projectiles.JPG
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Hi HarryG,

very interesting informations. Do you have documents about that?

The driving band at my proj looks very similar to the one in the middle of your pic. But have a look to the tips of the nose plugs. My one is more rounded than yours. Maybe it's a (typical?) "artist freedom" of the manufacturer, maybe it's an important detail for identification ...

This pic shows what I mean.
30_mm_ADEN_TP_tips.jpg
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

If my memory serves me correctly there are two "Practice" rounds for the ADEN gun-I cannot remember which is which-but do remember that one is as shown with the Aluminium "Dumbell" shaped body that is an integral part of the nose, and the other one contains a heavy steel "slug" located in the body behind an Aluminium screwed in dummy fuze, used to penetrate light targets thus leaving a small hole as proof of a hit !

Maybe someone can confirm this !

I also was under the impression that the "Steel" cored version carried the "lighter" blue colour.
30_mm_ADEN_P4Z_Alu.JPG
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Hi Defender
The information come for a leaflet I have on the Aden.
From you photo it looks like your nose plug may have been rubbed down as there look like scores on the surface of the plug.
I've attached another photo of the 2z & 4Z projectiles.

Hi Chris
The projectile you mention with the heavy steel core is that not the AP projectile with the long alloy nose cap, the only TP I have seen use the same type 8a projectile as you have in your photo. Harry
MVC_395S-54a31d3e06b941dfc34c8353a7efdd0d.JPG
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Hi Defender
Here is a photo of the 2 plugs there is a
third which is a short conic steel plug I've seen in proof rounds
Harry
MVC_397S-dc571776eb9e1c45679a44494cfd1821.JPG
 
Re:30 mm ADEN ractice 2Z

Hi Harry G - going from memory (not a good idea in my case !) I am about 85% sure that the "PRAC 4 Z" is the lighter coloured projectile with the steel "Slug", as mentioned before that "slug" was used to mark soft skinned targets, but this was definately NOT considered as an "AP" round, I believe that comes as an "AP5Z" and has the hard Tungsten core. see picture (hopefully attached)
I must also apologise as my puter has a bad habit of putting in wrong pictures that have not been selected (better be carefull what I keep on here !)
AP_MK_5Z.JPG
 
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