37mm projectile

[vcampbell]

Hello. I am new to this site, which I found while doing an internet search to try to identify a projectile. I teach history at a high school in Maine, USA, and one of my students gave me this projectile. It is stamped as follows:

BSC (followed by a faint M in a circle) 37M/M
LOT865 5 18

The projectile is also drilled and threaded in the center of the base.

I wondered if anyone could help me identify this? I would certainly appreciate any information you could give me.

 

[gwing83]

I picture of it would be helpful.
Mike

 

[TimG]

From the description of the stamping given, it would appear to have been manufactured by one of the Bethlehem Steel Company's subcontractors. Is there possibly an 'I' stamped over the 'M'?

Regards

TimG

 

[dano1917]

click a pic or 3

Hello Vcampbell, first of all welcome to BOCN. Does appear to be made by Bethelam Steel Company in Jan. 1918. The threaded hole in bottom posibly for a base mounted fuze assuming that it does not have a provision for a fuze on top (would have pointed or slightly flattened solid nose tip if it was indeed base fuzed. Would like more information on driving band to see if it's single or double. Would much appreciate seeing pictures of this projectile as World War One ordnance/grenades are some things I collect. It does sound interesting as described so far, but need some pics please...Dano

 

[vcampbell]

Thank you all for your interest, help, and prompt replies. TimG, I looked at the M again carefully, and there is no evidence of an I. There is however, one more stamping I missed before. There is what appears to be an L in a circle as well. Looking at the base as if it were a clock face, the B.S.C. "circled M" 37 M/M would span from about 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock. The LOT 865 5 18 would span from 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock. The circled L would be at 3 o'clock. Dano, the tip is solid and pointed, and the drilled and tapped hole in the bottom is approximately 5/8 inch in diameter. If I am right in my understanding of driving bands, I believe the band is missing on this projectile. There is an indentation encircling the projectile which is approximately 3/4 inch wide with 8 serrated (for lack of a better word) bands. By the way, the projectile itself is approximately 3 5/8 inches long. I will get pictures of it posted ASAP, although it may not be until tomorrow as we are having our first big snow/ice/wind storm of the season tonight and we keep losing power. Thank you again for your help.

 

[Gspragge]

What you have is

A One Pounder ( U.S.N. designation 1 Pounder Heavy) projectile. This is made for the 1 Pounder MKA Mod 1 cannon As made and sold by the Bethlehem Steel Company. During 1917 these rounds were bought by France with cannon. I don't know who bought these in 1918, if any country did. The images should answer your question. I have details on the French use of this on another post in projectiles someplace, this repeats some of it.

(Can you confirm the lot number, it is higher than one I have for 6 - 18 and seems out of step, but anything is possible and sometimes these are not clearly marked)

 

[dano1917]

projo 37

Gordon, would that be one of those "bunker buster" projectiles or armor piercing round? Dano

 

[Gspragge]

I think they would be called

semi armor piecing these days. They are meant to penetrate (not much really maybe 1" if close) then explode showering the inside area with fragments. They are too small to actually destroy much. They would be good for German trench shields, MG shields, Armored cars and other thin targets. The French loaded these with their own projectiles, but did not load the 37mm HE projectile.