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4" APHE or SAP - Nomenclature??

ABaird

Active Member
Ordnance approved
Thought this was a 4" Mk 16 Special Common but the measurements don't quite fit. Its unfired with the ogival cone is gone.

Measures 12.5" nose to base.
The tracer tube is 3/4"dia x 3/4" long.
Driving band 1.5" wide.
Base to band 2.5".
Weight 31.5lbs.

Any joy on nomenclature and/or a publication would be appreciated.

ABaird
 

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identification

Any clues to the age of the projs in this and 4.7 post? and Nationality? as both sizes in British service for many years and hence lots of types. APHE is not a normal British classification but SAP is and refers to a piercing shell filled with HE for use against lightly armoured targets and APC is the capped shell filled HE more able to penetrate armour. quick look in the 1945 naval book shows BE shell dont normaly have a plug in the base but the whole bottom (dia as shell id) blows out.
 
Identification

Both are considered British naval rounds. I expect that the 4" is a 4" Q.F. SAP, it weights in about right but I don't have a pub to positively ID it and the fuze. These are both WWII rounds excavated on Canadian soil.

The base on the 4.7'' is not pinned and either pressed in or screws in to the projectile casing with total dia @ 3.83" and 3.5 for the base plate leaving 0.33" of casing exposed around the base by vernier caliper.
 
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