40mm Bofors Tube

[LCplCombat]

Found this lil beauty on eBay

the Writing around the end cap reads:

40mm.. M1&Q.F.GUN(BOFORS)

CONTAINER 40MM.M66

It comes in two parts, is 18" long when constructed and is a main compartment and lid. The metal end cap has the same detail on each end. Coloured overall black. Constructed of thick cardboard, just like a toilet roll and has a metal ring protecting the exposed edge. It is thinker inside at the bottom, probably to accommodate the pointed end of the round and to stop it moving around in transit.

I estimate that Ammunition Box C219 will hold 24 of these tubes.

 

[Quatermass]

The C 219 (steel) box held 24 rounds in rolled paper containers.
The C 216 (steel) box held 24 rounds in six chargers.

Your tube looks to be American, the British tubes are of a simpler design?

Quatermass

 

[LCplCombat]

Since posting originally someone on another forum has told me this:

That's the fibre shipping tube for US-manufactured 40mm ammunition.
There was an agreement that British (40mm QF), US Army (40mm Auto M1) and US Navy (40mm QF) Bofors ammo would be interchangeable, the only difference seems to have been that Commonwealth-made ammunition had traditional screw-in primers, the US ones had pressed-in ones.

If you don't find any C219s (I might have a couple in store, in that early-war bright green) you could always go for the B167/P59 sized box of nine tubes...

Did the British use American manufactured Ammunition? It would seem they did. Do you have an example of a British made tube?

Your reference to C216 in chargers. Is the charger a clip? The C216 and the C219 boxes are the same dimensions according to my RAOS

 

[Quatermass]

American ammo was initially a straight copy of the Britsh round, later rounds were redesigned with a different case, primer and propellent, fuze and tracer. The Americans also had there own design of AP round.

I'd imagaine that American ammunition could have been supplied to British guns 'in the field' from American supplies but U.K. ammo would have been the norm.

I don't have a British paper container but as far as I can remember its a simple open ended brown tube.

The 'charger, ammuntion, Q.F., 40-MM.' is the term used in the handbook for what is often called the clip.

Quatermass

 

[LCplCombat]

The C 219 (steel) box held 24 rounds in rolled paper containers.
The C 216 (steel) box held 24 rounds in six chargers.

Your tube looks to be American, the British tubes are of a simpler design?

Quatermass

Following on this info I've since secured 24 British containers, a wartime dated C219 box and an unfired (inert) round. My display is going to be the dogs danglies when I produce this lil beauty .

I'll post pics when it all arrives.

 

[303Gunner]

Your reference to C216 in chargers. Is the charger a clip? The C216 and the C219 boxes are the same dimensions according to my RAOS

The C216 has a diagonal divider to separate 2x 3 layers of 4 rd chargers. There are slots to take fibre or ply board that supports the projectile end of the round:

 

[Tmine35]

Sold this one at SpecialistAuctions some weeks ago for a few Euros.:tinysmile_cry_t4:

 

[LCplCombat]

Thanks Gunner, I wondered how they did that. Ive reposted your pics in another thread, C.216, I hope you don't mind.

 

[Weasel]

I can add a picture of a open ended paper container for you. British and wartime dated.
Best Weasel.

 

[Gspragge]

So the next step is to buy that--

Bofors Drill gun on specialist ---- has moving parts too !

 

[zwerge]

How would the rounds on chargers be stored in this container?

 

[LCplCombat]

Without sounding too obvious in Containers No 14 mk 6

 

[LCplCombat]

I can add a picture of a open ended paper container for you. British and wartime dated.
Best Weasel.

I'll see you One and raise you 24

 

[Weasel]

Ha Ha very nice they must have taken you a while to find.

Best Weasel.

 

[LCplCombat]

No, 1 phone call procured the the box, 24 tubes and 1 round.

 

[Weasel]

Nice one, if only it was always that easy.
Best Weasel.