AP Switch No, 8.

[BMG50]

Any good manual drawings/ pictures of this AP switch.

 

[spotter]

from NAVORD OP1665

 

[siegfreid]

I have a couple of spare flange washers for this switch if any members need one .

 

[TonyE]

...and here is the round that goes in it. I also have the wood bulleted version as well.

Regards
TonyE

 

[BMG50]

Thanks spotter for the picture. Looking at the bullet it fires, its said to be a .303 round but looking at it, its no where near it, any one have an idea what it is?

 

[BMG50]

Thanks Tony you beat me to the question i was going to ask. Has this round anything to do with a .303 round ie a cut down case, what caliber is this AP bullet, looks like a .50cal bullet head.

 

[millsbomber]

I think you can use a 30 cal rifle case thurned down at the flange, i did have a repro one one but went missing,,,,,, Dave

http://www.millsgrenades.co.uk/images/soe/soe no8 switch.JPG

http://www.millsgrenades.co.uk/images/soe/AP switch cart.JPG

http://www.millsgrenades.co.uk/images/soe/Article du SOE mine creve pneu.jpg

 

[TonyE]

The original ones made by Kynoch were .351 Winchester self loader cases with the rims turne d off. You could still see the remains of the headstamp and the primers had the entwined "ICI" logo stamped on them. When these ran out Kynoch made new cases without any headstamp. The bullet is a specially turned steel bullet not made from anything else.

The repro ones were made from US .30 Carbine cases but that was totally wrong because we did not have the .30 carbine when the round was developed. Here is another picture of one of mine in which you can see the primer stamp.

Regards
TonyE

 

[millsbomber]

I think that's the one i had Tony .30, it looked ok displayed next to the spike and was cheap,,,,,, Dave

 

[BMG50]

Did the spike come fitted with the round at the factory or was the round inserted in the spike after laying. I take it that the end of the spike acts as a barrel when the cartridge is pushed down to activate the firing device.

 

[TonyE]

Further to my previous post here is the Kynoch drawing for the No.8 Switch. Its correct nomenclature is "Cartridge S.A. Ball No.1 Mark I/L".

You can see that to make a repro from a .30 Carbine case results in a case of too small diameter.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Bonnex]

There was a post-war development of the No 8 Switch which used a 0.303-inch cartridge.

 

[BMG50]

There was a post-war development of the No 8 Switch which used a 0.303-inch cartridge.

I wondered where the .303 cartridge bit came into the equation but saying that its mentioned in war time manuals. I suppose the actual round used threw quite a few people off just trying to find out what it was and generalized it being a .303 round.

On another note, Its quite interesting reading that they were used against the allies by the Germans as captured stock, were they originally intended for SOE purposes in the first place or part of the British army mine inventory.
How rare are these switches anyway.