I found the following information that I thought might be of interest to some. Bob
Source:Heavy Artillery Material, Coast Artillery Corps, Part III, 1922.
The entire surface of the projectile (except the rotating band) is painted with the appropriate basic color.
Projectiles designed to contain a bursting charge of high explosive: Yellow.
Projectiles designed to contain a bursting charge of low explosives: Red.
Target practice and subcaliber projectiles: Black.
Shrapnel: Red
Chemical shell (Gas, Smoke or Incendiary): Gray
Illuminating shell: White.
Tracer shell: Blue
When a high explosive filler contains a smoke mixture to facilitate observation of fire, a green band 0.5 inch wide is painted on the shell one inch from the front of the bourrelet.
The particular kind of filler employed in a chemical shell is indicated by a band or bands of the same or different color. The bands are 0.5 inch wide and spaced 0.5 inch apart. The second (middle) band of 5, 6, and 8 inch shells and 155mm shells is located directly over trhe center of gravity of the projectile. The bands of the smaller calibers are located on the ogive immediately above the bourrelet.
Shell Filler 1st band 2nd band 3rd band Stencil Marking
VN White None None Gas
GG White White None Gas
PS White Red None Gas
HS Red Red Red Gas
BA Red None None Gas
PG White Red White Gas
NC White Red Yellow Gas
WP Yellow None None Smoke
Smoke Shells None None None Smoke
When fuzes are not assembled in base fuzed projectiles which are filled, four longitudinal black stripes two inches wide are painted on the body of the projectile. These stripes are 90 degrees apart and extend from the rotating band to the base. When the projectile is fuzed the bands are painted out with the appropriate basic color.
White paint is used in stencilling when the basic color is black. In all other cases black paint is used.
The present system for marking Seacoast Artillery Armor Piercing and Deck Piercing projectile is:
AP and DP Forged steel shells: the exterior having first been painted black, a band of blue-gray paint, one half caliber wide is painted around the projectile so that one half of the band lies on either side of the center of gravity. The color indicates the projectile is made of forged steel. The position of the band is selected so as to assist in the proper adjustment of the shot tongs in handling. The attached points or caps are painted blue gray where the long pointed caps have been assembled. Where only the blunt soft nosed cap is present, the cap and two-thirds of the ogival part of the projectile is painted blue-gray. This blue-gray tip indicates that the projectile is the armor piercing type. After loading, the base of the shell and that portion of the body in the rear of the rotating band is painted yellow to indicate the bursting charge is high explosive.
AP forged steel Shot: The same as for AP forged steel shell, except that the blue-gray tip is carried back to the front edge of the bourrelet.
AP cast steel shot and shell: The same as for armor piercing shell and shot, except that the color of the paint for the tip and band is warm gray instead of blue-gray. Projectiles which are filled, but not fuzed have four longitudinal black stripes one in ch wide painted on the projectile in the rear of the rotating band. These stripes are 90 degrees apart and extend from the rotating band to the base cover groove. In the unusual case where the base cover is in place, the stripes extend across it.
Target practice projectiles: The exterior of the projectile is black. A band of olive green, one half inch wide is painted around the body of the projectile so that half the band lies on either side of the center of gravity. An additional band of olive green of the same width is painted midway between the rear of the center of gravity band and the front of the rotating band. Steel projectile which are assigned for target practice purposes are painted the same as cast iron except that the body rear of the rotating band is painted blue-gray.
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Source: TR 1370-A, 1930
"The following color scheme is now in use in marking artillery ammunition, bombs, and grenades:
Yellow.......................high explosive
Vermillion...................low explosive, such as black powder (shrapnel)
Gray.........................Chemical (gas, smoke, or incendiary)
Blue.........................Practice (greatly reduced charge of low explosives)
White.......................Illuminating
Black........................Dummy and target practice
In addition to the above, a semisteel shell of whatever loading has, in addition to the proper solidcover above, a 1/2 inch vermillion band just above the bourrelet.
In addition to the solid color above, chemical ammunition has color bands to indicate the loading. A change has recently been made in the system of marking this ammunition. The old system:
Loading 1st Band 2nd Band Stencil
White Phosphorus Yellow None Smoke
Incendiary Purple None Incendiary
FM Yellow Yellow Smoke
Shells now being manufactured are marked according to the new system in which for gas but one color of band, namely green, is used and the specific type of chemical filler is designated by lettered symbols on the shell. In this system all fillers are divided into two classes, nonpersistent and persistent. Nonpersistent fillers are indicated by one green band and persistent filles by two green bands. All screening smoke fillers are indicated by one yellow band and the symbol of the smoke filler followed by the word SMOKE.
Source:Heavy Artillery Material, Coast Artillery Corps, Part III, 1922.
The entire surface of the projectile (except the rotating band) is painted with the appropriate basic color.
Projectiles designed to contain a bursting charge of high explosive: Yellow.
Projectiles designed to contain a bursting charge of low explosives: Red.
Target practice and subcaliber projectiles: Black.
Shrapnel: Red
Chemical shell (Gas, Smoke or Incendiary): Gray
Illuminating shell: White.
Tracer shell: Blue
When a high explosive filler contains a smoke mixture to facilitate observation of fire, a green band 0.5 inch wide is painted on the shell one inch from the front of the bourrelet.
The particular kind of filler employed in a chemical shell is indicated by a band or bands of the same or different color. The bands are 0.5 inch wide and spaced 0.5 inch apart. The second (middle) band of 5, 6, and 8 inch shells and 155mm shells is located directly over trhe center of gravity of the projectile. The bands of the smaller calibers are located on the ogive immediately above the bourrelet.
Shell Filler 1st band 2nd band 3rd band Stencil Marking
VN White None None Gas
GG White White None Gas
PS White Red None Gas
HS Red Red Red Gas
BA Red None None Gas
PG White Red White Gas
NC White Red Yellow Gas
WP Yellow None None Smoke
Smoke Shells None None None Smoke
When fuzes are not assembled in base fuzed projectiles which are filled, four longitudinal black stripes two inches wide are painted on the body of the projectile. These stripes are 90 degrees apart and extend from the rotating band to the base. When the projectile is fuzed the bands are painted out with the appropriate basic color.
White paint is used in stencilling when the basic color is black. In all other cases black paint is used.
The present system for marking Seacoast Artillery Armor Piercing and Deck Piercing projectile is:
AP and DP Forged steel shells: the exterior having first been painted black, a band of blue-gray paint, one half caliber wide is painted around the projectile so that one half of the band lies on either side of the center of gravity. The color indicates the projectile is made of forged steel. The position of the band is selected so as to assist in the proper adjustment of the shot tongs in handling. The attached points or caps are painted blue gray where the long pointed caps have been assembled. Where only the blunt soft nosed cap is present, the cap and two-thirds of the ogival part of the projectile is painted blue-gray. This blue-gray tip indicates that the projectile is the armor piercing type. After loading, the base of the shell and that portion of the body in the rear of the rotating band is painted yellow to indicate the bursting charge is high explosive.
AP forged steel Shot: The same as for AP forged steel shell, except that the blue-gray tip is carried back to the front edge of the bourrelet.
AP cast steel shot and shell: The same as for armor piercing shell and shot, except that the color of the paint for the tip and band is warm gray instead of blue-gray. Projectiles which are filled, but not fuzed have four longitudinal black stripes one in ch wide painted on the projectile in the rear of the rotating band. These stripes are 90 degrees apart and extend from the rotating band to the base cover groove. In the unusual case where the base cover is in place, the stripes extend across it.
Target practice projectiles: The exterior of the projectile is black. A band of olive green, one half inch wide is painted around the body of the projectile so that half the band lies on either side of the center of gravity. An additional band of olive green of the same width is painted midway between the rear of the center of gravity band and the front of the rotating band. Steel projectile which are assigned for target practice purposes are painted the same as cast iron except that the body rear of the rotating band is painted blue-gray.
...............................................................
Source: TR 1370-A, 1930
"The following color scheme is now in use in marking artillery ammunition, bombs, and grenades:
Yellow.......................high explosive
Vermillion...................low explosive, such as black powder (shrapnel)
Gray.........................Chemical (gas, smoke, or incendiary)
Blue.........................Practice (greatly reduced charge of low explosives)
White.......................Illuminating
Black........................Dummy and target practice
In addition to the above, a semisteel shell of whatever loading has, in addition to the proper solidcover above, a 1/2 inch vermillion band just above the bourrelet.
In addition to the solid color above, chemical ammunition has color bands to indicate the loading. A change has recently been made in the system of marking this ammunition. The old system:
Loading 1st Band 2nd Band Stencil
White Phosphorus Yellow None Smoke
Incendiary Purple None Incendiary
FM Yellow Yellow Smoke
Shells now being manufactured are marked according to the new system in which for gas but one color of band, namely green, is used and the specific type of chemical filler is designated by lettered symbols on the shell. In this system all fillers are divided into two classes, nonpersistent and persistent. Nonpersistent fillers are indicated by one green band and persistent filles by two green bands. All screening smoke fillers are indicated by one yellow band and the symbol of the smoke filler followed by the word SMOKE.