Identification help needed 4.5 inch AP projo

[HAZORD]

I have a 4.5 inch diameter AP projo that I'm trying to identify. It has been rusting on the outside for some time, and has no visible stamping on the base or side. The rotating band is very similar to a U.K. 4.5 inch howitzer HE projo that I have.

Did the U.K. make AP projos for the 4.5 inch Howitzer?

Would it be used for any other gun?

Thanks,

John

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Hardened steel ?

John, are you sure it is a hardened AP round ?

That corrosion looks to be fairly severe and I would not expect it to have gone so deep on a hardened steel projectile.
Still a nice item for any collection:tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[HAZORD]

Chris,

Well, it is a solid pointed shot projo, AP style. It is heavy and solid, no burster. So, AP style? or concrete piercing style.

I was just wondring if the U.K. made them in 4.5 inch howitzer?

 

[Quatermass]

According to the 1940 handbook there were four types of projectile:
High Explosive, Smoke Bursting, Smoke B.E. & Star.
Also the driving band looks wrong for the 4.5 inch Howitzer.

 

[HAZORD]

I have a 4.5 inch howitzer projo (HE) with the same band.

 

[Quatermass]

The band on your projectile looks like the 'Hotchkiss' type seen on 57x306R 6 PR's and early production British 6 PR 7 CwT rounds, (later British made rounds had a simpler, smooth type band) American 57mm gun M1 rounds used the 'Hotchkiss' type. Could your projectile be American manufacture?


The 4.5-inch Howr bands. (from the 1927 Handbook).

 

[HAZORD]

It is possible that it is U.S. made it. I will need to check the base of my HE with the similar band and see what it says. There are a huge number of 76.2mm russian projos here in the states that were made to ship to the Russians in WWI, but never heard of 4.5 inch stuff.

 

[US-Subs]

Hey John, just checking in from the land of rice and honey - at the beginning (for us) of WWII the US did not have enough of teh new 105mm to go around, so we were loaned a number of "starter" 4.5-inch from the Brits. The way Jim told me, the US produced just enough 4.5 ammo to use to prep up and train the first wave headed to Europe. These US rounds were supposed to be pretty rare. I found a pretty nice one, I believe it's marked M65, when I was doing some stuff at Sill. Jim convinced me to save it at the time. Back to your question though, no idea if we loaded it in an AP/CP round - you might look in TM 9-1904. I'm out without (those) books, so cannot assist for acouple weeks.

 

[HAZORD]

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. I have one of the 4.5 inch Gun M65 projos that you mentioned that I got from our friend in Tennesssee, but the books (TM 9-1904) only list an HE projo, the M65.

 

[2pounder]

4.5in solid

Just throw my opinion in, its solid cast iron practice hence the way its corroded, 4.5in How AP doesn't make sense as the guns would not be able to hit a tank and any way 4.5in HE would do more damage bearing in mind the time period used. The band does look British naval. Dont know if a British 4.5in naval SL practice shot was made but I think it unlikely. So I'm no help here then!!! 2pr

 

[2pounder]

4.5in solid

More thoughts, the band although looking like British naval circa WW2 seems a little narrow. Also normally the body of the shell is the very nearly the same diameter as the start of the front slope of the band yet the photo looks like it is less ie there is a marked step. Could try measuring the band start dia this might give a different calibre possibley 4.7in ? but I dont think its 4.7 British as that only had one groove. 2pr

 

[HAZORD]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to compare it to some 4.7 inch projos.