Lif of an 18 Pr Case

[Bonnex]

Life of an 18 Pr Case

A chum recently asked me to decode the markings on an 18Pr case. It is a busy set of markings and I offered the following explanation, feel free to criticise:

18 Pr over a I - Equipment designation and Mark of cartridge case
U in a circle - Annealing has been omitted in one repair
A in a circle plus 4 dots - Case has been annealed for four repairs
C3 & E38 Year letter and batch number of annealing (see also D16)
RL Royal Laboratory (Cartridge Factory), manufacturers of case
MN SL CS Contractors/station carrying out each repair
FFFFF five subsequent full charges filled (one each repair)
Broad Arrows under Fs Inspection acceptance after each repair
CF First full charge of Cordite
S plus 2 dots Case passed Scleroscope (metal hardness) test during two repairs
1906 Year of manufacture
D16 Year letter and batch of one annealing (see also C3 & E38)
Segmented Circle Case condemned (after a maximum of six full charge firings)
Arrow 2 and date 2 5 06 Original acceptance inspection mark and date of inspection

[References: Treatises etc., of Ammunition (Land and Naval services)]

 

[Falcon]

I have seen a latter I in a circle on a few cases? Does this also mean something was omitted during a repair?

 

[TimG]

Norman,

Is the segmented circle two 'pheons' tip to tip or two 'A' superimposed upon one another about the cross bar. The former denotes a condemned case and the latter denotes that the case has been "low temperature" annealed.

The life of 18 pdr cases was subsequently judged upon measurement of the wall thickness as opposed to the number of full charges. I don't know at what point they changed the criteria.

I note it has an American primer: BSC, Bethlehem Steel Company.

It is (to me at least) a fascinating case.

Falcon,

A '1' in a circle should only be found on 3 & 6-pdr cases denoting the use of a Mk II (thin) cap.

Regards

TimG

 

[Bonnex]

Norman,

Is the segmented circle two 'pheons' tip to tip or two 'A' superimposed upon one another about the cross bar. The former denotes a condemned case and the latter denotes that the case has been "low temperature" annealed.

...TimG

It is definitely the sentencing mark. There is another circle which appears to be empty (too lightly struck to see, even with a glass).

 

[Falcon]

Falcon,

A '1' in a circle should only be found on 3 & 6-pdr cases denoting the use of a Mk II (thin) cap.

Regards

TimG

Thanks Tim.

Do you know anything about the WLE Bofors maker's mark that I posted? It is badly stamped so could possibly be "WLB".

Would the condemned case mark have been put on a case that was rejected and presumably sent to be melted down for scrap?