Mystery 152(?)mm case.

[charley777]

Greetings... well i see that no-one has anything to say about my post re: Polte ID numbers.
Never mind. One of the examples i used to query the numbers was this case. It is 211mm long with a 30mm primer.Rim diameter is 167mm. Calibre is apparently 152mm though 149 or 155mm are obviously possibilities.
I have asked on other forums and all i've been told is that the case was made in Germany for a Russian naval gun.
I am not yet convinced....which is the first reason that i'd like to be able to decode those Polte numbers.
As i have several cases made by Polte and they all have the two numbers (one at 12 o'clock and one at 6 o'clock) i am very interested to find a list of them. Anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[charley777]

German made cartridge case.

Greetings! Just trying the trick of re-activating this thread. Perhaps someone new to the forum has some information on this case? :tinysmile_twink_t2:

 

[Dronic69]

Hi Charley,

Firstly, have you tried to "google" for the info?

I did on the following search words: "german shell sp252" and came up with the following snippet:

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those quality control markings were also used by other factories.
The "Sp" mark was also used by:
- Polte in Magdeburg,
- Rheinische Munitionsfabrik (Rh. M.F.) in Dsseldorf,
- Algemeine Elektricitt Gesellschaft (A.E.G.) in Berlin,
- Artillerie Werkstatt Spandau (AWS) in Berlin-Spandau,
- Gelsenkirchener Gusstahl Werke (GG or GGW) in Gelsenkirchen,
- Geschoss Fabrik Spandau (GFSP) in Berlin-Spandau

The mark "Sp255" was only used by Patronenfabrik Karlsruhe, the marks "Sp252", "Sp289" and "Sp406" were used by Polte Magdeburg.

As said before the "Sp" mark was used from the end of 1915.
The Patronenfabrik Karlsruhe used from 1897 to 1898: AWS 10; 1898 to 1902: Dr 1; 1899 to 1915: crown and Ke; 1907 to 1915: crown and Ke with number; 1915: HL 21 and 1916 to 1918: Sp255.

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so the "sp" from the above snippet implies that it is a QA stamp used by Polte in Magdeburg from 1915 onwards (plus other factories..).

The thread further goes on to indicate that the following numbers after the "SP" refer to individual QA inspectors.....not sure if I'm 100% convinced on this.....certainly requires further research (i.e. googling )

I do have a faint recall that I research into this when my collecting days were much more "active" - but as I'm getter older and been quite "INERT" for the past 12+ years, I would need to refresh the memory cells..

Cheers
Drew

 

[dano1917]

I am not so sure that is not a 15cm German WW1 heavy field howitzer case? Dano

 

[Dronic69]

Rim diameter is 167mm.

Are you sure it is not a 17cm case? As the German did in fact have a 17cm QF Naval gun

Source: "German Army Handbook 1918" p.87

Cheers
Drew

 

[charley777]

German made case

Thanks Drew and Dano...Will certainly try googling , good idea:angel:
I don't think it can be a 17cm (173mm in German guns) as the rim diameter is only 167mm and the actual case body is therefore less (not at home now so can't check yet). And the primer hole of 30mm....is that to be found on German cases?

 

[charley777]

German sFH cases

And Dano, i don't think that it's a heavy field howitzer case. The sFH 13 used a case 149x114R with a rim diameter of 169mm. The sFH 18 , 36 etc used a case 149x264R with a 178mm rim. Would have to check primer diameters when next home. However i own specimens of both these case and they are quite different. I also have a French Mle1904/Mle1915 Schneider case at 155x250R (rim 169mm) which is different again. I'll make a comparitive photo.....