Possibly French

[jvollenberg]

Here is a French looking fuze. I haven't seen one with the screw in the front that looks like this one before.

Any ideas?

Dia: 31MM
Length: 84MM
Exposed: 17 MM

Again ... any help would be great. We are going to write a 60 series publication on this.

Joe

 

[shelldude]

Possible French

Hello Joe,

This is a beautiful French percussion fuze 24/31 Mle 1914 used in ordnance from 75mm to 155mm. The diagram is from the superb Passion/Compassion website.

Best regards,

Randall

 

[jvollenberg]

This is not that fuze. I think it is some experimental version of that one though. We have images of that particular fuze, and the nose is flat. This one has a very distinct screw in the nose and is recessed.

Joe

 

[EODGUY]

My bet is also with the fuze pictured. If you look at the drawing, it is not a screw per se, but rather a threaded cylinder that holds two lock balls so the cyliner around it cannot move to the rear. If you were to unscrew the threaded cylinder though, as it looks like was done, it is possible the lock balls would move enough to allow the outer cylinder to move to the rear. This would present an appearance identical to the unknown fuze you posted. I thought I had one of these fuzes to test out the theory on, but I cannot find it.