Question: 60mm US WW2 mortar

[dano1917]

With yesterday being Memorial Dan (here in the states) there were war movies on all day. I was watching Saving Private Ryan and they had 60mm mortar shells but no tube to fire. Well the US soldiers were striknig the bottom of the mortar shell hard on a hard surface and threw them and it worked. Is this a plausible scenario. Would the 60mm mortar shell actually arm in this fashion. (running bet with a friend)...Dano

 

[highlandotter]

question US 60mm mortar

Yes it will work. With the safety pin out, a good shock to the base with cause the detent in the bore safe mechanism to be released. Then the striker in the fuze can contact the cap. You best have cover as the kill radius will be bigger that your throwing distance( unless you are a superhero, Hollywood guy). the result will sure beat a M2 grenade for carnage. Highlandotter

 

[dano1917]

knock n throw

Yeah, I figured since Tom Hanks was in the movie he would insist on realistic scenarios. He has not done a hoky flick since his young days (Joe vs the Volcano and the like). Thanks for the info otter and I win the bet! Dano

 

[jayteepee_1999]

Yeah, I figured since Tom Hanks was in the movie he would insist on realistic scenarios. He has not done a hoky flick since his young days (Joe vs the Volcano and the like). Thanks for the info otter and I win the bet! Dano

There is a down side that the method of hitting the base on the ground would initiate the primer for the propellent charge that would take your hand off. Not recommended of suggested

 

[ammocat]

M52 PD Fuze

As far as I can tell, the Cartridge 60mm HE M49 Series with Fuze PD M52 would have been used during this time period. Striking the base of the cartridge on a hard surface would in theory force the setback pin to move rearward releasing the bore riding safety pin. I wonder if this is actually possible or if there are any documented cases of this.

These cartridges were used by airborne units and would have to go through the shock of parachute drops, etc. The setback pin is rather small and would have very little weight to generate the inertia to drive it rearward when struck by hand when compared to the setback force generated by the burning propellant in the mortar tube.

I will try to do some more research to satisfy my own curiosity.

 

[ammocat]

M52 PD Fuze

My apologies, I forgot to attach the fuze diagram.

 

[highlandotter]

Seeing the drawing refreshed my mind on this(going back 60 years!!)You press in gently on the bore safe pin as you whack the ground( of course, avoiding contact with the primer of the carrtidge) I used to have a inert 60mm mortar with a bakelite fuze from WW2, and I could arm it by doing this. Fortunately, I never had the occaision to do this with a live one.But when they are coming over the wall and your tail is in danger of being ripped off, it might be a good field expedient.In the ammo dump I worked in, we were treating mortar rounds with more respect than artillery shells, even those which came fuzed.considering the mortars had the manual safety pin, I have always wondered why we were instructed to be a bit more careful how we tossed them around. Highlandotter

 

[ammocat]

Thanks for sharing the info. It would be interesting to know if this was ever used in an emergency situation as depicted in the movie.

 

[dano1917]

I would tend to think that it was. This movie went to great lengths to depict realism and Hollywood or not I would think it could be done and probably was done at some point in real life to lend to the realism of the picture. I know the sticky bombs they made with socks, explosives and axle grease were actually uesd....Dano