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Question ID for a 2 Pdr MK III

3

303hans

Active Member
Hello,
I saw a on a flee market a 2 pounder MK III. It has the following markings. III 2 Pr F.S. V--------------C VSM 9-16. The fuze, a 121 was empty and could be opend. But the base of the fuze could not be taken of.
I let the grenade, after taken a few pictures, with the man because I couldn 't see if it was empty. It has an lyddyte (picrine acid) load if I am not wrong. I told the man of the possible dangerous grenade he possed but he only laughed at me.
But I wondered what the marking F.S. and V----------------C means.

And I am looking of a drawing of the grenade (I found a drawing of the fuze 121)


I saw on the other side of the grenade there are also a lot of markings, See picture. Can anyone tell me what they mean??

Thanks HansP1040225.jpgP1040226.jpg
 
F.S. is an abbreviation of "forged steel". This means that the shell was machined from a forged steel billet.

The small markings are most likely inspection stamps.
 
I think the general concensus of opinion is that HE was not used in these shells until after WWI. And possibley Lydite never was used. But even black powder the likely filling would prove lethal if it went off trying to get the fuze out. Hard to pass up a very nice shell rarely seen in the fired condition but better safe than sorry.
 
2pounder said:
I think the general concensus of opinion is that HE was not used in these shells until after WWI. And possibley Lydite never was used. But even black powder the likely filling would prove lethal if it went off trying to get the fuze out. Hard to pass up a very nice shell rarely seen in the fired condition but better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

2pounder, thanks for your answer. Do you have a drawing of this 2 pounder?? So they are black powder grenades and not Lydite. . And yes I agree with you, better safe than sorry.
 
quick answer is look on the search facility as I am sure someone has posted drawings of these shells. might take a while as there are lots of posts.
 
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