There was a discussion some time ago about some souvenired British 1 Prs that were sold in 1900 and had a registered design. One of these types has a wide opening and curious ribs on the body. This type was not concidered seriously at the time as anything much more than a gimmick.( it was in a way as the souvenir guy registered the design of shape of the 1 Pr as his - rather cheeky) Having one at hand now I can compare it to another 1 Pr projectile and I propose the following.
It is not as was thought perhaps a modified Hotchkiss projectile, the ribs are too numerous and are smaller than the Hotchkiss type, this is apparent once one actually handles one. The ribs are there to provide a grip for the upper and lower band, the ribs go between the bands so it appears that this projectile was made with perhaps several band configurations in mind. If there are others we haven't seen them yet or they are used and gone. The reason for the large opening is unknown but I doubt the souvenir guy did this when he had to go to the trouble of having some dummy brass noses made held in by a spring, he did perhaps put in the plaster fill for the new nose to sit on. So I think the large opening is original. The most telling thing is the profile of the lower band. It is similar to the regular VSM type but the profile is rounded to allow the round to slip out of the belt smoothly. The profile is repeated on what I think is the first production type, it also has the identical lower band meant to slip out of the belt without catching. This lower band shape was simplified in the Maxim/Nordenfelt and VSM rounds for ease of manufacture and is angular in shape not rounded. I think at the time these ribbed projectiles were made Maxim was still developing or finalizing his projectile design and had not decided on a fuze or if he had the large opening was for another purpose (or just a dummy push in plug ? Testing the maxim gun with different weighted projectiles is another possibility the large opening would make this easier to do. The next projectile has these things finalized, it is Marked with an M for Maxim (and or the Maxim Gun Co) It must date at the end of the Maxim Gun Co. or the beginning of the Maxim Nordenfelt company. So I think these ribbed 1 Prs. are the first kind made in the UK and are a developmental type and the M marked projectile is the first full production model. Both of these were souvinered by the same person or company, he had to get them someplace and it seems he bought old stock or seconds and rejects from VSM (who else was there at the time in the UK ? ) which would be cheaper of course. So if you have one of these add it to your 1 Pr. series at the beginning. What the case was like is unknown, but it is most likely the same as the unmarked cases we see often enough. The projectile on the right is a Maxim/Nordenfelt with the angular lower band.
I had said that the one is wider that the other at the top, but this is an illusion they are about the same.
Comments are invited
It is not as was thought perhaps a modified Hotchkiss projectile, the ribs are too numerous and are smaller than the Hotchkiss type, this is apparent once one actually handles one. The ribs are there to provide a grip for the upper and lower band, the ribs go between the bands so it appears that this projectile was made with perhaps several band configurations in mind. If there are others we haven't seen them yet or they are used and gone. The reason for the large opening is unknown but I doubt the souvenir guy did this when he had to go to the trouble of having some dummy brass noses made held in by a spring, he did perhaps put in the plaster fill for the new nose to sit on. So I think the large opening is original. The most telling thing is the profile of the lower band. It is similar to the regular VSM type but the profile is rounded to allow the round to slip out of the belt smoothly. The profile is repeated on what I think is the first production type, it also has the identical lower band meant to slip out of the belt without catching. This lower band shape was simplified in the Maxim/Nordenfelt and VSM rounds for ease of manufacture and is angular in shape not rounded. I think at the time these ribbed projectiles were made Maxim was still developing or finalizing his projectile design and had not decided on a fuze or if he had the large opening was for another purpose (or just a dummy push in plug ? Testing the maxim gun with different weighted projectiles is another possibility the large opening would make this easier to do. The next projectile has these things finalized, it is Marked with an M for Maxim (and or the Maxim Gun Co) It must date at the end of the Maxim Gun Co. or the beginning of the Maxim Nordenfelt company. So I think these ribbed 1 Prs. are the first kind made in the UK and are a developmental type and the M marked projectile is the first full production model. Both of these were souvinered by the same person or company, he had to get them someplace and it seems he bought old stock or seconds and rejects from VSM (who else was there at the time in the UK ? ) which would be cheaper of course. So if you have one of these add it to your 1 Pr. series at the beginning. What the case was like is unknown, but it is most likely the same as the unmarked cases we see often enough. The projectile on the right is a Maxim/Nordenfelt with the angular lower band.
I had said that the one is wider that the other at the top, but this is an illusion they are about the same.
Comments are invited
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