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Transverse (Centre) Cast No5 New additions to collection

millsbomber

millsbomber

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I see there's not much happening on the Mills side lately so i thought i would post these two that arrived last week, thy were offered to me by two different people on the same day, whats the chances of that, both former paper weights.
The one on the left was missing its filler, base plug (took a plug out of the collection to fill the hole, never thought i would be doing that) lever, pin and striker, no markings on it what so ever.
The example on the right of the pictures was missing its filler screw, lever and pin, the striker was the slotted No23 Mk2 type, the base plug being aluminum marked No5 Mk1 9/16 A L & Co no body markings only traces of paint at the top (pink) and center ( Light Pink )
last picture of transverse cast ( thanks Tom )examples in collection to date.
The filler screws and non slotted striker i luckily had from old stock but no levers or ring pulls / pins.

Dave

HPIM6313.jpg HPIM6314.jpg HPIM6315.jpg HPIM6316.jpg HPIM6317.jpg

HPIM6321.jpg
 
Sorry every one, made a mistake, one of the mills in last picture is not a Center cast, Transverse cast.

Dave.

HPIM6321.jpg
 
A rather pleasing pair of acquisitions there, Dave. Well done. The late 9/16 Aluminium base plug is interesting - could you post a close up (and focused!) photo?





Tom.
 
No problem Tom here's two shots of the plug, the only shooting i'm allowed now a days.

Dave

HPIM6376.jpg HPIM6377.jpg
 
Thanks, Dave.

It's interesting to see that pattern aluminium base plug being used so late in 1916. Anyway the relevant contract with Asa Lees and Co. Ltd was TW-3775 for a running supply of 3,000-10,000 per week, finally dated 20.12.16, but with first delivery scheduled for 8.9.16.

So, your plug appears to be one of the first of that contract batch (though unlikely to be original to the early grenade casing that it came with).





Tom.
 
This one also had the slotted early striker in it, which really makes it a miss mash of bits, well i suppose the manufactures just wanted to make up the numbers with what ever there was available, who know what these things could tell us.

Dave
 
The unfortunate fact about collecting WWI Mills No.5 and No.23 Mks I/II (and probably many other things) is that there is generally no guarantee that any of the components were originally associated with the particular casing - unless there is some particularly robust provenance.

Often a centre piece is so securely fastened (and likewise the filler screw) with a combination of original Pettman cement, corrosion and age, that they are fairly safely identified with the body. However, striker, spring, lever, base plug, safety pin and ringpull all have to be treated with a degree of scepticism - they are all easily removed and thereby easily substituted, and who can tell what playful hands have achieved over the decades? But it makes for amusing reading on the various militaria sales websites...




Tom.
 
Nice Mills Dave.

I'm a little out of my field with Mills grenades so this may seem like a really stupid question...........what's the difference between the early "lathe cut" Mills grenades and the "centre cast" ones, or are they the same thing? Or do you get centre cast that are lathe cut and centre cast that aren't?
Dave.
 
I've always thought they were the same. Centrecasts are circular (viewed from above) and were cleaned up on a lathe. That's why the mid line groove varies so much in depth and width.


John
 
Nice grenades Dave.

I have a question guys. JC Militaria are selling a couple of No 5 's describing them as 'lathe cut early' and pricing them 275. Is a lathe cut a centre cast? Because they look to me like standard side casts.

Any advice would be greatly apreciated

Thank you
 
Alan Alfred said:
Nice grenades Dave.

I have a question guys. JC Militaria are selling a couple of No 5 's describing them as 'lathe cut early' and pricing them 275. Is a lathe cut a centre cast? Because they look to me like standard side casts.

Any advice would be greatly apreciated

Thank you
Click to expand...

Thanks, yes that was the reason for my query too, I'm still confused about it.
Were centre casts as well as the other type lathe cut on early Mills?
Dave.
 
I have the lathe cut grenade you provided the link to.
No, it is not a centre cast grenade, but it is a very early No5 which on inspection has clearly been cut on a lathe.
I'll post some better pics of it when I can.
Cheers
 
Missileman said:
I have the lathe cut grenade you provided the link to.
No, it is not a centre cast grenade, but it is a very early No5 which on inspection has clearly been cut on a lathe.
I'll post some better pics of it when I can.
Cheers
Click to expand...

That's great and thanks for clarifying it. I know next to nothing about Mills grenades and it appears to be quite a steep learning curve just at the moment.
Dave.
 
Traditionally, only the centre casts had the groves cut into them using a lathe, but it appears that some of the non centre casts were lathe finished as well, but they are rare it seems.
I also have a factory presentation No 5 by CAV which was sectioned and nickel plated at manufacture which has also been lathe finished. It's a beauty and I'll upload some pics of that soon as well.
just finished an 18 hour day at work so too knackered to do it now. Give me a day or two.
Regards
Mike
 
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