U.S. Navy projectile colour

[Gspragge]

Does any one know of the colouration for a practice/empty (no explosive charge) projectile with tracer WW1 Era ?

 

[bdgreen]

From 'Ordnance Pamphlet No. 4. Ammunition Instructions For The Naval Service, September 1923' US Navy Bureau of Ordnance. There is no mention of 'practice' projectiles per say but 'target' projectiles are listed in Chapter XVIII, Marking of Ammunition; paragraph 29 (page 238): "Target projectiles.....unpainted." Paragraph 33: "Projectiles fitted with night tracers or tracer fuzes have a white band 1 inch wide painted around the ogival of the projectile just below the color indicating the bursting charge." In Chapter IX, Detonating Substances (beginning page 107), there is an extended chart 'Characteristics of Projectiles' (pages 122 - 155) which lists weights, dimensions etc. for all projectiles in service at the time. Under the column 'Weight of Explosive' the 'Target' projectiles all show 0 pounds. Plates showing various ammunition have cross sectional diagrams of 'Target' projectiles with sand filler and screw in 'base plugs'. Someday I hope to get this scanned and downloaded but believe it or not I've just gotten a computer and along with that comes a big learning curve! Plus the pamphlet is 90 years old so I've got to be careful with it! That's the best I can do, hope it helps! Brian

 

[HAZORD]

Gordon, here are a couple of charts. Not sure if they fit your needs. The first one is WWII Navy, the second is WWI era Army.

 

[Gspragge]

It didn't say but I gather the first chart non colour is a Navel chart. It is exactly what I seem to have. These Navy subcal projectiles are common as rats, but some take a tracer or are plugged. I never see colour on these but this one has some colour left and it appears that it had a red tip and a white band. This corresponds to inert or empty and a tracer on the chart. The positioning might vary some what over time but it seems that the colours on the chart were consistent early on, only being added to over time. When the Hotchkiss below was coloured slate, the tracer and chemical rounds didn't exist.

"paragraph 29 (page 238): "Target projectiles.....unpainted." Paragraph 33: "Projectiles fitted with night tracers or tracer fuzes have a white band 1 inch wide painted around the ogival of the projectile just below the color indicating the bursting charge."

So if a T-MKV does not have a tracer it is unpainted, if it does it will have a red tip and white band.

A perfect ID Thanks.


You do see some of the earlier circa 1900 1pr projectiles with red tips and these are plugged when complete.

I add a Hotchkiss with the slate Grey per the chart. This is an import and U.S.N. issue then as it is colored according to the chart.

 

[raymeketa]

Target and/or practice projectiles were of the same size and weight as the common shell but made of cheaper materials to save costs, They were filled with sand or other material to bring them to proper weight. They were left unpainted.

Ray