Unknown Fuze

[jvollenberg]

Here is an interesting fuze. Again this is from the Aberdeen Ordnance Museum.

Measurements are as follows:
Dia: 32mm
Length: 110mm
Exposed length: 44mm

There are no markings and the card that was attached was blank.

any ideas?


Joe

 

[US-Subs]

There are a couple of Chinese that look similar, but I don't know about the knurling on the cap. Look in the FSTC/DIA books.

 

[dano1917]

Interesting fuze to say the least Joe. A fine specimen. My first thought is chinese also as it is awful similar. Anyway great find on a fine looking fuze....Dano

 

[US-Subs]

I may have blown that ID, the markings on one I have are:
IP
BSR 4
SL

No country in my notes, I would still check the same pubs.

 

[EODGUY]

The construction, stencilling and overall appearance look French to me. Could the IP stand for "instantane percussion", i.e. impact/PD/ instantaneous? Not very many countries stencil fuzes like this, but the French, although I do not have a reference to the manufacturer's code.

 

[Madbomber31]

Just a thought can it be US made ???

 

[US-Subs]

Anything is possible, but it's not one I recognize or have seen in any US pubs.

 

[Madbomber31]

the safety cap on top looks like i seen in a drawing of a Bethlehem steel made fuze but can not find the drawings anymore :tinysmile_hmm_t2: i think the drawing whas from the 1920's or so.

 

[Dave83]

My opinion

when i see the thread size i would think its maybe a fuze for a rifle grenade country of origin i can not tell because i dont know !
only my opinion on this !

wbr

david

 

[Yodamaster]

Hi JVollenberg,
just a little question, what is the diameter of the thread ?

Yoda

 

[Yodamaster]

Oups, I forgot a question,

should the greatest diameter of the fuze not be 31 mm ?

Yoda

 

[jvollenberg]

I don't know ... this is not something we measure.

On that note ... I wish we would have removed the cap as well and saw what was under it. This was the first trip we had mad to the museum to do this and we learned a few lessons along the way.


Joe

 

[Yodamaster]

OK, Joe
it's effectively somethings that you don't think to do on that moment !
Pfff ! I known that, I make it so much time !!!

Now, why asked I this measurements ? The diameter of the thread and the diameter of the base of the visible part of a fuze is a part of the denomination of a french fuze. Thread diameter 24mm and base fuze 31 mm give in the french denomination a fuze 24/31, you mist now just the model (often the construction year) and the mechanism system (often the name of the inventor).
Example : 24/31 Mle 1916 Robin or IAL (Instantane Allonge Lefebvre)

But, I am sure that you knew that !!

PS : sorry for my belgian english !!! Happy newyear !!!

Yoda

 

[Grenademan2005]

The stencils style doesnt seems French.

 

[jvollenberg]

Yes... the major Dia could be 31 we measured it at 32, but manual calipers aren't always spot on to the single mm.

yes, I knew french measurements were involved in the nomenclature, I wouldn't have pagged this as French originally. I thought it might have been China or possibly a US experimental.

Joe

 

[EODGUY]

Joe, my clue to French was the brass body, the stencilled markings and the text style. If you see those markings generally think French first and go from there. Very few countries ink stamp fuzes. Nice fuze!! Bob

 

[kz11gr]

The construction, stencilling and overall appearance look French to me. Could the IP stand for "instantane percussion", i.e. impact/PD/ instantaneous? Not very many countries stencil fuzes like this, but the French, although I do not have a reference to the manufacturer's code.

Yes,
confirmed with this yellow paint on the base.

===

 

[Grenademan2005]

The text style is not the same than the ones in my mortar fuzes, for this I said that.

 

[US-Subs]

Checked the 1994 Foreign Fuze ID Guide, 1973 FSTC fuze book and the 1971 FOMCAT fuze book, with no luck. The fuze thread dia. is 23mm, I measure the base of the fuze body at 32mm. Oal is 110mm.

On close examination BSR 4 is BSR 49. On the opposite side of the fuze are additional markings: 1* 52 (* unreadable number). Afraid that's all I've got for now.