Unknown shellcase

[ydnum303]

Hi all,

Acquired this shellcase some time ago, thinking it was a British made 75mm French case. When I got it home & compared it to one I already had, found it was completely different! Was very dirty, so headstamp was mostly unreadable until I cleaned it, when I could see it said (at 12o'c) 7.5 SM 42.8 CA.TD. TOP. [over] TAK. No. At 6o'c was 1930 [over] VAEL

Outside diameter of mouth is 80.5mm, length is 355mm, and rim diameter is 101mm. Slight neck 50mm down from mouth.

Can anyone tell me what country it is for, and what gun, please? Obviously made by Vickers in 1930, but that's all I can tell.
Thanks in advance,
Roger.

 

[EOD]

That looks much like a Vickers made case for Serbia.

Alpini can say more I think.

 

[charley777]

Greetings
That's a new one to me...80? x 355R x101rim
Would be good to get some info on the ammunition and gun(s) that used it.

Does anyone have a list of ammunition made by Vickers for other countriies?
And similarly a list for Krupp and Rheinmetall?

 

[kahu1]

Looks very similar to a 12pr,just a bit short.
Measurements for 12pr, 80mm mouth, 390mm length and 104mm rim.

Bob

 

[Hoeksel]

Very interesting case indeed and I am also thinking of the possibility of a 12-pounder, although the sizing is slightly different. The caliber is 7,5 cm as indicated on the case, but the actual diameter is 8 cm, like for the 12-pounder. The stars and abbreviations on the case must give away what country. It is for sure not The Netherlands ;-). My first guess would be a south-American country.

 

[Bonnex]

Roger,

After meandering around the world with ideas my chums now suggest Turkey with SM = Santimetre (ie cm), CA = (guage or) calibre and TAK = Plug (or primer). It that a moon shaped inspection/acceptance mark at 6 o'clock?

 

[Falcon]

When I looked at this case first-hand something about the markings said "Turkey" to me.

 

[ydnum303]

Norman, No that is a slightly angled letter "S". (There is also a small, feint, letter "E" just after the main part of the h/s.)

Be interesting if it is for Turkey; any Turkish experts out there?

Its rim and head diameter are almost the same as a 12-Pdr 12 Cwt, but the primer hole will not take the British primer adapter. I suppose it is more than possible it has been cut down (the brass at the mouth is a bit thicker than I would have expected, although there are no obvious signs of a cut). Perhaps the correct designation for it is as per the h/s, i.e., 75 x 428mm. Anyone know of a case that size?

Thanks,
Roger.

 

[Alpini]

I think too it's for Turkey as I see the letter . And Top is also the turkish word for gun. And also the latin letters make sense as Turkey used the latin letters since 1929...

 

[ydnum303]

Alpini,
Many thanks for that. Do you know if the case is the correct length, or has been cut down? Also, what gun would have used it?

I suspect that it was probably "liberated" from the production line before completion, as there is no actual number stamped after the "No.".

Roger.

 

[Alpini]

I think (like Bonnex) that "7.5 SM 42.8 A" reads something like "7,5 cm 42,8 calibers" ~ "7,5 cm L/42,8".

T. D. should be an turkish abbreviation for "Field Gun, Quick Firing, Anti Aircraft, Anti Tank" or something like that (more likely the latter as 42,8 calibers would be a long barrel). To bad nobody is speaking turkish here?

 

[charley777]

Interesting discussion.
I can't see that this can be any kind of 12Pr 12cwt, though. 101mm to 104mm is a big jump for rim size in this calibre range.
But the head is certainly similar in shape to a 12Pr 12cwt casehead.
So...there must be some experts in Turkish ordnance out there.....

 

[Hoeksel]

Could also be a measurement error?

 

[Falcon]

I have seen this case in real life and compared in to a 12 Pounder. I thought the rim looked like a 12 Pounder at first, but when they are placed side-by-side they are definitely different sizes.