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Various One Pounders
- Thread starter Bockscar
- Start date
Bockscar
Well-Known Member
One Pounder Drill headstamp.
As requested, a photograph of the headstamp on the One Pounder Drill Mk1, further to this the wooden projectile is faintly stamped RCD ^ 1914.
As for the other shell with the odd end cap on the fuse, well I am afraid there is nothing rare or unusual about that...I made a closing cap up myself some years back to fit in the place of the one that was missing - and I didnt have any brass at the time - I must have had too much spare time on my hands then!
As requested, a photograph of the headstamp on the One Pounder Drill Mk1, further to this the wooden projectile is faintly stamped RCD ^ 1914.
As for the other shell with the odd end cap on the fuse, well I am afraid there is nothing rare or unusual about that...I made a closing cap up myself some years back to fit in the place of the one that was missing - and I didnt have any brass at the time - I must have had too much spare time on my hands then!
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Bockscar
Well-Known Member
Dano1917,
Thanks for that - I shall take good care of it!! From what I have read in the past it seems that they are fairly scarce.
As for my name, well it couldnt be any further away from sounding like Bockscar if you tried! - I just adopted the name of the bomber that won the war thats all
Thanks for that - I shall take good care of it!! From what I have read in the past it seems that they are fairly scarce.
As for my name, well it couldnt be any further away from sounding like Bockscar if you tried! - I just adopted the name of the bomber that won the war thats all
1Pr Drill
In case you don't know RCD is the Royal Carriage Department, one of the constituent organisation of Woolwich Arsenal. They designed and constructed carriages of course but also lead on wood craft generally. The two other major players at Woolwich were the Royal Gun Factory (RGF) and the Royal Laboratories (RL).
In case you don't know RCD is the Royal Carriage Department, one of the constituent organisation of Woolwich Arsenal. They designed and constructed carriages of course but also lead on wood craft generally. The two other major players at Woolwich were the Royal Gun Factory (RGF) and the Royal Laboratories (RL).
Chris 42 RQ
Well-Known Member
And the centre "Cap" is also spring loaded the same as a "Snap cap" for shotguns and the like.
Very rare and nice edition to anyones collection.
Lovely selection of rounds that you have there Bockscar,I'm very partial to these 37mm's myself,although up to now I only have German and French
examples.I have a British Maxim round that's on it's way to me,and although the projectile is stamped VSM,the case is completely unmarked apparently.I have no idea what that means,is it one that slipped through the stamping machine unnoticed,or were some never headstamped?????
examples.I have a British Maxim round that's on it's way to me,and although the projectile is stamped VSM,the case is completely unmarked apparently.I have no idea what that means,is it one that slipped through the stamping machine unnoticed,or were some never headstamped?????
Cases
It appears that all pre 1898 cases are unmarked, and maybe some later ones. It's impossible to tell there being no dates on these. But after Vikers and Maxim got together cases are marked VS&M in a circle, later VSM in a straight line. If you have a VSM projectile a VS&M case is nice but not manditory as reloading was practiced as well. If you have a projectile with a mark that looks like the letter M with a vertical l in the middle that is Maxim Nordenfelt. The image I think shows this, the image is an old one, I have a better one and will replace it later. PA marked projectiles are made in a subciduary in Spain, found with unmarked fuses or VSM fuses, interchangeble with VSM rounds, circa 1900.
It appears that all pre 1898 cases are unmarked, and maybe some later ones. It's impossible to tell there being no dates on these. But after Vikers and Maxim got together cases are marked VS&M in a circle, later VSM in a straight line. If you have a VSM projectile a VS&M case is nice but not manditory as reloading was practiced as well. If you have a projectile with a mark that looks like the letter M with a vertical l in the middle that is Maxim Nordenfelt. The image I think shows this, the image is an old one, I have a better one and will replace it later. PA marked projectiles are made in a subciduary in Spain, found with unmarked fuses or VSM fuses, interchangeble with VSM rounds, circa 1900.
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Many thanks,Gordon,early Maxim cases will all be unmarked then,at least I do know now that the case does indeed belong with it's projectile,as far as
anyone can tell.I may have to wait a bit to get a good look at the marks
on the projectile,there's a big military event here this week,and all these
supplier chappies will be attending,so deliveries may well be delayed for a while.
anyone can tell.I may have to wait a bit to get a good look at the marks
on the projectile,there's a big military event here this week,and all these
supplier chappies will be attending,so deliveries may well be delayed for a while.
Chris 42 RQ
Well-Known Member
Drill rounds 1 Pr
Another pair of Drill rounds, one complete and the other missing the vital bit !
The small "Primer" that you see removed from the case is in fact a hardwood held in place by the spring and cap.
The primer is soft soldered into the case.
Another pair of Drill rounds, one complete and the other missing the vital bit !
The small "Primer" that you see removed from the case is in fact a hardwood held in place by the spring and cap.
The primer is soft soldered into the case.
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Very nice rounds Chris.
In your first photo you show the base of one of the rounds with lines radiating out from the centre.
The drill round shown on the link below has similar lines.
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/3-pounder-naval-t47949.html?t=47949&highlight=drill
Any idea how the lines are made? Is it when the breech is closed? Being drill rounds could it be that the process would be repeated resulting in more such lines than on a service one (just my idea)?
Dave.
In your first photo you show the base of one of the rounds with lines radiating out from the centre.
The drill round shown on the link below has similar lines.
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/3-pounder-naval-t47949.html?t=47949&highlight=drill
Any idea how the lines are made? Is it when the breech is closed? Being drill rounds could it be that the process would be repeated resulting in more such lines than on a service one (just my idea)?
Dave.
Bockscar
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all your replies in the positive guys!
I now know who RCD were ( although I should have known that to be honest!) and I also know how the spring loaded primer system works too - mines hasnt been stripped down yet so thats another plus.
Chris, the specimens you posted seem to have had a hard service life going by the condition of the bases and yet the case itself as well as the wood seems to be in excellent condition - easy to see where all the action was taking place.
Dave,I was wondering if the marks on the bases of the cases were caused by being repeatedly pushed down through the mechanism of the lock in the actual gun ,and picking up on any marks in the face of the block itself. I have seen the lock from a .303" Vickers Machine Gun, and I am aware of how the action works there. I understand that the One Pounder gun is just a scaled up version of this.
Bob
I now know who RCD were ( although I should have known that to be honest!) and I also know how the spring loaded primer system works too - mines hasnt been stripped down yet so thats another plus.
Chris, the specimens you posted seem to have had a hard service life going by the condition of the bases and yet the case itself as well as the wood seems to be in excellent condition - easy to see where all the action was taking place.
Dave,I was wondering if the marks on the bases of the cases were caused by being repeatedly pushed down through the mechanism of the lock in the actual gun ,and picking up on any marks in the face of the block itself. I have seen the lock from a .303" Vickers Machine Gun, and I am aware of how the action works there. I understand that the One Pounder gun is just a scaled up version of this.
Bob
The movement of
the Maxim breech is up and down, so over time there would be vertical scratches. as the rounds are in different positions every time they are fed in you would get a radial effect. In the revolving Gun the scratches are curved because the action is rotary.
the Maxim breech is up and down, so over time there would be vertical scratches. as the rounds are in different positions every time they are fed in you would get a radial effect. In the revolving Gun the scratches are curved because the action is rotary.
Chris 42 RQ
Well-Known Member
Right Dave here goes with what I hope will be a better description than I managed for Falcon !
The drill round is placed in the gun and the weapon is then fired (albeit no bang and no recoil etc) the action of firing the weapon releases the firing pin which hits the spring loaded dummy primer and absorbs the shock that would have been utilised to fire the real primer, then the firing pin is withdrawn slightly resulting in some of the firing pin still sticking out proud of its housing and it is this small portion of the firing pin that marks the case/s !
The firing pin is only fully withdrawn when the weapon is re-cocked (if I have this right) as the older weapons were a little rudimentary in operation.