U.S. Coastal Artillery Information Needed

[bacarnal]

Through my years of collecting, I've occasionally run across U.S. Coastal Artillery rounds. In all of the pubs I have, the only Coastal info I have is on larger caliber weapons. I've never been able to find info on the smaller calibers, 1pdr, 3pdr, 6pdr, 12pdr and 15pdr. My latest find looks to be a 12-15pdr Common shell without a fuze (came in a steel MK II M2 B1 3" casing. Ebay, made an offer and it was accepted), and no fuze I have, Naval or Army, fits it. Does anyone out there have any info on the smaller caliber Coastal weapons or ammo? Thanks, Bruce.

 

[HAZORD]

TM 9-1904 Ammunition Inspection Guide, has a section on 3 inch seacoast artillery ammo starting on Page 454. The manual is on BOCN, on page 11 of the General Ordnance downloads.

 

[pzjgr]

If its a projo for the 3" 15pdr Sea Coast gun, here is a thread with fuze info...

A M1907M fuze can stand in, as one of the proper fuzes was simply a M1907 without the percussion device...

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/83750-Need-Some-Help-With-New-76mm-or-3-quot-Projectile

 

[bacarnal]

Thanks for the tip, John. I'm suspecting the round is an M1915 or earlier since, instead of Explosive D as a filler (which would be really evident), I think the minute amount of residue left is Black Powder/TNT mix (just by the smell and color), which was a common mix prior to WWI. Length of the round is 12.375". Looks like I need to find a MK V BD fuze. Cheers, Bruce.

 

[pzjgr]

Crap, didn't occur to me it was a Common Projectile...base fuzed, and not the HE projectile....

 

[bacarnal]

No biggie pzjgr, in my description that got kinda buried since I can get long winded.
I read further and it can't be the M1915 because the description says it has a blunt nose, was designed for AP, but is ineffective as such. The rotating band is spot on, but that goes for most of the 3" rounds of that era. Thanks, Bruce.

 

[US-Subs]

A big problem for research on some of this early ammo is that it frequently only shows up in the manual of the gun. If you are not fortunate enough to have located paperwork on the specific gun that used that ammo......
Generally every gun handbook had 3-4 pull-out plates in the back of the book that identified projectiles, fuzes and cases. Some were better and more detailed than others. This adds a difficulty and cost measure to any related research, because you are often looking for books that may have nothing to do with your subject, then buying blind (internet) in hopes that it "just might" have what you are looking for. Prior to doing specific research you are less likely to look for gun books as they are not (yet) of interest and there is always something else to spend the money on.

 

[bacarnal]

Upon further inspection, the residue was ash, so it could have been a "D" loaded, though it still smells like burnt TNT. Tried the base fuze with a stub of an M91 Base fuze and it fits (1 1/2"x12TPI L/H threads), so it uses either the MK V or M62. It also looks like it has the original yellow paint, which is a little scorched near the base from the burn out of the HE and some faint black marks of "PDR", though what was stenciled before it is rubbed out, possibly "15".
Thanks for the memory jog, Jeff. Looked up M1903 3" Seacoast Gun and found TM9-421. It figures that the page I wanted for a BD fuzed round would be the one hazed out, so I ordered it from Amazon. Anybody have a US Army MK V Base Fuze laying around? :tinysmile_twink_t2:

 

[HAZORD]

How long is your projectile? There are a couple of projos like that, but different lengths, I believe the M1915 and the M1907. I will need to look at mine and in my books. The M1907 is shorter, hollow and a target practice projo.

I believe your bullet is an M1915. I think mine has a fuze in it.

Google "3 inch m1907 projectile", and look at the Wiki listing. Huge amount of info and it lists the 15Lb. M1915 projo.

 

[bacarnal]

John, the round is approximately 12 3/8". Thanks for the info.

 

[HAZORD]

Finally got a chance to go through the tall 3 inch seacoast/AAA rounds with the older .55 inch bands in the Mk. 1 and Mk.1A1 cases.

L-R
Mk. 1 shrapnel
M1917 HE-Common
Drill round for the Mk. 1 HE round
Mk. 1 HE round
M1915 APHE
MK. VII TP solid shot

The round on the far right is the MK. IX HE round to replace the Mk. 1 HE, and was the predecessor to the M42, and M42A1. The Mk. IX is in a shorter case (Mk. 1 M1) to accommodate the larger rotating band (1 inch wide) required for the faster twist rifling.

 

[bacarnal]

Thanks, John. I'd say by what you've presented that mine would be the M1915 or M1917. Thanks again.

 

[HAZORD]

Your nice bullet is the M 1917 Bruce.