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WW1 2Pdr Vickers Piercing or Practice Projectile?

oldshotandshell

Well-Known Member
This 2Pdr Vickers projectile is stamped '2Pr P II FS VSM 2.2.17'. I'm inclined to read the P II as a Mark 2 piercing projectile as it is made of forged steel and not a practice projectile as I would have expected it to be stamped CI for cast iron rather than FS for forged steel. Am I correct in this assumption? Does anyone have a 2Pdr manual which describes a capped piercing projectile? Thoughts welcome...
 

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This 2Pdr Vickers projectile is stamped '2Pr P II FS VSM 2.2.17'. I'm inclined to read the P II as a Mark 2 piercing projectile as it is made of forged steel and not a practice projectile as I would have expected it to be stamped CI for cast iron rather than FS for forged steel. Am I correct in this assumption? Does anyone have a 2Pdr manual which describes a capped piercing projectile? Thoughts welcome...

I have a drawing somewhere that shows a section of the 'AP' head which is a Practice head - as soon as I find it I'll post it here. As an aside, I had a 1.1/2-pr round some time ago with an identical looking APC head. Unfortunately this round didn't come apart so the base couldn't be seen and any stampings on the head were polished off. Depotman.
 
The projectile reminds me of a C.O.W gun one I've seen somewhere? Where they made to the same design?
 
Its a 'Shot, Practice, 2-pr, Mk. 2'. to quote 'The Mk 2 is a solid shot fitted with a penetrative cap; it is not fitted with a tracer'.
Hope that helps.
 
To quote from List of Changes:

18805 - Shot, Practice, QF, 2-pr, Mark I, /N/ - Steel

The Mark I Practice Shot is made of solid steel, the nose being shaped and turned to represent a fuze.

20161 - Shot, Practice, QF, 2-pr, Mark II /N/ - Steel

The Mark II differs from the Mark I in the cannelure being of greater diameter.

The Mark II was approved in Feb 1917.

The table below, showing make-up of complete rounds, might be of interest

CARTRIDGE, QF, 2-PR, MKS I TO III GUNS, PRACTICE

MARK I [LoC 18848][RL 21719A] Mk I Empty case; No 5 Primer; Mk III Charge; Shot practice Mk I
MARK II [LoC 26114] As MARK I with SHELL, 2-PR, COMMON POINTED MARK II fitted with base plug No 3.
MARK III [LoC 26114] As MARK I with SHELL, 2-PR, COMMON POINTED MARK IV fitted with plug representing fuze 121 or 124
MARK IV [LoC 26114] Differed from MARK III in being fitted with SHOT, PRACTICE, MARK III
MARK V [LoC 26114] As MARK IV WITH CHARGE MARK V
MARK VI [LoC 26114] As MARK III WITH CHARGE MARK V
MARK VII [LoC 26114] AS MARK II WITH CHARGE MARK V
MARK VIII [LoC 26114] AS MARK II WITH CHARGE MARK IV


Unfortunately Naval gun handbooks rarely show ammunition.
 
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1 1/2PR with same plug :

View attachment 157471


2Pr MkII practice with different plug:

View attachment 157472

Thanks for showing - the 1.1/2pr head is exactly the same as the one I had in my COW round a few years ago; and the 2pr head is a 1930s practice head with a detachable plug. The plug has an odd thread size which I don't think is replicated by any of the other 2pr plugs or fuzes. These 2pr rounds and heads are fascinating, with very little published information - perhaps my next project! Depotman.
 
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