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2 pounder HE or 40mm bofors?

rickwedlock

Well-Known Member
i was hoping someone could shed a little light on this shell. i always thought it was a 2 pounder HE minus the fuze but now i have recently acquired a 2 pounder HE, the differences are clear to see. it's a little taller by a few mm's the fuze thread is too course and a larger diameter and there's no tracer just a base plug. the drive band is the same and has the makers stamp RV. i did think it might have been a smoke round but apparently 2 pounder didn't have smoke. can anyone help out. cheers

ps. ignore the colour i'm trying to find the right buff (not yellow) by mixing various old tins of paint
 

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Possibly a shrapnel round missing the top portion?
Is there a shelf inside the round?

Joe
 
2pr "Pom Pom" basically a big Maxim, versus the Army 2pr Anti Tank gun. Two very different things.
Lots of information on the net. It's a hundred to one or more to find an Army 2pr HE versus Navy issues.
 
Rick, there is a lot of info on here about 2pr, naval shorter cases and the Army long case type. Various practice Navy shells exist as their use dates from WWI to WWII approx. Army 2pr ATK was WWII and then in armoured cars for a short while after where the Naval HE shell was used. Oh and the RAF used the short case for their aircraft S gun. Suggest you make good use of the lockdown and get stuck in searching this web site. good luck.
 
thanks 2pounder. the trouble with searching forums is you often end up with more questions than answers! i've googled it and looked in "firing now" and it is shown as the HE shell. the australians apparently also used a bofors shell as well. by far the best source of info is the original wartime user handbooks. i do have one for the 2 pdr covenanter but to be honest it's a bit crap compared to the later tanks like cromwell etc in so much as it doesn't have any info on the ammo or armament, these must be covered by another publication. i'll ask around some friends with 2 pounder armed vehicles and see if they have any info.
 
I think what you have is the Bofors type of HE shell. Dutch Navy vessels were equipped with 2 Pdr Pom Pom automatic guns in WW2, using this kind of Bofors type HE shells.
Below a drawing to check the measurements.
I noticed the markings on the driving band of your shell, those markings roule out that it is a Dutch manufactured shell.
 

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