British Artillery Projectile Stampings

[Petrock]

Hello all,

I am looking for a good source of interpreting British Artillery Ammunition stampings.

We frequently have various Pdr projos found here and I would like a more accurate and expedient method of providing 100% id.

We can usually get the id based on the solid features but occasional we end up with EOD calls for items that are unusual or modified. I'd like to be able to tell for sure what the projectile is supposed to be based on the stampings in the metal. Paint can be changed, or wear of. But those stamps from the manufacturer are original.

I'm centering mostly on the 18 pdr at the moment but I'd like a nice chart to give me guidance.

Thanks all

 

[Darkman]

Hi Petrock,

Good luck with that, I'm not aware of any such easy reference "chart" - particularly over a wide range of ordnance. This information is built up from years of experience and that's why there are forums such as this one to ask for and share information. The forum also provides a lot of invaluable reference material of handbooks and manuals for various ordnance so that you can research the information required. Handbooks and manuals will often give you generic stamp, stencil and colour code details for specific ordnance.

Furthermore the stamps aren't definitive in many cases - you need to consider other features of the ordnance (including original paint if any) to make an identification. For example, you mentioned 18 pdrs. 18 pdr shells will be stamped with "18 Pr QF" and then a mark no. in Roman numerals. There are generally no other stamps to indicate the nature of the ordnance - HE, Shrap, smoke, chemical, gas etc. Also filling details were usually stencilled on with paint and often doesn't survive. In conjunction with the Mk no., fuzing (if any) and paint/stencilling (if any), you need to use the other physical features to determine what the nature of the shell is.

If you're finding shells on an old range that you can't identify, I'd be fairly cautious - particularly if still fuzed. A call to EOD is a good option.

Regards, Graeme

 

[Petrock]

Hi Petrock,

Good luck with that, I'm not aware of any such easy reference "chart" - particularly over a wide range of ordnance. This information is built up from years of experience and that's why there are forums such as this one to ask for and share information. The forum also provides a lot of invaluable reference material of handbooks and manuals for various ordnance so that you can research the information required. Handbooks and manuals will often give you generic stamp, stencil and colour code details for specific ordnance.

Furthermore the stamps aren't definitive in many cases - you need to consider other features of the ordnance (including original paint if any) to make an identification. For example, you mentioned 18 pdrs. 18 pdr shells will be stamped with "18 Pr QF" and then a mark no. in Roman numerals. There are generally no other stamps to indicate the nature of the ordnance - HE, Shrap, smoke, chemical, gas etc. Also filling details were usually stencilled on with paint and often doesn't survive. In conjunction with the Mk no., fuzing (if any) and paint/stencilling (if any), you need to use the other physical features to determine what the nature of the shell is.

If you're finding shells on an old range that you can't identify, I'd be fairly cautious - particularly if still fuzed. A call to EOD is a good option.

Regards, Graeme

I am EOD. That's why I would like a stamping chart. I have seen them before. I guess I'll have to go through our library and see if I can find paper copies of the different precise we have.

 

[adrian]

Hi Petrock, you need a new book that came out not long ago, if any are left, very small print run "British Artillery Ammunition Volume 3 - Quick Fire"[FONT=&amp] [/FONT]go direct to author david.ibbetson(at)ntl.world his three earlier works on projectiles x 2 & fuzes x 1 are also excellent references, if available.[FONT=&amp]


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