WWII Russian 122mm HEAT Projectile BR-460A

[M8owner]

Here is something that has almost never been seen before. It is dated 1944, and could be used by multiple weapons including howitzers, guns, tanks and self propelled guns. The bakelite B-229 fuse did not do to well with time. Thank you, Marek.

[wichitaslumlord]

Fantastic item! Thanks for posting!
Pat

[Eggburt1969]

Here is something that has almost never been seen before. It is dated 1944, and could be used by multiple weapons including howitzers, guns, tanks and self propelled guns. The bakelite B-229 fuse did not do to well with time. Thank you, Marek.

A nice and very rare item, but don't you mean a BP-460A (БП-460А), and not a BR-460A (БР-460А)? In full, its GAU (later GRAU) index code being 53-BP-460A (53-БП-460А).

The BP (БП) is short for (correct me if I'm wrong Ivan) бронепрожигающие (broneprozhigayushchiye), so literally 'amour burning'. The BR (БР) is short for бронебойный (broneboynyy), so armour-piecing. The A (А) at the end denotes a steel cast iron (сталистого чугуна). This is cast iron that has had steel added as part of the production process to improve its properties over base cast irons.

According documentation I have the main body of the V-229 (В-229) fuze is a (wood) fibre reinforced plastic.

[Nabob]

Nice find,
not common even in the Czech Republic.
The fuzes almost never survive. You are lucky to have one in this condition.
The material is the same as on the contemporary mortar fuzes.

Bob

[sgdbdr]

Hi

It's BP-460 as Eggburt said :

Image1.jpg

Cheers,

S.

[M8owner]

It should be BP - sorry! I have attached more photos. I also have a nose with a composite construction; it is made of a steel base, sheet metal mid section and a steel top that is only held loosely in place by four tabs that have been folded over. The flame tube from the bottom of the cone to the detonator is made of cardboard.

[HAZORD]

Nice bullet!

[Eggburt1969]

It should be BP - sorry! I have attached more photos. I also have a nose with a composite construction; it is made of a steel base, sheet metal mid section and a steel top that is only held loosely in place by four tabs that have been folded over. The flame tube from the bottom of the cone to detonator is made of cardboard.

I presume this is a sectional diagram of the model you have.

BP-460.jpg

There was supposed to be an all steel-bodied version of the projectile. This drops the 'A' at the end that denoted 'steel cast iron', so was designated 53-BP-460.

It may be that the nose section you have is this 53-BP-460 version, that or an altogether unknown version.

Either way it seems the version you have is rarer still that the 53-BP-460A.

[MINENAZ16]

I presume this is a sectional diagram of the model you have.

BP-460.jpg

There was supposed to be an all steel-bodied version of the projectile. This drops the 'A' at the end that denoted 'steel cast iron', so was designated 53-BP-460.

It may be that the nose section you have is this 53-BP-460 version, that or an altogether unknown version.

Either way it seems the version you have is rarer still that the 53-BP-460A.

This variant

122 variant.jpg122 variant 2.jpg

[Eggburt1969]

This variant

Yes, but what is it's designation? What are its details?

The BP-460 is not in any of the Russian 122 mm gun, ammunition and firing table manuals I have that span a time period from WWII to the 2000s. The only one that's mentioned is the BP-460A.

Unfortunately I've not got many 122 mm gun and no ammo manuals from the WWII period. I have firing tables from 1943 & 1944, which cover the ammo in some detail and include BP-460A as a supplement, but that's all.