WW1 British 6pr case blackening

[Burney Davis]

There is reference in original manuals that these cases were half blackened from the base for use in WW1 tanks. I have attached a picture of a case which looks to have been deliberately blackened at the top, for three inches. Does anyone know why this might have been done?

 

[BMG50]

Didnt they black the top of .303 grenade launching cartridges, may be this type of marking was used to denote that it launch something other than the type of projectile it was original meant for. May be it was marked for quick reference in battle for canister shot. Didnt the manual refer why the other end was blacked.

 

[ron3350]

I cannot help with the blackened mouth but show my Tank round with blackened base.

I posted these photos before but here is the projectile and black base headstamp.

 

[BMG50]

QUOTE=ron3350;322304]View attachment 172481I cannot help with the blackened mouth but show my Tank round with blackened base.[/QUOTE]


What a nice round looking for a nice mint projectile for mine.

 

[reccetrooper]

Didnt the manual refer why the other end was blacked.

The guns mounted in tank sponsons had shortened barrels as the barrels on the first tanks were found to dig into the ground. The shorter barrels required a change in ammunition loading and this ammunition intended for tanks was identified by having the lower part of the case blackened.

 

[TimG]

The easiest way to blacken the case is to dip it in a bath. This results in a regular tidemark as seen on Ron's case. On Burney's case I see that it is a very irregular tidemark and what appears to be a thin band of discolouration coterminous to it. It maybe that the discolouration has been caused by a subsequent attempt at annealing the neck and mouth.

Is there an 'L' within a circle, on the headstamp?

TimG

 

[BMG50]

You can get the birch wood casey brass blacking solution that does the same effect.

 

[hampshireman]

The cartridges of single tube gun, 6 and 5 cwt had the bottom half of the case blackened to identify them. These were guns made of a single forging, and were considerable shorter, which allowed them to be manufactured by ordinary machine shops rather than ordnance factories. This was to allow for an increase supply during WW1 and for a range of special applications.