.55 Boys 13.9x99mmB

[orcutteod]

Nice condition 43 dated Boys anti tank round here on the left and a 50cal BMG and a German WWI 13mm for comparision. I believe the WII stands for an AP tungsten core projectile. And if you look close you can see the tungsten core at the tip of the projectile. I know our Marines used this round in the Pacific. Never less finding the round here is elusive. I think the DA with symbol is the manufacture but I don't know who it is. Interesting how the British and the Germans used a belted cases in a lot of their munitions.

 

[TonyE]

The WII indicates an armour piercing (W) round Mark II, but it is hardened steel, not tungsten. Your example is Canadian made at the Dominion Arsenal (DA). It should not have an exposed tip like that, I think someone has for some reason filed it down.

The Boys cartridge was originally in .50 calibre based on the 13.2mm Hotchkiss case with a belt called the .5 Stanchion, but trials showed insufficient armour penetration so the calibre was raised to .55 and the cartridge renamed in honour of Captain Boys who had died whilst working on the project (he was also responsible for the 1929 Text Book on Small Arms).

Regards
TonyE

 

[orcutteod]

Tony,
Thanks for the info.

 

[Tony Williams]

There was a tungsten-cored version which was never officially adopted. I believe that some 20,000 rounds were made, half of which were sent to the Far East for testing. These very rarely surface, and can be most easily identified by the two-part bullet.

 

[TonyE]

There was a tungsten-cored version which was never officially adopted. I believe that some 20,000 rounds were made, half of which were sent to the Far East for testing. These very rarely surface, and can be most easily identified by the two-part bullet.

See my post on another thread re; the tungsten cored Boys experimental composite rigid bullet.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/73187-Unknown-Boyes-0.55-quot-Variant?p=188527#post188527

Regards
TonyE