3 inch 20 cwt......or.............

[SG500]

I'm always picking up 3 inch 20cwt cases and finding 3 inch 20cwt stamped on the base.
Finally after a lot of searching up popped the one I was looking for.
A 77mm tank case for the Comet tank :tinysmile_twink_t2:
They're identical to the 3inch 20cwt ones but with a different head stamp.
There's a couple of photos on the following link which shows the guys loading a Comet and also a Sherman Firefly, note the difference in the size of the rounds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_tank
Dave.

 

[Falcon]

I have some 3" 20 CWT tracer shot projectiles (unfortunately missing their bands) made in 1945. Were they intended for loading into these cases?

 

[Quatermass]

I have some 3" 20 CWT tracer shot projectiles (unfortunately missing their bands) made in 1945. Were they intended for loading into these cases?

No Falcon, the practice shot you have is for the (Naval?) AA gun, the 77mm used the same projectiles as the 17 PR. (in early 1945 17 PR projectiles were also marked for 77mm i.e. APCBC 17 PR & 77 MM).

 

[Burney Davis]

No Falcon, they were cast iron practice projectiles for the second war 3in 20cwt cases. They were part of the same batch as the 3 & 6pr projectiles that you mentioned in your other post.

D

I have some 3" 20 CWT tracer shot projectiles (unfortunately missing their bands) made in 1945. Were they intended for loading into these cases?

 

[Tony Williams]

No Falcon, the practice shot you have is for the (Naval?) AA gun.

The 3 inch 20 cwt was adopted by both the army and navy in 1914 (surely one of the earliest projects for a purpose-designed AA gun) but seems to have been mainly or entirely an army gun by WW2.

 

[Tony Williams]

I'm always picking up 3 inch 20cwt cases and finding 3 inch 20cwt stamped on the base.
Finally after a lot of searching up popped the one I was looking for.
A 77mm tank case for the Comet tank :tinysmile_twink_t2:
They're identical to the 3inch 20cwt ones but with a different head stamp.

I wonder if there any any in existence which are fractionally necked-down and stamped 75mm Vickers HV? Now that would be a find!

 

[Falcon]

Thanks for the replies. Does anyone have a 3" 20 CWT case with a WW2 date in their collection? I would like to see a photo of the headstamp if they do.

 

[2pounder]

Case was also chopped and used in the A/S MARK 10 MORTAR around 1959. Cant help with a WWII headstamp, nearest I have is 1938. Think it did have a naval use in WWII but on older ships and armed merchantmen, large trawlers/

 

[Quatermass]

The reason I questioned that it may be of naval use was that by 1945 the land service gun was out of front line service but the naval guns were still in use on mineswippers, DEMS etc, that said i looked at the 8/45 practice round i've got and no naval 'N'!

I can't help with a WW2 dated 3 inch 20 Cwt case, but I did find three 77mm cases while i was looking!

 

[Quatermass]

Vindicated! :tinysmile_twink_t: I had a look at a second 3 inch 20 Cwt practice projectile today with clearer stamping. The top stamping is I/N for Naval service.

 

[Falcon]

The markings from one of my projectiles are:

1/N
3IN 20 CWT
16 LB
P
C I
RL 7/45
LOT 22

They obviously believed that there would be a demand for these this late in the war. By that time the was in Europe was over. I wonder if they planned on the remaining 3" 20 CWT guns going to the Far East?

 

[Tony Williams]

More likely the manufacturers were just fulfilling a long-term contract. It could take a while for these to be cancelled.

 

[charley777]

Hello Falcon
WW2 3" 20cwt headstamp as requested (-:
Charley

 

[charley777]

What are the earliest and latest 77mm headstamps? (76.2x420R)

 

[charley777]

And can anyone say when the earliest and latest 77mm headstamps were dated?
Thanks

 

[Hoeksel]

I have had 4 cases for the 77 mm Comet in my collection and all 4 are 1944 dated.

 

[SG500]

Back to the original thread of 77mm, attached a photo of the round now with a nice new projectile in it.

Dave.

 

[BMG50]

Resurrecting an old post, i have two un banded 3 inch 200cwt projectiles practice shot, similar metal stamping but different lot number and marked QF after I/N. I could see an original red ring on the nose of each projectile faintly one higher than the other and a trace of white.
I was quite interested they are Naval practice shot. I have a Naval 2 pounder practice shot but the painted band is yellow and the stencilled N is white, I thought the 3 inch would be marked in yellow as well but the noses have red bands. These are not practice AP rounds for the Churchill. How would this 3inch 200cwt be marked up, black body red painted ring or white, would it have a large N stencilled on the side?