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ID needed on 37mm projectile

jasonhtml

Member
Hi, this is my first post on these forums! For a little over a year now, I have been searching an ID on a projectile i bought at an antique store. i've posted on many other forums and no one can pinpoint what it really is.

its 37mm in diameter, 100mm long, weighs about 500g(about 1 pound) and the only marking on it is a very faint, red "56" on the bottom of it.

this is the original post on the IAA forums, where i got some help, but no positive ID: http://cartridgecollectors.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2396&highlight=

some of the guys said it was most likely pre-WWI...

if anyone can ID this, thank you sooo much!
 

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Hi Jason,

welcome to BOCN.

Have you posted this proj before ages ago on MCF as i swear ive seen it before?

cheers

waff
 
Im going to pop over there as im sure we came up with an answer??

if not,then its a good challenge for our fine fellows!!

best

waff
 
well, the closest we came was to thinking it was a French projectile, but we never came up with any photos that were close enough for a match (at least in my opinion...)
 
Hi Jasonhtml, i also had one of these years ago only mine did not have the plug in the base. Never managed to find out anything about it only that as mentioned above it may have been of French origin. Good luck in getting an answer on this, i to would be interested to find out more...
Weasel.
 
What you have is -

A Hotchkiss Common Shell, made in this style from about 1881 until about 1900 when the band was changed to copper. The pointed nose is likely a replacement as the normal nose is a Desmarest PD fuse, just like the ones on those millions of WW1 French 37s everywhere. These are sometimes poorly marked Hotchkiss Patent below the band. They are Made by Hotchkiss in Paris and exported everywhere along with thier Revolving Cannon. There is one of these in the Leeds Museum as shown in another menbers travelogue. The case is a 37x94r marked Hotchkiss Paris. The lump on the base is left over metal, they didn't quite make it smooth all the way. Just in case there are some of these lurking about behind the 17pdrs on the shelves, I'm looking for any copper banded projectiles (smooth or ribbed) and ribbed brass banded kinds, all the bands are as wide as this one. If you have one and aren't sure just contact me !
( I just posted information on these hopefully it should help) ~
 
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