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Square mills det tins

Blackops

New Member
I have just bought these square mills det tins, I thought they are normally round tins, anyone know much about them and what date they are.
 

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How many mills bombs came in those tube containers seen on your web site, just wondering if they are from there.
 
Speaking about these tins at a show today, someone reckoned they could be early...
 
I have just bought these square mills det tins, I thought they are normally round tins, anyone know much about them and what date they are.

I think they are likely to be from India. I vaguely recollect that OK and OC are monograms for Indian Ordnance Factories. The markings would suggest that they are about 10 years old.

The later packing for the India manufacture No36 Grenade was as follows:
Packing :
Ten grenades are hermetically sealed in a steel Box and four such boxes are packed into one carrier. A total of 40 grenades per package. Average gross weight is 53 kgs and the package dimensions are 660 mm x 325 mm x 215 mm.

5 dets in a tin would work with this configuration.
 
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OK is the monogram for Ordnance Factory Khamaria, who are the prime contractor for Grenade 36M, 7sec, Rifle - supplied to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The MHA is responsible for pay and provisioning of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), who in turn are deployed across India in a counter insurgency role. The CAPF still makes use of the No.1 MkIII* rifle.

I believe OC is Ordnance Factory Kanpur.




Tom.
 
You are quite right Norman, I once inspected some 1937 OK production 25pr HE. Someone will probably tell me the 25pr did not come into service until 1940, but what better way to spring it on an unsuspecting enemy than to have stockpiles of ammunition made far away where int representation would be very low to non existent.
 
The 25pr strictly first appeared (was officially approved) in August 1936 as the Ordnance QF 3.45in MkI, with name change in early 1938 to Ordnance QF 25pr Mark I, though more commonly termed the 18/25 pounder (of which most were lost on the retreat to Dunkirk). Certainly interesting to have produced ammunition for it in India.




Tom.
 
You are quite right Norman, I once inspected some 1937 OK production 25pr HE. .....

Thanks Bill. Given you taught me more about ammunition than any other person I know I expect it was you who told me about the monograms used by Indian Ordnance Factories. I knew it would come in handy (albeit 40 years later :)
 
The Indian Ordnance Factories 36 grenade is something of a collective effort from amongst the various branches.

As shown by the views of a 1972 example, body castings have been made by Ordnance Factory Muradnagar (OFM), specializing in steel and iron castings and forgings {though the latest 36 grenade bodies may be made by the iron foundry at the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ)}; centre pieces by Ordnance Factory Katni (KAT), producing brass, aluminium and Mazak products; base plugs by Gun Factory Cossipore (CO); and levers - possibly - by Khadki, previously Kirkee (KF might or might not be the monogram).


 

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The inside of the tin, embossed markings.
 

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