Need help - correct color for WW2 76.2mm Russian Arrowhead BR-350P

[jeff w]

Am in the process of restoring a BR350P Arrowhead (steel ballistic cap) and am confused about the color it should be. I've seen black, blackish-grey, green and grey.
I cannot read Russian which would probably solve this. Anybody have a round with original WW2 paint or know the correct color from Russian war time literature?
Here are some illustrations I have - maybe the color is specified in the text? I believe the green painted ones I've seen have been post-war. Picture is from Munster panzer museum I believe.

 

[M8owner]

I vote for dark grey. I make mine very dark grey - almost black. Most of the stuff with original paint turns very dark after all these years.

 

[RichardB]

Hi Jeff, Do you have any documentation differentiating the WW2 version and the postwar version of the BR-350P .... Or is this as simple as BR-350P (with aluminium shield) is WW2 and BR-350и (with steel Sheild) is postwar. That would explain why the steel shield is soo readily available ?

pushing my luck further does anyone have precise dates of the introduction of both ?

Finally, I agree with M8, the Russian green had an olivy colour to it, and like all old paint, darkens considerably..

 

[jeff w]

Thanks for the input - that is the way I was leaning.
It appears the Russians had few rules as to the color, and many exceptions. Just browsing some Russian websites it sounds like they even resorted to varnish and practically anything else they had lying around that might prevent corrosion.
I went with flat black for now until somebody posts a mint condition dated round. :smile:
As far as introduction it was after Kursk. Production started in April-May 43' and service acceptance was in October of 43' - this from Zaloga (former) and Forczyk (later). I'm guessing usage trickled in somewhere between those dates.
Demand would have been enormous after Kursk for the T34s, remaining KVs, SU-76 and Zis-3 etc. They tried to keep 4-10 rounds available per tube so that probably was the driver to the more efficient/economical crimped on steel cap.

By the time the Red Army made it to Poland and the Baltics (1944-45) they were surely using the crimped cap version, based on all the battlefield recovered specimens that have shown up in those areas.
But that is just my speculation based on circumstantial evidence. Maybe someone has a war dated crimp capped projectile to definitively prove it?

I believe the BR-354N(?) was the post war development to improve the ballistics by getting rid of the sexy hourglass shape and instead using straight enclosed sides similar to American HVAP.

 

[jeff w]

I ran across this picture on the internet - I see a possible "45" date.
Could this be a correct WW2 color for a BR-350P??? Almost looks like the German green.

 

[jeff w]

Just obtained a 57mm arrowhead with some original paint on it. A really dark green similar to the 76mm above. Going to go with this color to paint my 76mm.
I also now have a spare 57 APCR with no original paint. Drop me a line if interested and in the USA.