What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

1 pdr h (37 x 136(+/-)

Slick

Well-Known Member
Was given this shell case today. With the help of this forum and Mr. Mellichamp's Vol. 1, I was able to narrow things down enough to make an educated guess at ID.
Headstamp =
Washington Navy Yard
(manufactured) Sept. 1917
1-PDR H (Heavy?)
JHG (James H Glennon-Supt.) (anchor= Navy) VKC(unknown inspector)

Primer =
T W (unknown)
1 7 (mfgr.- Jan. 1917)
1 pdr hs.jpg 1 pdr.jpg

Have had a few 37mm/1 pdr cases. Mostly so-called common ones. And this one is probably common, but I'd never seen this headstamp before. If anyone can add/correct, please do.
AND, the "banner of shame" will go away now that I've posted something. Whew!
 
Yes, it is the heavy 1 pdr, such as it is. A little higher velocity than the 37x94 1 pdrs. Wny is washington navy yard. Many other makers are found.
 
An extract from the Ammo section of my rewritten version of Rapid Fire (still in preparation):

37 x 136R USN 1 Pounder Mk 6, Heavy

This cartridge was originally designed for a manually-loaded Hotchkiss gun which entered USN service in about 1890 and was also used in various other guns and sub-calibre training systems. It was adopted for two automatic weapons in the first few years of the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century: an enlarged Maxim "Pom-pom" known as the One Pounder Maxim-Nordenfelt, Heavy, Mk 1 (later designated 1 pdr Mk 6), which during World War 1 was ordered in large numbers for the USN; and another US automatic cannon developed by Samuel N McClean (of Lewis Gun fame). Although the gas-operated McClean gun failed to be adopted by the USA, a sale to Russia during World War 1 subsequently led to the guns being widely distributed.

The brass cartridge case was rimmed and slightly bottlenecked. Various projectiles were used, but all seem to have been of the base-fuzed steel pointed type. The overall length of the round was 210 mm and the weight was around 600 g. The standard projectile weight was 476 g and the MV 640 m/s from an L/42.5 barrel.
 
The "primer" is a much later cartridge case made by Twin Cities ordnance plant in 1971.
 
Just noticed the manufacture date is 3-17, not S-17, so, March vs September. These old eyes have fooled me again!
 
I originally thought that but wondered who might use this round in 1971
As a signal charge, maybe.
Maybe a hobbyist tried reloading it for some reason. A saluting or signal gun is also a possibility.
 
The U.S. Coast Guard had these guns in service for a very long time and it is likely they reloaded it even this late.
 
Top