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WWII Italian 47mm Tank and Antitank Gun Ammunition

M8owner

Well-Known Member
For me, these have proven to be the most difficult items to obtain for my WWII tank cannon ammunition collection. It is my understanding these can be found in the UK, and Mick (earni74) helped me to add the AP rounds. I found the AP base fuse and other internals from other sources; these include the paper, lead foil, round card board and powder bags you see in the photos. I have two spare cases, and a spare stainless steel/brass repro AP projectile that I made if someone in the US wants to work a trade for other tank ammo item (like a 76mm US M42 HE shell).
 

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Hello,
nice stuff.
short APHE is the mod 35, very rare to find in your condition, I'm still looking for it. Capped APHE is mod 39. HE shell is the mod 35 wit mod 39 fuze.

APHET mod 39 copper and soft iron driving band
IMG_4792.jpg

some HE mod 35
14 dic 2011_4885.jpg

AP
14 dic 2011_4896.jpg

still looking for EP and EPS shells

regards
 
Thank you fert. What is the nomenclature of the base fuse for the AP rounds? Also, what is the short AP in your last photo on the right with the black stripe? Is that an exercise or practice round? May I also request a translation of the text on the strips of paper that go into the rounds?
 
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you're welcome!
base fuze is mod 09.
white tip in Italian color code means practice, shell was inert, with a base plug or with all inert fuze.

translation:
Personale addetto lavorazione ----> staff handling
sottoufficiale artificiere ---->NCO blaster
maresciallo Pede Angelo ---> name (Angelo)and surname(Pede) of NCO Blaster
confezionato il --> date of packaging
verificato il ---> date of verify
data controllo ---> date of check
firma controllore ---> sign of inspector

best regards
 
How were they shipped from the UK to the USA?

As far as I knew, shipping any kind of ordnance was a no-go these days.
 
There are people in the UK with the correct paperwork who can legally ship ordnance items to the EU. I am not willing to expand any further on this topic. However, I will note that I am only willing to source items from the UK if they are rare and very special going forward.
 
Hello,
nice wood box. but white in marking on the rear are not italian. maybe reused by french?
regards
 
Nice items guys.
The case on the left of the first photograph of the first post of this thread has a dark band around the lower part of the case.
What does this mean?
Dave.
 
I think it was simply discolored brass from the manufacturing process. We never did establish the purpose of the AP round on the right end in Fert's bottom photo that has a black stripe with white lettering? I am thinking it was some sort of drill practice or dummy round. Does anyone know the full text of the white lettering?
 
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"ISTRUZIONE" (DRILL), so a classroom practice ammo, fully inert in every part.
 
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Here is my new favorite round in the collection. It is an Italian 47/32 mm Effetto Pronto/HEAT/Hollow Charge. Mr. Fuze auctioned it off on GunBroker in the US. It was not inexpensive due to stiff bidding. I have attached an M41 fuze photo that I found somewhere on the internet - I no longer recall where I found it. It seems this fuze just sat in the bottom of the shell with no threads to attach it. The HEAT cone is steel, and the nose is aluminum. It is my understanding that these were so useless against tanks that a directive was given to simply use them as HE shells.
 

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I have attached more photos of the effetto pronto. The inside of the shell tapers down to a cylindrical pocket to hold the fuze. Is there any chance someone might have an M41 fuze surplus to their requirements?
 

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Speaking of Italian ammunition, I just got this 47mm Breda cartridge case and I couldn't help but notice the unusual primer - it's made out of aluminium, has a wrench slot and is marked "Mod 913 - SB 39". From the inside it also looks unusually hollowed out, more like a plug than an actual primer, so is this also from an "Istruzione" drill round?

italian Breda alu primer.jpeg
 
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