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Royal Laboratories 20pdr lead coated shell but what are the makers marks?
- Thread starter Rrickoshae
- Start date
This is either a Shell 20 Pounder Common Mark II for Field Service or a Shell 20 Pounder Common Mark III for General Service.
The only visible difference is that the Mark II Field shell is 10.875" long and the Mark III is 10.5" long.
Field Service shells were used in guns which were mobile and the shells had to be able to withstand the shocks of rough handling on unsurfaced roads and across country, whereas, the General Service shells were used in static garrisons and on ships, which are regarded as a static situation.
Yours is quite a late shell and is almost certainly a Field Mark II because the General Service Mark III shell had been replaced by larger Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) shells by 1880.
This appears to have been a retrograde step, because it meant you had to expose yourself to the enemy to reload via the muzzle end, but it was necessary because the Uninterrupted Breech Screw, of the Rifled Breech Loader (RBL) was not strong enough and many breech explosions occurred. The invention of the Disappearing Gun mechanism made reloading less hazardous for the RML.
Not until the invention of the Interrupted Breach Screw did breech loading become feasible.
There should be a 'Z' on the base and it appears to be just below the letter 'L'.
The only visible difference is that the Mark II Field shell is 10.875" long and the Mark III is 10.5" long.
Field Service shells were used in guns which were mobile and the shells had to be able to withstand the shocks of rough handling on unsurfaced roads and across country, whereas, the General Service shells were used in static garrisons and on ships, which are regarded as a static situation.
Yours is quite a late shell and is almost certainly a Field Mark II because the General Service Mark III shell had been replaced by larger Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) shells by 1880.
This appears to have been a retrograde step, because it meant you had to expose yourself to the enemy to reload via the muzzle end, but it was necessary because the Uninterrupted Breech Screw, of the Rifled Breech Loader (RBL) was not strong enough and many breech explosions occurred. The invention of the Disappearing Gun mechanism made reloading less hazardous for the RML.
Not until the invention of the Interrupted Breach Screw did breech loading become feasible.
There should be a 'Z' on the base and it appears to be just below the letter 'L'.
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thats excellent AE501. And, as you suggest, it is 10.875 inches tall and has the Z on the base. But to the right of the date it is marked 'III'. It has a brass insert in the nose to take a G.S Gauge threaded fuze although I only have an early transit plug to insert in it.
Thanks for the info.
regards, dave
Thanks for the info.
regards, dave
nice one lulus, thank you.
Dave
Dave
very nice indeed