What is this 37mm ARWEN baton round?

[reccetrooper]

I’ve just picked up this sectioned ARWEN round of a UK dealers website, and I do not recognise the baton type.

The case appears to have been on a display board at some time.

The only marking visible is 89 on the case head, which I assume indicates 1989.

The propelling cartridge has three primer stakes, so it looks to be a correct modified case for ARWEN use. The headstamp of the propelling cartridge is MIDWAY 44 REM MAG

The propelling cartridge fits into the base of the baton in the same way that it fits into an ARWEN ‘tadpole’ baton, so it looks like the baton is an ARWEN variant, not just something that someone has put together.

Does anyone know what variant this is?

 

[roller63]

Interesting. Not seen one like that before. The brown colour reminds me of the L21A1 Baton. I did wonder if it could be one of the many US versions, but looking at them I can't see one the same. The 89 date makes me think the case could be English. Is that rifling marks on it ?

 

[reccetrooper]

When I saw the (small) photo on the dealers site I thought it was an L21A1, but then I noticed the rebated rim and realised it was an ARWEN.

The MIDWAY 44 case leads me to think it is possibly an American load, but I cannot find that baton type listed by either Sage Control Ordnance in the USA, or by Police Ordnance in Canada. The 1989 date would I think pre-date both these companies involvement with the ARWEN, although I know that Police Ordnance did purchase unused components from Royal Ordnance when they purchased the ARWEN design.

Yes, The baton does appear to have rifling marks from having been fired through a rifled arm.

 

[bdgreen]

FWIW, here is the front page for a 1983 Midway sales pamphlet in which they indicate they marketed unprimed brass with the MIDWAY headstamp.