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81mm mortar, can you date it?

917601

Well-Known Member
I picked up this mortar with a few WW2 dated Borors rounds, from an estate sale. See seperate post on the 40mm rounds. This mortar body has no markings anywhere. I checked it with a magnifying glass and can find nothing. First the fuze : aluminum with a pull ring, it is engraved "Fuze PD M52G2". Body: it is " browned", not painted. Similar in appearance to brown blueing in the gun world. The fin is unmarked, and appears to be finished in brown lacquer. Can any experts give their assessment as to age, origin, or any other thoughts? Please see pictures. Thanks again...added: is the pull ring ( like ones found on a grenade) original or is it an amateur add on?
 

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In TM 9-1901 dated 29 June of 1944, 81mm Mortar rounds are shown with M52 fuzes using either a pull ring safety like your example, or the helical spring safety. The M53 fuze, which might be what you have is used on any of the 81mm HE rounds when a delay is desired is also shown with both types of safety. The M45 fuze was being phased out in 1944 and was a combined superquick/delay fuze. It is only shown with the pull ring, but wasn't issued with the M43 projectile at that time. Your fuze looks like an M45, except the M45 is supposed to have a rotational joint on the ogive about 1/3 of the way down from the tip. The tip is twisted one way for superquick, and the other way for delay.
 
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