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US 152mm combustible case

94thFS95

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Hello all,
This is my first question I’ve posted on this forum, but from what I’ve gleaned from reading other threads, if anyone can help me they are on this site!
I have recently purchased a 152mm M411A3 TP-T projectile, and have been furiously searching for pictures of the complete cartridge. I want to reproduce the obviously impossible to own combustible case and “consumable” primer, as the army literature calls it. I have been able to find useful measurements and drawings of the side profile, but have not been able to find a single picture of the cartridge on the internet at all. Does anyone have pictures of one or better yet have a reproduced case they can photograph? I have everything else for display as issued, the metal shipping tube, plastic windscreen protector, styrofoam packing and even the cardboard spacers and desiccate wrap. I need only to make a case and neoprene jacket for it.
One description I read on oldguns.net said it has a fiberboard texture and was light yellow in color so I was planning on turning one out of MDF to obtain the texture unless someone has a better idea based on seeing one. Any ideas?

Thank you all for the great knowledge!
94thFS95

edit: I believe it’s a 1978 based on the lot number, trying to figure out picture posting at the moment
 

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Any chance of a photo of your TP-T projectile? Production date?

First & last image below are from TM 9-1300-203 Artillery Ammunition, 1967.

Thanks,

Brian
 

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Okay, I added a picture to the OP, and what I believe is the production date of 1978.
 
Thank you for the manual photos Brian. I have many such printed documents, but need to see a color photograph of the cartridge in the field or on display. As of yet I have seen none. Also, this particular round had a case with sides flush with the edge of the projectile, no flare as shown in the XM illustration.
-Steve
 
Thank you, M8owner. That is certainly the closest to actual cartridges I’ve seen yet. I was under the
impression based on the attached photo that the A3 model has a straight case the same diameter as the projectile. I’m still hopeful to see a live one to get an idea if case color and texture.390D9AAD-0CA1-4FBD-BF6B-981AAF79508A.jpg390D9AAD-0CA1-4FBD-BF6B-981AAF79508A.jpg
 
I'm not sure about our allies, but the last Sheridans I heard about were being used by Delta Force, because of their light weight. Maybe they will let you measure a real case.
 
Hello all,
It has been a while since I started this thread asking for pictures of a 152mm combustible case. I was able to find ONE picture of a real case from a US Army EOD PowerPoint presentation about how to demil the cartridge. I shall share that picture, along with pictures of the cartridge I’ve created using the picture and measurements from manuals and documentation.
I have a verbal description of the case having a buff/yellowish color as it is made of nitrocellulose, and having a fiberboard like texture. That being said, I made it from layers of 1 1/4” medium density fiberboard, turned on the wood lathe. It is a slip-fit to the projectile. The primer was turned on my metal lathe, and the case stencil was made using a laser jet and heat transfer paper. The projectile had a filled demil hole in the windscreen, and I matched the FS 35109 color to the existing paint by adding white until the shade was exactly the same. The results are pleasing to me and I thought I’d share in case someone else needs to see a case photo.
-SteveDB710CAC-99E0-4BD7-A0EB-BD575C1C5A05.jpg44B30A21-37E6-43F7-B8E3-C95C450CBFAD.jpg314A5407-2678-41B3-B226-C5824291ABAA.jpg3FA80C24-34FD-4866-813B-5A5BEF10AFC1.jpg
 
OK. Now you are making me look bad.

I am the one that started the thread that M8owner referenced.

That was 5 years ago - and I still haven't started making it.

You get yours done in what three weeks?
 
I get kind of obsessive... I researched until I found what I was looking for, then worked on it as often as possible.
 
Where did you get the Styrofoam packaging and the metal ammo can for the round. Your renovated round looks excellent by the way!
 
I got that storage tube and another smaller one for the 155mm powder charge bags waaaay back when I was in the military in the 90’s. I was stationed in a place that had not only the AF base I was stationed at, but 2 naval bases/air stations, 2 army bases, and a small Marine installation. In the general area of all of this there was a surplus store I loved to frequent, and they had stacks of these containers of various kinds for what seemed to be an acre... I recall them being about $10. I didn’t collect ordnance then, but thought they’d be good for storage and they looked cool. About a year ago I dug this thing out and realized I had everything but the round that goes in it, so it would be fair to say I bought the projectile simply because I had the packing for it.

I miss that surplus store... they had anything and everything. The guy who ran it collected patches. He traded me a mint BDU-33 for a squadron and wing patches we had made in Saudi Arabia. Great deal!
-Steve
 
Can you take a tape measure to your steel container and tell me the length from the bottom to top rim, and the diameter across the top rim? I think it might be the same can they used for 8 inch howitzer powder bags.
 
If you mean the tube the 152 is in and not the smaller 155 powder tube I mentioned in my last post, then the dimensions are 36.25” OAH, 10.5” across the rim, and 9” ID.
 
No joy on the 8 inch can match-up. The 8 inch powder can is only 29 inches long and doesn't have the extra stiffener band around the middle.
 
I’m surprised to hear that actually, I’d have thought they’d want to minimize the number of different tubes contracted.
Do you have 8” projectiles? I’ve been talking to a guy about getting an 8” HERA... we’re at $400 if I pick it up, and I don’t know if that’s high, on target so to speak, or a great deal. The paint and markings are excellent
 
I do have 8 inch projos. None of mine have factory markings. I think $400.00 would be a good deal for one in good shape with minty markings, considering they are out of inventory. The M650 RAP is a sighter round for the Nuke.
 
I have made three cases now using fiberboard glued together and turned down. Here is the one I am keeping. The other two are on display in the local tank museum with their Sheridan tank. I just found a good deal on a 7 X 11 inch round block of white nylon, and I will use it for my next case to go with the canister round that is on its way to me. Normally, this type of material would be too expensive - almost $300 with shipping. However, I found it on ebay for less than half price.
 

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C66F78CB-B4AA-4604-BAB0-E0E7C4F567AF.jpgI turned a case out of MDF fiberboard, since texturally that seemed to be correct, and based the color on the one picture of a complete round that I could find online.
-Steve E1CB7FA1-7592-4ED2-ACCB-80FA1D693220.jpeg
 
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