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military style 12 gauge cartridge but what was it for? Saluting blank, mortar bomb?

Rrickoshae

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
hi, I wonder if anyone can tell me what this is for. Its a 12 gauge case with markings as seen in the photos. There is no shot loaded in it and no shot size on the closing disc suggesting that it was not inteded to be loaded. It weighs only very slightly more than an empty case. The headstamp reads 'Eley-Kynoch 12 ICI 12' and it has a purple annulus. Could it be a saluting blank? Or perhaps a cartridge for a mortar bomb?

many thanks, dave
 

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Hi Dave,

Pretty certain this is a mortar-bomb propelling case. Have seen several over the years; the later ones have the type of mortar they are for printed on the case.

Roger.
 
3" mortar launching cartridge from memory there's a copper tube attached to the primer..... Dave
 
With a purple annulus I would have expected to see a ball or practice SA cartridge.
To that end, could this be an unfilled 12 bore/gauge lethal ball or spherical ball shotgun cartridge?
These were both produced in 12, 16 and 20 bore/gauge for Home Guard use.
The date is right and the spherical ball ones I disposed of had a dark blue case, but many were
produced by shotgun cartridge manufacturers who used their own cases.
I also fired some of the RAF No 6 shot Tracer cartridges.
 
The earlier identifications were correct. This is a 3" Mortar primary ignition cartridge Mk1 with short brass height. (as stated on case print) by ICI.
It held 70 grains of N.C. (Y) powder. Loaded in 1943 as on the top wad. Later ones have a longer 15.5mm brass base from 1944 ?
Later Mk1 used 90 grains of Ballistite in buff paper or yellow lacquered cases with the 15.5mm brass bases. Some in 1950's were copper plated.
From 1941 you also find Mk V11, Mk V111 and Mk 1X mortar primary cartridges. All of my Ball and SG military loading have no annulus colour. Ron.
 
Four different Mk1 Mortar cartridges from my collection. The base with striker could be crimped onto the cartridge rim. The two Australian ones are from the 1950's by ICIANZ. The short and long brass ones are English. The excellent box photo is taken from David Gordon's book "Weapons Of The WW11 Tommy".

wh1zL7gaTqamQO8n+c%pyg_thumb_2cb.jpgGi9NT%taSAua9PZ%FYLlWA_thumb_2ca.jpg
 
I think the box in the picture was one of mine David Gordon used all my boxes for his books thy all now are in Bens collection in Holland
 
Bump this thread for a question :
Why some cartridges are fitted with a clip and a firing pin ?
 
The 2" mortar Balistite cartridge had a purple/blue annulus which can be found on fired 2" tail fins found today from the war. The cartridge you have in black lettering was for a certain Balistite powder charge as there was also a cartridge in red. For the 2" mortar the black marked cartridge would be 47 grains, for the red cartridge it would be 55 grain. Theses marked cartridges would be marked as in photo, 1 for mark 1 in either 47 or 55 and be marked 11 mark two in red. Mark 1 would have a centre tube and Mark 11 would be loaded with no tube ie Balistite loaded on top of G20 gun powder. The change was the centre tube ignited the Balistite to quickly causing early tail fins to rupture and split even though both marks used the same powder charge 47 and 55 grains. The 3 inch Balisite cartridges were based on the same lines but with a large charge. The markings for these cartridges changed later in the war. As for the 28 bore Balistite cartridges for the 2" mortar they used the empty cases which were surplus to requirement because of the markings change for shotgun rounds filled with shot. These cartridges have a black band around the centre denoting they are shot cartridges.
 

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The Cartridge on the very right is a Mark 1 55 grain which had the centre tube. This was recovered from the tail dated 1940 which split it in two places, the very reason to change to Mark two. The 3inch had none of these issues as their tails were steel.
 

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