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25 Pounder HE shell...

Nismosonic

Well-Known Member
I have a 25 pounder shell, its painted olive drab, no stenciled markings. the shell has been fired as rifling on the driving band.
The shell appears to be filled with concrete, shell had a dummy fuse when I aquired it- now fited with a 117 MK17/7 from 1983! Interesting fuze in its own right, its a 117 MK15 "BLtd 5/54 0w this crossed out and overstamped CY 9/54 then this crossed and overstamped 117MK17/7 CY 06 83 210. Quite a few alterations!
My question is... the shell is stamped dated "1989" but I didnt think the 25pounder was used this late.... any ideas ? I will give full description of the stamp when I have better access to it, as i'm at work at the moment.

Thanks! :tinysmile_shy_t:

Markings stamped onto shell---- 25PR-MK3-MMJ-2-017-02-89
 
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I used them up untill about 1989 ,i was in a TA OP battery and we used the 25ler for live firing exercise,the rounds were painted olive drab with a yellow hazard band
 
.The last UK live firing was by the Honourable Artillery Company in 1992..But other countries still use them today,According to wikipedia one of the last uses in action was by the Kurds in northern iraq in 2003..the ammunition is still produced by pakistan ordnance factory (POF)
 
pic (Hopefully) of 25Pounder.

As I said earlier the fuse wasnt on it when I got it, It had a fuse plug, this was a tad damaged by impact.
 

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Another 25 Pounder Proj

It is very interesting to see another Shell that is almost identical to one the was in my collection-see picture

Mine was also fired and appeared to have been "Beach" recovered and I assumed it was for a "Proof" of Driving band or similar, but you have me wondering ?
My projectile was stamped:-
ASF-G-MMJ 25Pr MK3
MMJ-2-017-02-89
It also had the word "INERT" printed on it.
 

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  • 25 Pr HE Rep.JPG
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It is very interesting to see another Shell that is almost identical to one the was in my collection-see picture

Mine was also fired and appeared to have been "Beach" recovered and I assumed it was for a "Proof" of Driving band or similar, but you have me wondering ?
My projectile was stamped:-
ASF-G-MMJ 25Pr MK3
MMJ-2-017-02-89
It also had the word "INERT" printed on it.

I'm wondering IF its the same one! If it is it no longer has INERT on it! You mention "WAS" in your collection... I've had it about 3 weeks... I got it off a friend who collects grenades for 20.00 inc the packing case. I Just added the 117 fuze as the plug was deformed under the cover.
 
Was ?

If I recall correctly the one that was in my collection had 2 or 3 "stakings" through the driving band for examination on recovery to check the integrity of the driving band-have a look see if yours has ?
Good luck.
 
must be different then, there is one cut into driving band. (was there before fired as this has been cut by the rifling)
 
Different Projectile

Hi Nismosonic, your Projectile is another one from quite possibly the same establishment as mine came from ! (do not know which incidentally!)
But the stake cut through the driving band would again suggest a "Proof of Driving Band" round, these were always recovered for examination and being totally inert could be sold off as scrap !
Nice item none the less.
 
The projectile is filled with concrete... round ways 35lb. . would this have been put it after the proof firing or before ?
anyone here know where they were made ? take it mmj is the factory code (simmilar the the German 3 letter code system used during ww2.
 
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