40mm Vickers Class S gun cases

[Tony Williams]

I recollect reading, a long time ago, that when the 40 x 158R cartridge was used in the Vickers Class S airborne anti-tank gun, a problem arose due to the different qualities of brass used by the ammo makers. One maker used brass that was too soft and IIRC this caused feeding problems (only in the S gun - the pom-pom didn't care), so their products were avoided in loading ammo for this gun.

Can anyone recall which maker(s) produced the soft brass, and which the harder stuff?

 

[Quatermass]

According to Wallace in 'The guns of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945' the Kynock manufactured cases were of softer brass than the Vickers made cases. The Admiralty declared it would be impossible to supply only Vickers made cases to the RAF, further trials indicated that oiling the Kynock case solved the problem of torn rims on extraction. Therfore the Air Staff approved oiling of S gun cases.

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[Tony Williams]

Ah, thank you! I have that book, but have so many books it's hard to pin down such details... :tinysmile_angry2_t: