60mm & 81mm Mortar Inert Practice Rounds, Unknown, Possibly Made By Brandt

[bdgreen]

These items were recently offered for sale in the US.

60mm Inert Practice Mortar Round




Dummy fuze (solid steel) removed from the shell.
There are 8 holes punched in the shell body, approximately 11mm in dia.

The inside wall of the shell body is pre segmented.



Marking on the shell body (photos from 2 different shell bodies to show the complete marking):

BTN-BR- 3 - 56



Markings on the tail fin tube at the junction with the shell body:

EB 53



Example crate photo provided by the seller, supposedly for the 60mm inert practice rounds:



81mm Inert Practice Mortar Round



Dummy fuzes removed, these are steel and are counterbored from the bottom about halfway into the fuze body. There is a slight variation between the noses of the the two fuzes as one has a reduced diameter tip.

There are eight 30mm diameter holes punched in the shell body.



The only markings on these shells are on the fin tube at the junction with the shell body: EB 54




Any help with country of origin, time frame or date, manufacturer etc. would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[sgdbdr]

The 81mm looks like Italian practice M35 to me.

 

[MINENAZ16]

The 81mm is an old French Brandt design used by many countries (Italy, Romania, Brazil...)



Brazilian example (maybe with smaller holes) :




I know same black practice 60mm was found in Africa in a former Belgian colony.

 

[no3nh4]

Hello,

According to a list of French manufacturers "BTN" corresponds to Hotchkiss Brandt of Nantes. And according to the same list "BR" could correspond to "Directions des constructions et arms navales (DCAN)" in the town of Brest.

The "EB" mark could corresponds to ETS Billant (Louis Billant's ammunition plant in the town of Bourges).

Regards,

 

[bdgreen]

MINENAZ16

Thank you for the information. Can you tell us what book or catalogue the image of the mortar rounds came from? Date?

Thanks again,

Brian

 

[MINENAZ16]

MINENAZ16

Thank you for the information. Can you tell us what book or catalogue the image of the mortar rounds came from? Date?

Thanks again,

Brian

I can't remember where I found this document. It's something like Brandt commercial paper (maybe from 30's).
Interesting to see models are from 1931, French adopted these HE shells as Model 1932.
Illuminating round is also very interesting (As far as I know, not adopted in France).
Also, never seen practice round with these holes in french service (maybe only for export).