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A couple of questions about 30mm AFV rounds

M

Malmaison

Member
Hi,

I normally collect earlier stuff (mainly WW1) but I couldn't resist this when I saw it the other day. I have a couple of questions about it. I know it's a 30mm AFV but after doing a bit of research I found that some of these projectiles use depleted uranium for armour piercing. The shell is dated 1978 and the projectile is 1971 (an amalgamation?).

I notice that the projectile has been stripped at some point as there is evidence of blue paint...does blue colour denote anything in particular? When was depleted uranium first used for this type of projectile and how would you know if you had a DU round?

Does anyone know what material(s) this projectile is made from? (I notice that the two sections are different metals...or have a different tone at least).

Thank you!
30mm 1.jpg30mm 4.jpg30mm 5.jpg30mm 3.jpg30mm 2.jpg
 
Your projectile is for the 30mm ADEN cartridge,(30x113B) alloy nose,steel body.so wrong projectile for that case.
Would have been painted blue to denote inert practice.It has been fired,likely why the paint has stripped off.
I do not believe if the 30mm AFV round(30x170) used a DU penetrator ,more likely tungsten.

cheers
Bob
 
Neither Aden (the projectile you have) or Rarden (the case you have) used DU.

Dave.
 
A couple of ammo group photos from the Ammo Photo Gallery on my website.

The first one shows the 30 x 170 Rarden case (which you have) with the correct anti-armour APDS projectile (seventh one along): the projectile has been sectioned to reveal with tungsten carbine penetrator inside the plastic sabot.

MICVcart.jpg

20x139 APDS (HS 820, US M139, NEXTER 20M693, Rh 202), 20x141 APDS (NEXTER 20M693), 23x152B HEI (Soviet 2A14 - Denel version), 25x137 APDS (Oerlikon KBA, M242 Bushmaster, NEXTER 25M811), 25x137 APFSDS (Oerlikon KBA, M242 Bushmaster, NEXTER 25M811), 30x165 AP (Russian 2A42, 2A72), 30x170 APDS (Rarden L21A1), 30x173 APFSDS (Nammo, for Bushmaster II / MK44, Mauser MK30), 30x210B HE (Zastava M86/89), 40x180 HE ( Super 40 dummy), 40x255 APFSDS (CTWS)

The second one shows the only 30mm service round to carry a DU penetrator, in the 30 x 173 light-alloy case for the GAU-8/A gun in the A-10 aircraft (last but one, from the left). As you can see, the colouring is red and black.

ModernAC.jpg

12.7x99 (.50 M3), 20X110 (Hispano, M3, M24), 20x102 (M39/M61), 20x110USN (Mk 11/Mk 12), 23x115 (NS-23, NR-23, AM-23, GSh-23, GSh-6-23), 25x137 (GAU-12/U), 27x145B (Mauser BK 27), 30x86B (Aden LV), 30x97B (DEFA 540), 30x113B (Aden-brass case; DEFA 550-steel case as shown), 30x150B (GIAT 30M791), 30x155B (NR-30), 30x165 (GSh-301, GSh-30, GSh-6-30), 30x173KCA(Oerlikon KCA), 30x173(GAU-8/A), 37x155 (N-37, NN-37)

There were also some other calibre rounds which carried DU cores: the early 20 x 102 MK149 APDS used in the Vulcan Phalanx naval CIWS (replaced by tungsten in the late 1980s) and two US 25 x 137 rounds, an APFSDS and an aircraft round for the USMC's AV-8B.
 
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Hi Malmaison, the cartridge case for your projectile is the 8th from the left in Tony's second photo. The design is known as `belted rimless', belted because of the extra width of brass a short distance above the base and rimless because there is no rim protruding at the lowest part of the case. A .303 Inch case is an example of a rimmed cartridge case. A 9 mm case is an example of a rimless cartridge case. Sorry to repeat if you already know this.
 
Thanks very much everyone! This is all excellent information!

What's remarkable is that after reading all this info, I think I have the case to match the projectile! The 30mm ADEN case looked instantly recognisable when reading the replies and without me realising, virtually the only other post-WWII case in my collection appears to be just that, a 30mm ADEN! I bought it about a year ago without a projectile...what are the chances! (quite high probably given the numbers, but it seemed like a coincidence to me!). The case I have is dated 1966, so earlier than the projectile but it's even marked 'PRAC' (practice, I'm assuming).
Case 1.jpgCase 2.jpgCase 3.jpg
 
Malmaison said:
Thanks very much everyone! This is all excellent information!

What's remarkable is that after reading all this info, I think I have the case to match the projectile! The 30mm ADEN case looked instantly recognisable when reading the replies and without me realising, virtually the only other post-WWII case in my collection appears to be just that, a 30mm ADEN! I bought it about a year ago without a projectile...what are the chances! (quite high probably given the numbers, but it seemed like a coincidence to me!). The case I have is dated 1966, so earlier than the projectile but it's even marked 'PRAC' (practice, I'm assuming).
View attachment 118730View attachment 118731View attachment 118732
Click to expand...

Yes a correct case for your projectile and you are correct PRAC for practice.
 
May I ask a question about the colours of Mk2Z and Mk4Z Practice Aden cartridges. When did the practice colour change to blue?
I have Prac Mk4Z blue dated 1971 and Prac Mk2Z black projectile dated 1958.
Should the Mk2Z case above by Malmaison have a black projectile rather than a blue one?
 
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