Chinese 82mm Projectile. Possibly for Practice?

[ron3350]

Here is a Chinese 82mm projectile I need information about. Possibly a practice/smoke? for a smooth-bore recoilless gun.
The top part is a modified 82mm mortar with 6 holes tapering out from 8mm to 12mm at the top.
If the tail stem is unscrewed you can pull it from the mortar body.It is held by 4 spring-loaded ball bearings. The plastic disc, ring and tail can rotate in the mortar tail.
Body is impressed: 11 - 83 - 9103. Black print: 82 (2 characters) 4 - 86 - 71. Tail stamped: 9 - 85 - 9103.
Body is 82mm diameter. 500mm overall length. Weight 3.42kg. I guess it has a charge or casing attached to the ring? All info is welcome.

 

[Eggburt1969]

It is presumed to be a short-range practice firing device/round for a Chinese 82 mm recoilless gun, such as the Type 65.

The configuration is weird, as the plastic-based perforated rupture plate/blow-out disk is normally at the other end of the igniter tube. Aka at the end where the percussion igniter is (the dark steel bit at the end of the semi-perforated igniter tube).

I guess it might still work, with some of the propellant gases leaking past the rupture plate/blow-out disk, which then pressurise the area between it and the body of the projectile. The pressure would rise until the presumed spring-loaded ball-bearing things decouple and the projectile is pushed up the gun's bore.

An annotated photo (US source) of a Type 65 recoilless gun round (sans propellant charge) is below



It is what I call the 'Type 65 Variant 2 HEAT', as there are a three variants of the 'base model'

 

[ron3350]

Yes I should have realised it was assembled wrongly when I bought it.
The perforated plate has the correct hole diameter to fit the tail when the cap is tightened. I re-assembled the item.
There is now a 5mm gap between the mortar tail and the shiny captive steel ring. It has 3 supports.
The head now can part from the stem when pressure overcomes the spring-loaded ball bearings. Thanks.

 

[ron3350]

View attachment 179883 A better photo.

 

[Eggburt1969]

View attachment 179885View attachment 179883 A better photo.

Yes, that's far more like it.

It may even be some form of proof round and not a short-range practice round.

Whatever it is, it is Chinese, and as such shrouded in mystery like most of the rest of their kit.