Don't you hate it when you find the holly grail.......

[DEADLINE222]

.....when you first walk in the door.

I waited several months for a gargantuan antique show to come around.

After driving 4 hours, I was in the show for no more than 5 minutes, and spotted what is pictured. It is an un-cut, 8 inch 55 Caliber MK1 MOD3 casing.

ALL of the original nomenclature is clear and present on both the base and the sides of the casing. With the exception of a few dents around the mouth, this thing is in awesome condition.

I was forced to pass on it as I was certian I my long awaited AN-M59 SAP casing was just around the corner. Sadly, it was not, and 4 hours later I returned to purchase the casing, and it was already loaded in the front of the dealer's truck.

I did however get his information, and got the casing home after a few weeks. I believe I stole it for only $245.00.

 

[ordman]

yup you stoled it great find

 

[HAZORD]

Yeah you stole it, but you have a lot of polishing ahead of you. Chances are it was made by Norris or the Naval Gun Factory. Norris used their 6,000 ton press in the final operation to squeeze the rim onto the case. My partner told me about that when I was working there. They had been made during Nam.

 

[kz11gr]

It is an un-cut, 8 inch 55 Caliber MK1 MOD3 casing.

ALL of the original nomenclature is clear and present on both the base and the sides of the casing. With the exception of a few dents around the mouth, this thing is in awesome condition.

I did however get his information, and got the casing home after a few weeks. I believe I stole it for only $245.00.

View attachment 71111

Hello

better price than this one on G.B

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=297417648

=

 

[Dronic69]

Hi,

So this was made and used for the US Navy heavy cruisers and air-craft carriers....right?

Why then can I see kanji (Japanese characters) written in vertical columns down the case from your photo?

You are sure this isn't a 20cm/50 Type 3rd year equivalent case for the Japanese Navy????

Or should I go and drink another bottle of Jim Bean?

Thanks
cheers
Drew

BTW - Nice case ....would suggest to use acid to clean the oxidation of it (doesn't affect the stenciling if you are careful, but be very careful with the Braso after that.

Just to add, "IF" it is a Japanese case, then you may have found the real Holy Grail!!!! LOL

From memory I did have a Japanese 120mm naval case - not sure what happen to that - sold / swapped off many years ago! But never came across a 200mm one

 

[ordman]

I'd be checking the headstamp about now

 

[HAZORD]

Now that you mention it, I didn't even look at the full size photo. The rim looks too thick for 8 inch 55 Cal and the shape is wrong.

 

[DEADLINE222]

Japanese?

You guys are confussing me. Are you questioning my ability to read? :tinysmile_eyebrow_t

Really? The casing is 167cm tall and weighs 60 pounds.

"LOT NTV 1 6 1954"

"8IN MK1 MOD3"

A few other miscellaneous stampings that are currently covered with corrosion. Something interesting that I have not come across before on any of my casings is a bird with it's wings extended, with a few stars under it. Would that be a proof mark?

On the side it is stenciled about the weights of the projectiles, 2500 FPS -for GUN MK16.

The long horizontal dents toward the mouth of the casing make it look like it is bottlenecked, but it is not.

I don't want to polish it, and I certianly do not want to destroy the stenciling. Would acid remove the corrosion; leaving the natural patina? What type of acid?

Enlighten me.

 

[DEADLINE222]

Hi,

So this was made and used for the US Navy heavy cruisers and air-craft carriers....right?

Why then can I see kanji (Japanese characters) written in vertical columns down the case from your photo?

You are sure this isn't a 20cm/50 Type 3rd year equivalent case for the Japanese Navy????

Or should I go and drink another bottle of Jim Bean?

Thanks
cheers
Drew

BTW - Nice case ....would suggest to use acid to clean the oxidation of it (doesn't affect the stenciling if you are careful, but be very careful with the Braso after that.

Just to add, "IF" it is a Japanese case, then you may have found the real Holy Grail!!!! LOL

From memory I did have a Japanese 120mm naval case - not sure what happen to that - sold / swapped off many years ago! But never came across a 200mm one

Oh........I see what you mean now.

That is some sort of arbitrary phenominon, I asure you. When I got the casing home I gave it a bath, hoping the corrosion was simply a lot of dirt. When covered in water all you see is a beautiful brown patinia and the aforementioned stenciling.

I will take some pics highlighting these strange markings later. Silly girlfriend is currently using the fast computer.

 

[Dronic69]

That is some sort of arbitrary phenominon, I asure you. When I got the casing home I gave it a bath, hoping the corrosion was simply a lot of dirt. When covered in water all you see is a beautiful brown patinia and the aforementioned stenciling.

I will take some pics highlighting these strange markings later.

Hum, interesting...............

The frustrating thing is a can make out the kanji to a degree to observe it, but not clear enough to read it.
(I have spent far too many years deciphering mei (signatures) on rusty Japanese swords not to identify kanji when I see it.)

You may be right and it is just a clever combination of angle, light, Jim Bean influence (LOL) - but remember you only posted one photo, no base shot and therefore judging on what has been presented visually. If I'm right, the case may have a much more interesting history than you think.

Please post a number of photos of the "arbitrary phenominon" (maybe your case is possessed?) and at least I may be able to decipher it and shed a little more light on your Holy Grail's history.

It is your call!

The "faintness" in the kanji I believe is due to residue from the original stampings - I have seen this on many cases where the stenciling has gone and the cases oxidated - probably from the fact that the brass surface directly under the stenciling corrodes at a slower or differential rate.

Cheers
Drew

 

[DEADLINE222]

Here you go; with a 37mm M63 on the side for size comparison.

All four sides of the casing which was turned clockwise, pictured left to right. Anything else, let me know.

 

[DEADLINE222]

Here is the stenciling on the side, near the base of the casing.

 

[bacarnal]

You have an awesome casing. Been looking for one of them for years since I've got a can that one fits in to. The Navy re-furbed the cans and used them for TOW Missile shipping containers. Cheers, Bruce.