Early 18 Pounder case

[Big Dave]

Just recieved this Vickers sons and Maxim ,18 pounder case dated 1905 , so the 18 pounder came into service in 1904 ,have any members got early cases in their collections ?Any pictures ,thoughts ,information appreciated

 

[Darkman]

I have a few early 18 Pdr cases, including a few 1905 VSM cases similar to yours. My 1905 VSM cases also have 1906 acceptance dates, but quite late around mid-year from memory. Yours has had a hard and long life, with the primer dated 3/16. It also appears to have had the 4 projectile crimps beaten out to allow use of later projectiles, but no attempt to change the case designation to a Mk 1*? I hope it hasn't been cut down - should be around 294mm tall. Looks to have been refilled 4 times, annealed 4 times and had 2 scleroscope (hardness) tests. A well used case.

 

[ron3350]

I have the following 18Pr cases noted in my files.

18PR 1 RL 1905 8 1 06
18PR 1 B 05 21 10 05
18PR 1 VS&M 1905 25 5 06
18PR 1 VS&M 1905 22 11 05
18PR 1 KN 1905 11 9 05
18PR 1 COW 1906 22 11 06

18PR 1** RL 1905 13 12 05
18PR 1** EOC 1/06 5 2 06
18PR 1** RL 1906 18 4 06

I do not have photos of all these. Taken from many sources. Ron.

 

[Big Dave]

Thanks for the replies ,my case measures out at 292 mm, as you say it's had a hard life .So with the gun entering service in 1904 ,I take it that out there( somewhere ?) should be cases dated 1904 or even 1903?can't bring a gun into service without anything to put in it ?And can anyone tell me what the cart wheel stamp at the 2 o'clock position means (just below the GRY ,)?

 

[Dandebur]

Hello,
Your case is very interessant because the symbol VSM is at 9 o'clock. I have yet seen one on the Net but never had one in my hands. Here is what I have ( or what I had ) for the year 1905 (nothing before)
1) B 05 date 1 1 06 .The new year's day !
2) EOC 12/05 date 3 1 06
3) KN 1905 date 24 8 05
4) RL 1905 lot F3 date 1 8 05
5) RL 1905 lot H10 date 11 1 06
6) VSM 1905 without date
7) VSM 1905 11 12 05
8) VSM 1905 8 1 06
9) VSM 1905 18Pr I, the I under 18Pr , 26 1 06
9a) idem
10) VSM 1905 28 2 06.
I join the pictures of the VSM's made.
Regards,
Dandebur.

 

[Gspragge]

1906 VSM used shrapnel projectiles show up now and again, but I have yet to find an early case over here.

 

[Darkman]

Here's one of the 1905 VSM cases I have with a 1905 Kynoch projectile. The earliest VSM fuze I had was 9/06, so I'm using that for now.
1905 case with an acceptance date of 22/06/06.

For some reason the photos uploaded sideways.