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ID on 6 pdr

X

xXEXPLOSIVESGUY29Xx

Member
Hey all,
new to the forum here but love it so far:p i bought some trench art a while back and this was part of the deal. i have verified some of the markings on it which are these: 6PDR
Mk A
V.S.M , C.F
it also has quite a bit of red lettering around the shell base too. i know that the vsm is vickers sons and maxim i think and the cf is cordite filled, but the Mk A mystefies me. anyone know possible mfg date?? ww1 or 2?? it almost looks like a norfolk submunition i think the name is, but some of the marks don't add up to what i have seen before.
thanksSAM_1342.jpgSAM_1343.jpgSAM_1345.jpg
 
Hi Explosivesguy29,

Welcome to the forum.

A very nice looking item. Can you give some measurements, please? Mouth diameter, length, and rim diameter would be helpful, as would a note of any markings on the projectile. The red paint stencil on the base I cannot see clearly, except for what appears to be the date 9.12.14 (i.e., 9th December 1914). Can you provide details of the full stencil please.

I have a suspicion as to what it might be, based on the shape, but measurements will confirm (or not!). Great shame about the hole in the base.

Regards,
Roger.
Roger
 
SAM_1346.jpgSAM_1348.jpgSAM_1350.jpg
hey,
thanks for the info there, here are the measurements.
shell-
length=16 1/4 inches, Rim=3 3/8 inches, mouth=2 1/4 inches
projectile-
length=8 1/4 inches, markings=IV
V
also, on the red stenciling, at the start i think the v.s.m is repeated but other then that i can't be too sure. the third pic btw is just a comparison pic between a .50 cal, a 3 pdr hotchkiss from ww1 and the submunition in question.
thanks a lot:)
Dustin
 
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Is the tip flat or pointed, a flat tip means practice which can be soild or common shell type, though if the case has an extra hole = lamp cord was the projectile drilled also ?
 
SAM_1354.jpgSAM_1355.jpg

this was made into a lamp at some point i do believe cause the point probably was drilled. at first i thought other wise but i was most likely wrong. the base is factory where the end cap would have been i think.
 
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The stenciling appears to be V.S.M. CORDITE M.D.8 LOT ?

I have a reference to a 6 PR 57x410R described as '57mm Gun WW1 experimental, Nordenfeldt rim, press in primer USA'.
 
The base would have had a Hotchkiss fuze. If you can get the tip filled maybe with soft welding rod if there is such a thing you could reform the tip. I'm sure others cold help you with this.
 

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yes Quatermass that would sound about right now ya mention it:) and nordenfeldt was the name i was looking for before:p
thanks
and beihan62 yes from what you said, the lettering looks to be just that, lot NO D1079
well that clears a few things up then. with it being the way it is now in the condition it's in, is it worth very much at all??
 
The damage to the case is a shame but I've never seen one so it would be worth something to me!
I'd guess the projectile is a standard 6 PR so i'd think the moneys in the case rather than the projectile.
 
i don't know exactly to which you are referring to? the forum i chose to put htis in or the term submunition that i used. i jst figured this fell into this category seeing how the smaller rounds went from just the rifle cartridges to 57mm i thought.
 
belongs in projectiles ,,no problem ill transfer it across to the correct forum
 
Hi Dustin,

From the measurements you give, I think this is the 6-Pdr Special. This ammunition was for some guns on HMS Triumph and HMS Swiftsure, which were originally built her in Britain pre-WW1 for one of the South American countries. When the ships were finished, the country that ordered them couldn't afford to pay for them, so the builders sold them to the British government. The problem was that all the armament was to non-British calibres. We had only 6-pdr Hotchkiss and Nordenfelt guns at that time, and the cartridge case for these was smaller than the one required for these ships. The Treatise on Ammunition 1915 refers to this ammunition as "6-Pounder, Special to HMS Swiftsure and Triumph". Although the case was a different shape to "our" 6-pdr, they all fired the same projectiles.

If you want to sell this, let me know please! LOL.

Hope this helps,
Regards,
Roger.
 
ydnum303 said:
Hi Dustin,

From the measurements you give, I think this is the 6-Pdr Special. This ammunition was for some guns on HMS Triumph and HMS Swiftsure, which were originally built her in Britain pre-WW1 for one of the South American countries. When the ships were finished, the country that ordered them couldn't afford to pay for them, so the builders sold them to the British government. The problem was that all the armament was to non-British calibres. We had only 6-pdr Hotchkiss and Nordenfelt guns at that time, and the cartridge case for these was smaller than the one required for these ships. The Treatise on Ammunition 1915 refers to this ammunition as "6-Pounder, Special to HMS Swiftsure and Triumph". Although the case was a different shape to "our" 6-pdr, they all fired the same projectiles.

If you want to sell this, let me know please! LOL.

Hope this helps,
Regards,
Roger.
Click to expand...

Could be Roger, Cordite M.D. 8 would be right for HMS Swiftsure/Triumph loadings. The Projectile for Swiftsure was different to the standard 6 PR steel shell, being shorter with a special plain copper driving band.
 
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