Looking to I.D this case

[john jonson]

Hi,
I'm looking to identify this case. The seller measures it at 45mm at the mouth and 375 mm long. The base seems to be unmarked or else buffed clean. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[HAZORD]

It looks like a 3 Pdr that was never loaded.

 

[john jonson]

Hi,
I've had a look at a British 3pdr and it's not the same. The case pictured won't take a screw in primer. The 3pdr I measured came in at 45mm at the mouth and 3 34 mm in length. Any other ideas? Thanks for taking the time to read and reply!

 

[highlandotter]

Very strange case. It is longer than the average Hotchkiss type and shorter than the long Vickers 3 pdr (which is 413mm in length). Without any marking, it will be hard to ID unless someone has a marked example.

 

[Bonnex]

You might try the 3-Pr Nordenfelt case as a match.

 

[Bonnex]

Nordenfelt 3-Pr

The Nordenfelt (or Maxim Nordenfelt) 3 Pr was in UK Land Service circa 1903. Herewith a diagram of the case etc.

 

[highlandotter]

Seems about right length and Nordenfelt cases are very often unmarked. I would guess this is it.

 

[john jonson]

Thanks for that. I'll compare it to the case below. I appreciate your taking the time to post!

 

[john jonson]

I'll compare it tomorrow morning, with the measurements in inches and get back to you. Thanks very much!

 

[HAZORD]

The measurement on the drawing comes out to 377mm long, so it looks like a match as far as length goes.

 

[Bonnex]

Maxim Nordenfelt had become a part of VSM in 1897 so why the 1903 Land Service field gun was still called Nordenfelt I am not sure. Perhaps the gun was marketed under the Nordenfelt name to differentiate it from the Vickers 3-Pr deck gun which was then in development and acquired by the Navy to replace the Hotchkiss in its deck gun role. The Hotchiss was bought by the Navy in 1886.

i don't recall seeing a 3-pr Nordenfelt case with a VSM mark but presumably ammunition supplied by Vickers after 1897 should have been so marked.

The drawing that I posted, which is from a commercial manual, shows the shell fuzed with a Nordenfelt base fuze. The 1903 handbook for the field gun indicates, that in British service, the shell was fitted with a Hotchiss base fuze (Mark IV). I doubt the gun was in service much after 1903.