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Unidentified Ordinance - Found in USA

C

Chesuncook

New Member
Good day all. I am new to the forums and new to collecting. I have a couple pieces that I have started off with and have a line on some more. I have always been fascinated with ordinance and the place it takes me when I look at it. They hold so many stories.

I am in the USA and obtained the piece in the photograph attached to this post. I was told it was WWI French but I don't know how trustworthy an appraisal that is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance and have a great day all.

100_2433.jpg100_2421.jpg100_2422.jpg
 
Your apraisal is right. I can't see the head stamp well, but it is a French 37x94R and it appears to be made in 1916. PDPs is Pinchart Deny, Paris France. Fairweasle will be on sometime today. He may identify it to be a blank. I say that from the black sealer inside the case and no crimping.
 
Hum,
all my references say that PDPs means "Poudreries De Paris" !!!
But all the rest of the identification is correct. I would just see a beter picture of the black painted marking around.


Yoda
 
Yodamaster said:
Hum,
all my references say that PDPs means "Poudreries De Paris" !!!
But all the rest of the identification is correct. I would just see a beter picture of the black painted marking around.
Yoda
Click to expand...

Hi

imaokie2000 is right .

PDPs = Pinchart Deny

Former cases of this factory were stamped Dy or Pt Dy

Poudreries (pownder factories) do not fabricate cartridges)

====================================================================
 
Here is a high resolution scan of the markings I just took. Thank you all for such a quick identification! You are professionals all. Maybe these markings will give more information? Are these shells common? Thank you again.

French Shell.jpg
 
These are fairly common, and you should be able to find a projectile for it easily. if it is indeed a blank, you can leave it as it is. From this round, mighty collections grow. It is the first one I got back when I was collecting grenades, and it has lead me through much joy and history. Good luck collecting!!!.
 
Nice case Chesuncook especially with the stencils still on - I would expect not too common over your side of the pond??
Plenty over here though. If you want I can look for a projectile for you at Ciney in Belgium next weekend?? Should be able to pick one up for about $10 - $20.
Wasn`t aware of these being done as a blank?
 
There were blanks, but unless one is found intact or there are clear stencils indicating this I don't think one can be identified. French cases don't have crimp marks so lack of same is no help. You can put any kind of French projectile that you want in it of the common kinds. If a PD try to match the date on the fuze with the case. It is dirty from being fired etc. The stencils are the filling information, type, lot, who etc.
 

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Welcome Chesuncook. The people that have replied to you so far are some of the most knowledgeable that you will ever find on the 37mm/1pdr. Paraphrasing highlandotter, from such seeds large collections sprout. Please don't think this picky, though. There is no "i" in the ordnance we discuss here except for the local laws governing what we can collect. Cheers and again, welcome. Bruce.
 
Gspragge said:
There were blanks, but unless one is found intact or there are clear stencils indicating this I don't think one can be identified. French cases don't have crimp marks so lack of same is no help. You can put any kind of French projectile that you want in it of the common kinds. If a PD try to match the date on the fuze with the case. It is dirty from being fired etc. The stencils are the filling information, type, lot, who etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gordon. I'm sleeping in class again. The black inside the case got me. Every time I see the black sealer inside the 37s, I think "Plug Sealer"!
 
You will find U.S. model 1916 blank cases though, if fired they will be dirty all over as they didn't seal well and the primer will look like a piece of popcorn, there will be no crimp indents. If unfired the case will be too tight for a projectile and you should see a thin line of black sealant stuff at the top inside of the neck, there can be stencils left on them. Hopefully no one will have forced a projectile into it and sort of spoiled it.
 
Thank you again all. I have many friends with WWII collections over here but not a lot from the Great War. This is exciting. I see I have a lot to learn and I really appreciate all the knowledge that all of you offered up here. Thanks again. Doubtful I can find a projectile over here however..
 
Chesuncook, Projo's for that are very common over here and show up at gun shows and on Gun Broker quite frequently. The one for that would be the 1888M or the M1916. To see what they look like, Gspragge has an excellent line up in the Projectiles Forum, right near the top. It will be a sticky for 37mm's by Gspragge and when you click on it, Spottter has two sub headings; French 37mm and Everything Else 37mm. Be ready to devote some well used time. Cheers, Bruce.
 
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