Unknown 20mm

[Buster]

Can anyone identify the 20 x 100mm cartridge shown alongside a 20mm Becker. The projectile looks very similar to the Becker although the driving band is slightly smaller. The case has no headstamp.

Thanks

Ian

 

[kahu1]

The case looks to be one of the Semag/Oerlikon 20x101mm FFL or possibly as it doesn't have a headstamp a Japanese Type94/99?

 

[smle2009]

Hi Ian,
I also turned one of these up a while ago,also with a projectile in it and no headstamp....case length 100mm and it was id'd on here as British clearing blank which shouldn't have had the projectile in it!...I was doubtful of this id at the time and still am to be honest as any Oerlikon clearing blank I've seen has a headstamp with MkI or MkII overstamped on it.

Tony

 

[Tony Williams]

The case looks to be one of the Semag/Oerlikon 20x101mm FFL or possibly as it doesn't have a headstamp a Japanese Type94/99?

Agreed - a rare find. I've only ever seen an Oerlikon FFL (20 x 100RB) in a museum. The Japanese Type 99-2 (20x101RB) is also very uncommon (in Europe, anyway).

 

[kahu1]

It would appear that this is an FFL case.The Japanese cases have a more curved base above the rim.
Reference is made to the FFL types in the book '20mm in Finland',though mention the ammunition was of Swiss manufacture ,with Swiss Oerlikon headstamps.
The projectile would be correct for the case,possibly a practice or practice tracer,can you remove it?
Unusual that there would be no headstamp on this case,could it have been rubbed/sanded/polished off?

 

[Buster]

Hi Kahu1, there are no markings on the base of the case and it does not appear to have been over polished. The projectile is ball, not tracer. I have just gently cleaned the projectile and there is a 17 and underneath it what looks like a crown on the ogive.

best

Ian

 

[pysall]

The crown and the 17 sound very Becker-like. The projectile, if not tracer (with the base plug with holes) could be the Uebung (practice) variant maybe ?