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Unknown British 37 mm projectile - 1.5 pounder COW gun?

H

Hoeksel

Guest
Today I found this British 37 mm projectile fitted on a 1.5 pounder COW gun case. I do not know this projectile. Does it go with the COW case?

The projectile has the markings "PA" and "900" and has a bottom fuze screw. The height of the projectile is 91.2 mm.

The case measures 37x189R46.6 and has barely any markings. Do the 2 go together?
 

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  • Britisch 37 mm AP 2.jpg
    Britisch 37 mm AP 2.jpg
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  • Britisch 37 mm AP.jpg
    Britisch 37 mm AP.jpg
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  • COW case stamp.jpg
    COW case stamp.jpg
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  • COW case.jpg
    COW case.jpg
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Thanks to a friended collector I know now that the projectile is Spanish.
 
interesting, I have a shell marked FA with 900 below the band and the case is marked K7 2PR 15, the base fuze is stamped V S M . all very inert. could this be Spanish also?
 
What is the case length? Spain used imported 37x94 and the heavy 1-pounder for sure.
 
The sparse marked case makes me think it might be WW2 although I have one marked 1942 with other markings. The WW1 cases are heavily marked with all kinds of info. The projectile looks like a regular 1 pdr made by the Spanish. I have not heard of 1 pdr projectiles used in COW cases. I also have not heard of the Spanish using COW guns.
 
FA is Frankford Arsenal, can you show the case. If what you have is PA not FA then you need an answer from Spain to sort it out properly. Can you show the whole thing ? The Spanish PA projectiles from the 1890s are more or less the same as VSM and used VSM fuzes etc.

The first one shown PA 900 is certainly Spanish made from 1900. 2 Pr do you have one like that ? Though it shouldn't fit a 2pr case at 40mm ?
 
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I did not consider the case to be WW2 which is my area of interest. Are there any dimensional hints to state at least it is a "late" case? I know there are some variations in the COW cases.
 
In the desparate early days of the war, the COW guns were used as air field AA guns. Possibly as this was an unforseen event, they may have made up more ammo as there was possibly little of the old stock on hand.Stictly my guess, no data on hand to verify. I have a simply marked dated 1942 case and have seen another, I have never seen one marked like yours.
 
I have great problems sending images to BOCN and to save what little sanity I have left, stopped trying. I can easily send you a scan to your email. send it to me at: greatotter@linkline.com In the meantime, here are the markings: 1942, AR over 87,broad arrow,11/2 Pr Mk IV Gun,lot31, ICI, and I under the k in Mk. No primer, no projectile. Hope this helps,Otter
 
1pr 2pr K7.JPG1pr FA 900.jpg1pr VSM.JPGback to my earlier post re my similar common pointed shell, herewith photos, all items inert. the case is 94 x 37R although marked 2PR, K7 and 15. it has no crimp marks.
 
An oddly marked case to be sure, I can't explain it at all. The FA is a poorly stamped PA for 1900 and the proper fuze.
 
I recently had this case in my hands again. Looking carefully, mine has a "W" and a marking that looks like a "knapsack" (or a little bomb, or part of an 8....). Any clues? Image is shown at the start of the thread.
 
Your COW case is unusual in that it is almost nude. Usual COW cases are extremely marked, Only thing I can think of the it was never finished,
 
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