18pdr without makers marks

[merlin_industries]

This nice little 18pdr was in a large collection we recently acquired. The base of the brass case has no marks anywhere. Judging by the lack of primer and un-fired condition of the projectile we were thinking either a training round, unfinished production item or maybe just one that got missed during manufacture ?

Anyone seen this before on 18pdr's ?

 

[Darkman]

Yes I have seen the headstamp markings neatly removed on cases converted to flower vases with the primer hole soldered up with a halfpenny or the like - later easily removed.

Don't get me wrong, this is a very nice and desirable round, but I would be a little bit wary about thinking that it is an original training or unfinished factory round - given the 95+ years since it was made. What makes you think that it is an original round? I have a few mocked up HEs made from shrapnel shells myself. The projectile doesn't look right at the top for an HE. Is it a shrapnel painted as an HE with a 101 HE fuze fitted ? i.e. Does it have a fuze socket fitted? The shrapnel shell is much thinner, whereas the HE is very thick and heavy, and the 2" fuze will screw directly into the shell. The fuze is knocked about and appears to have been fired - what are the threads like?

I may be completely wrong (I have been before many times!) but to me this looks like a mocked up HE made from separate components (including a shrapnel shell?) up by a wishful thinking collector.

Cheers, Graeme

 

[merlin_industries]

Hi Darkman
Thanks for the reply. I'm sure this is HE as the walls are too thick for a shrapnel. Some extra pics added.
Cheers

 

[Darkman]

Yes it obviously is an HE shell and what looks to be an unfired fuze. I can't offer any further suggestions as to its origin. I have not seen an original unstamped case before.