What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

20mm?

W

WillyMethod

Member
Ordnance approved
Posted with previous permission from SPOTTER

This item was found in an aviation museum as part of a project to verify all items FFE from said museum.

From what i can gather it looks to be a 20mm Possibly Hispano?
But oddly enough lacking a Primer as per pictures below as well there is a very identifiable shake to the cartridge in the way of perhaps powder still being contained inside.

Any Ideas?
 

Attachments

  • DSC01212.jpg
    DSC01212.jpg
    96.3 KB · Views: 79
  • DSC01214.jpg
    DSC01214.jpg
    92.7 KB · Views: 68
  • DSC01216.jpg
    DSC01216.jpg
    91.1 KB · Views: 83
The round doesn't have a primer, but is there a flash hole into the case from the primer pocket. The photo is blurry there. Does the fuze unscrew from the projectile?
 
Inspectors Round

With the headstamp of UI surely it must be an "Inspectors" round and from your picture I would say that the case may be plated steel ?
If there is no flash hole into the case at the rear then what you can hear inside is probably loose material (usually rust) or "swarf" from the machining process that has not been properly cleaned out.

Most "Drill" and "Inspectors" rounds are usually made from a single piece of turned bar, but I have seen many that use reject components or items taken off the production line before being finished !

The "Blind" primer pocket is a good example of an unfinished case.

However until proven to be INERT please treat with respect just in case.
 
Last edited:
However until proven to be INERT please treat with respect just in case.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the assessment,

This round is being kept in a Military ammunition facility and more then likely will be disposed of.
 
The case should be plated brass and the grenade should be painted black. Here is my 20mm inspector round.
 

Attachments

  • 20mm HS inspector.jpg
    20mm HS inspector.jpg
    32.8 KB · Views: 22
  • 20mm HS inspector Hstmp.jpg
    20mm HS inspector Hstmp.jpg
    61.9 KB · Views: 23
Don't dispose of it, the UI marking means "Inspectors Dummy, Mark 1". This means that it is an inert dummy round for inspection of functioning of gun mechanisms by armourers. It never contained any explosive and is perfectly safe. It rattles because it is filled with ballast (possibly lead shot) to give it the weight of a live round. Someone has obviously stripped the paint off the projectile and polished the case over the years.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for the clarification and the replies on this piece of Ordnance, You guys may have very well saved a piece of History from ending up in a less then favorable state of matter (Atomized)
 
Well done !

Well lets hope it is now safe and appreciated for what it is-an Inspectors round !
Artifacts such as these are really getting to become rare items and need to be in collections.

Well done everyone on the input on this round-we got there eventually.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top