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25 Pdr AP

H

hobster

Member
Hi,just wondering if anybody can i.d the shell in the picture. I know its a 25 Pdr AP shell in the picture but whats bothering me is the base is different to the other 25 Pdr AP shells I have they only have a smallish hole in the centre of the base where the tracer element would go however this shell the centre of the base is completely different so any help would be gratefully appreciated. If you look carefully you can just make out markings on the base if these are of any help,thanks. I also have 8 6 pdr AP shells and one of those has a base almost exactly the same as this 25 pdr.
CIMG2683.jpg
 
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Hi it looks to me like an unfired tracer one so be careful is the shell unfired?
Andy
 

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  • 25 PR AP.jpg
    25 PR AP.jpg
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Hi Andy,thanks for that looks spot on and yes the shell has been fired as there are rifling marks on the driving band.
Steve
 
hobster said:
Hi,just wondering if anybody can i.d the shell in the picture. I know its a 25 Pdr AP shell in the picture but whats bothering me is the base is different to the other 25 Pdr AP shells I have they only have a smallish hole in the centre of the base where the tracer element would go however this shell the centre of the base is completely different so any help would be gratefully appreciated. If you look carefully you can just make out markings on the base if these are of any help,thanks. I also have 8 6 pdr AP shells and one of those has a base almost exactly the same as this 25 pdr.
View attachment 57640
Click to expand...

Looks like a 'Shot, practice, Q.F. 25-PR' rather than the A.P. shot.

The Mark IIIT practice shot is generally similar to the Mark II, differing principally in having a stemmed instead of a screwd tracer, and in the recess being formed to accommodate a steel closing plate.

Source: Handbook for the Ordnance, Q.F. 25-PR Marks II and III. 1944.
 
Hi Andy,I belive they are world war 2 but not sure will post some photos tomorrow and let you see what you think.
Steve
 
Hi Andy,here are the pictures I promised of the 6 pounders,one of them as you see is a little shorter than the others so any info you could give me would be useful as all I know is they are 6 pounder AP T and that is it,cannot see any markings on them clearly enough to date them so just assume they are world war 2.
CIMG2686_edited-1a.jpgCIMG2686_edited-1b.jpg
 
Thanks Steve for showing them, i am not sure about the shorter ones perhaps someone else can help but all very nice.
Regards
Andy
 
A 6pr I recently 'turned up' and cleaned up during the latest monsoon season (1942)

Cheers
Tony

P9040001.jpgP9040002.jpgP9090002.jpgP9090005.jpgP9090003.jpg
 
Thanks Chris, although this one is a highly collectable door stop that the dog can't run off with:wink:


Cheers
Tony
 
Hi Steve,
the old fashioned way by gently tapping the rust off with a hammer (it was pouring down and I was bored!),then leaving it in strong malt vinegar for a few hours and finally going over it with a bronze wire brush.
Would the C I marked on this one mean Cast Iron or Chilled Iron would you know?,not my subject as I collect SAA

Tony
 
Hi Tony,have to be honest I don't know myself will try and do some research on it. I do the tapping with the hammer bit and the wire brush but never tried the malt vinegar idea does that make a difference?

Steve
 
Hi Steve,
the vinegar was mainly for the benefit of the copper drive band, makes all the crud on go soft and can be just brushed off with an old(or the missus's) toothbrush but does loosen the small hard 'black' bits of rust too,doesn't smell to good afterwards so will need a good washing(or blame the dog!)

Tony
 
Andysarmoury said:
Thanks Steve for showing them, i am not sure about the shorter ones perhaps someone else can help but all very nice.
Regards
Andy
Click to expand...

I got rid of all my 6 pounders a year or so ago but from memory there was a prac shot in there and also standard ap shot, I know one was shorter than the other. It could be the shorter one is a prac and the longer ones standard ap shot. If you look at the metal on the shorter one its certainly corroded more, could be that is the prac one with lower grade steel which corrodes more? i'm just making a logical guess here, could be well off, over to the 6 pounder experts..............
Dave.
 
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