30x172 experimental and Rardens

[SG500]

Just a few pictures of some development rounds.

The one on the left is the grandfather of the 30x172 series. Manufactured in 1942 it was an up calibred version of the existing 20mm Hispano. Trials were carried out through to 1945. Three guns were made. Five batches of ammunition were made all dated 1942. There were 2 types of projectile, the practice one as shown in the photo and the very rare armour-piercing.
It is not known if this round was known to the people who developed the Rarden in the 1960's but it certainly looks similar! Cases do turn up occasionally - its always worth looking at the headstamp on what appears to be a Rarden case.

The middle one is an early round, case supplied by Italy (BXP headstamp) plus a close up of the stamping on the sabot.

The right one is another variation of the apds round, again quite an early one from 1971.

All inert and empty.

Dave.

 

[Charlie]

You lucky bugger Dave

Nice collection

Charlie.

 

[SG500]

Thanks Charlie.............keep looking...........they're out there.
Dave.

 

[Falcon]

You're right SG, there must be all sorts of valuable cases sitting on mantle pieces, in sheds and in lofts around the country waiting to be found.

Were all the steel 30mm cases headstamped "BXP" cases provided for the RARDEN trials, or is this a standard Italian case? I have one a BXP headstamped drill round that I got from a car boot sale in a completley rusted state, it may even have been buried in the ground. I removed the rust and re-sprayed it in the school workshop. Some of the headstamp was so faint that I tried re doing it with stamping dies and a hammer, but didn't do it very well. I missed out the "S" in 30-HS as it can't be seen on my headstamp, and stamped the date as "83" instead of "63" as I couldn't really see what it was. I hope I haven't messed up the headstamp on something good, when I thought it was just a rusty old foreign drill round.

There is a photo of it here.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/30x170-restoration-t4379.html

 

[SG500]

Hi Falcon, first of all your posting made me think - of course the Rarden is a 30x170 not a 30x172 as I put in my original post - my memory must be failing me!! From memory (Mmmmmm) its the Gau 8 that's 172mm in length.
Anyway I'm not sure of the answer to your question - perhaps Tony Williams can help out here?
I do like your restoration job though, good effort although perhaps a bit brave with the stampings.
Dave.

 

[Falcon]

I know I was silly with the stampings. If I had found that round today I would have sand blasted it then re sprayed it. That would have brought out the stampings more clearly.