a bit more added info other than in the link kindly found by Kenny
The following text is from page 160 of Ian Hoggs "The illustrated encyclopedia of ammunition"
"Break-up shot . A projectile which when fired sets up the necessary resistance to the bore which will cause the gun to recoil and any automatic mechanism to function,but which then disintegrates either inside the bore or shortly after leaving the muzzle and disperses harmlessly.The object is to operate the gun for test or drill purposes,but not to discharge a projectile which will fly any great distance or cause any damage.Originally they were cylinders of waxed paper filled with sand or water provided for coast artillery guns in locations where it was not possibleto fire a service projectile in peacetime because of danger to shipping.The weight would give rise to recoil,so ensuring that the gun mechanism was functioning correctly,but the shot would split in the bore and the water or sand would be ejected from the muzzle and would evaporate or fall to the ground within a few feet,
The principle was then adapted to light anti aircraft guns in order to test their automatic functioning without the need to take them to a proper firing rang,by using break-up shot it was possible to test them in a workshop area,For this application a plastic projectile filled with either fine dust or a thick innocuous liquid is used,the shot passes up the gun barrel and the gun mechanism functions correctly,but centrifugal force,imparted by the spin of the shot,causes the heavy contents to split the shell and disperse within a few feet of the muzzle.
Break-up shot is not well liked by the people who use it since ,depending upon the direction of the wind it often coats the gun and its crew in fine dust or sticky liquid and necessitates a great deal of additional cleaning"
also on the same page is a photo showing several examples from Rheinmetall from 20mm up to 40mm