Another flea market find. .50 Cal this time.

[Shell Shifter]

Interesting inert round I picked up today. Projectile diameter .515" (13mm), Length o/a= 4.22" (107.2mm). Case slightly tapered, looks to me like the rim extends a bit beyond where it ought to be for it to be strickly rimless. Markings on projectile= "E1".

There is a removable (though not by me ) nose with what looks like a metal disk set in the tip.

$3 US.

Ideas?

 

[Falcon]

This is actually a Japanese WW2 era 12.7x81SR. It is smaller than a .50BMG. Be careful, that is a projectile with a nose fuze and could still be live. However, I believe rounds with less than 1/4oz of explosive filling are legal in the USA depending on what state you are in.

You did very well for $3 US, that is easily a $30-50 cartridge.

 

[Shell Shifter]

Excellent, thank you very much. You are quite correct regarding the definition of a "destructive device" here. This round is a firework, legally. Thing is that, having a case with a hole in it it isn't a "round". Our definitions tend to the opaque sometimes.

Thanks again.

 

[smle2009]

Hi Falcon,
did these originate from Vickers export version of the .5" Vickers round the same as the Italian 12.7x81SR did,but had to change them to semi rimmed to keep the UK happy?

Tony

 

[Falcon]

You are corret there.

In the 1920s and early 30s we even supplied Kynoch made ammunition to Japan. Belts with Kynoch made rounds have been recovered from WW2 Japanese aircraft crash sites.