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British 4" Mk 4 Gun round shell case

pointblank0

pointblank0

BOCN Supporter
Hello all. I know nothing on big shell cases etc. My wife picked me this up in a local auction for a tenner. Any ideas?

It has a date of 1941 on it. I have googled Mk 4 gun, 4", btu all I can find is a WW1 naval gun which was used in AA role at beginning of WW2 but ended service in 1939.

Anyway, here's a couple of pics.
 

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Hi pointblank0,
Has this case been cut down? The info I have says the case for the 4" Mk IV gun should have a rim diameter of 133mm, and be between 504 and 533mm long; this one looks a bit short for that! Still a nice headstamp though.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'm not at home at the moment so cant measure it, though it is deffinitely not 500 odd mm long. It didn't appear to be cut down to me but I haven't had a really close look at it. Do you know what fired it (naval or AA role)?
 
4in mkIV

My 4 in Mkiv gun case is a mkII dated 1915 is a seperate loading case so has the three cut outs in the top, it is 493mm long. The MkIII case might be a slightly different length but not much, See the post under wanted No.9 primer it goes on about these cases.
2pr
 
4in shell

I believe you have a cut down 4" naval shell case which would have been fixed ammunition rather than separate load. Full length would have been 513mm.

BD
 
Thanks for all your help. I looked a bit closer today but couldn't see any signs of it been cut down until I turned it upside down on a very flat surface (er...a table),and noticed that it has been cut down, but probably a good few years ago.
Just a bit more. The date on it is 1941, would these have been still bult for ships then during WW2 or would these have been reissued as an emergency or extra gun?
Forgive my minute knowledge of shells.
 
4" Mk IV

Howdy PB,

I notice the cart has a knurled rim??? Sometimes carts were used for special purpose (aircraft catapult, mortar throwing, etc-etc) made from shortened cart cases, maybe you have one of these.

Don't be disheatrened just yet, besides any shell that our better halves buy us are the best ones!!!

Well done.

Regards Ozzi.
 
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