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Headstamp big shell

markv13

markv13

Member
Hello,

I found this headstamp of a big shell at the beaches of Calais. Can someone help me out identify the nationality of the object, and maybe for what kind of gun it was used?
The pictures show the exact same object, but on the left picture I cleaned it with vinegar. The right picture shows the size in centimeters.

Thanks in advance!

Mark
IMG_3638.jpgACHTERKANT SHELL.jpg
 
Mark,

The primer is German, can't help you with an ID on the case.

TimG
 
Thanks for your reply and help! I know of websites where you can see what all the codes on the headstamp mean. But I only know websites for small ammunition. Is there some headstamp guide for bigger ammunition where I can check what the codes mean?

And is there someone else that can tell me the caliber or maybe even the gun it was used for?

Mark
 
Can you show a side wiev of the case - it would help a lot to indentify. About primer markings, Rh/S327 is maker, 39 year, C/13 nA is primer type and 140 lot number.
 
unfortunately it's only the bottom of the shell that I found. So I don't know if that's a problem with identifying. But here is a picture of the side. The diameter is about 5 cm.
zijkant.jpg

Thanks so much for helping me, I am new to ammunition, but when I found this on the beach I got really excited to learn more about it. So I appreciate it
 
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Hard to say from the remains, but closest match what I can say is 40mm Bofors case. It originally had 62mm head diameter.
 
Yes thanks! The headstamp shape looks like that 3.7cm Flak shell. But mine is not 4,2cm, but a little over 5. Is there a reason for that?

And one more question: The fact that the headstamp doesnt have a ''hole'' in it, does that mean my object was not fired?
 
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The 3.7 has a similar primer as yours. I'm sure another member could give more details, and if its been fired or not. To me it has not been. The 40mm in my photo has a much different primer than yours, just different manufacture.
 
Your primer has not been fired as there is no firing pin mark in the middle. I assume that the cartridge has been exploded because the base only exists. Assuming it's remains of a 40mm Bofors case is based on the diameter shown in your photo - which is much larger than 37mm Flak. 40mm Bofors cases were also made with these small primers - especially steel cases. So, it's either or.
 
Hi MarkV13,
I think you have found a rare piece of case. Have a look on the zundschraube (apparently same marking) and on the dimensions of the base of the case.
4,2 cm Sprenggranatepatrone 41
I'm not specialist of guns, but I think it was fired with the 4,2cm PAK 41 gun.



Yoda
 

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The side wiev shows a clear groove on case head side, such as on 3,7cm Flak or 4 cm Flak - not on 3,7 cm or 4,2 cm Pak cases. I would not look too much about primer markings as they were the same on several different cases.
 
Interesting item this! In my original post, I did notice the extractor groove was thinner than usual for a 37mm Flak 18. A 40mm Bofors is semi-rimmed (which doesn't seem to match markv13's) and most seem to have a groove in the cartridge head. The 37mm is belted which this example could be! I have a fire detonated case and the steel is very thin, which could account for why the rest of the case has rotted away and left the belted part of the case. The primer is brass in this example, its steel on my example. The attached (from ww2relics forum) pic does show a 37mm case with a brass primer! Rust does do odd things though!. The extractor groove still seems to thin for a 37mm though! 37flak.jpg
 
If the rim on a 3.7 is 42mm and the rim on the 4cm Flak is 62mm, then I'd bet on the 4cm. Two centimeters is quite a difference in size, and the 3.7 also has a thinner rim than the 40mm.
 
Ok, I am new to all those definitions. So it was a bit hard for me to understand at first, but is this what you mean: My object has gotten smaller because of erosion, so originally it had a diameter of 62mm? And so it belongs to a 4cm Flak cannon?
 
Yes markv13. I think it is closest to 4cm Flak. The dimensions were also close to the 4.2 cm as Yoda had said but the style of the rim is different than yours. Here's a photo of the rims on the 3.7cm and the 4cm so you can see the 4cm is closer to yours.
Cheers,SHAKY
 

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