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Help with some 6" naval cases / shells please!

S

steve rb

Well-Known Member
Hi folks - as introduced on the forum I'm brand new here and re-kindled a past passion with collecting!

I've been extremely lucky in getting hold of a pair of huge 6" naval gun cartridges from the QF Mk N5 guns (specifically from the HMS Tiger)

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_6-50_mkN5.htm

Problem is I just cannot find ANY info on them other than the above. Specifically I'm interested in the projectiles as I'd like to either acquire or reproduce the full unit. Hours on the web have drawn a blank and I'm new enough to this (in today's age...) to not know what other resources are available. Would love some photos ideally.

Also, any idea if these were fixed units or separate cartridge and projectile? The grooves around the top of the case suggest they were crimped but I don't know - must have been heavy items! (I might try bunging one of the US 155mm shells in there just to see and get a sense of scale!).

any info would be much appreciated.
cheers
Steve
 
Steve,

According to the link they were separate. It also states the cases were steel, but the photo looks like it is brass, unless it is brass washed steel, what are your cases made from? You could try Explosion! Museum for more info.

TimG
 
steve rb said:
Also, any idea if these were fixed units or separate cartridge and projectile? The grooves around the top of the case suggest they were crimped but I don't know - must have been heavy items!
Click to expand...

You need to look carefully at the grooves. If they form a screw thread, they indicate separated ammo because there was usually a cap of some frangible material screwed onto the top to protect the propellant. If they are parallel they indicate crimping grooves for fixed ammo.

An article I have on the gun confirms the separated ammo, but states that both cartridge and shell were rammed together in one motion. Unfortunately it does not contain a photo of the ammo.

I agree with Tim that Explosion! museum in Gosport is your best bet. I visited several years ago and noticed that their collection of British naval ammo was impressive.
 
Really helpful thanks! Didn't know that about the cartridge grooves..(suspect I'll be saying that a lot in coming months!)
 
These are the only two pics I have found in two days of searching!!

10756194633_7d31abe51c_o.jpg
10755982476_c819a1d434_o.jpg
 
Oh, and here's mine - directly next to a couple of 4.5" naval shells for scale, immense cartridges....

10761307583_ca19f9fb3b_b.jpg
 
HMS Tiger accidentally hit a crane in Devonport with a 6" shell in the 60s.

The ship was alongside at the time.
 
Reminds me of a news item from a few decades ago, about a 4.5 inch shell which landed in someone's back garden. The RN spokesman said something to the effect that people shouldn't be concerned, it was only a practice shell and wouldn't blow up. Yeah, right.a 55 lb lump of steel travelling at supersonic velocity - totally harmless, really...:tinysmile_hmm_t:
 
I recall talking to a naval officer at Portsmouth who said they had fired a 6in gun at the butts by the harbour and missed, never did find the shot.
 
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