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Unknown ammunition? Most likely German WW2

H

Hoeksel

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Does anybody know what this is? There seem to be more, some with primer. So it looks ammunition related. The info I got is that it must be WW2 and German based on where it comes from. I have no clue!

It is heavy and the dimensions are:

inner diameter 26 mm
outer diameter 39 mm
length 113 mm
rim diameter 46,5 mm
 

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On your third photo is that a lip, or wall thickness? It has some resemblance to buring DM canisters ejected from 10.5 and 15cm blauring projectiles. There have been many variations recovered and there is not a lot of info on them. Some have multiple holes in the sides, others do not. Some have a bottom lip, others do not. They have been seen in sizes for the 10.5 and 15cm, but may have been tested for others as well. Best guess on based on the photos only.
 
Hi,

I've got no idea what it is, but here are some thoughts (hopefully not ridiculous ones):
1) Possibly an adapter to fire 'something' with a calibre of +/- 29mm from a weapon that has a bore diameter of +/- 39mm. This seems to be unlikely to me due to all sorts of issues I can think of when firing a smaller calibre item (unless squeeze-bore or provided with a sabot) from a bore that's significantly wider.
2) Perhaps more likely, the very heavy construction of it might indicate that this was not actually chambered in anything, but has walls this thick to cope with the force of the firing of it. Maybe it wasn't equipped with a projectile, but perhaps it was something like an engine starter or so?!?

In short: it looks like it might be strong enough to serve as a chamber, but there's no way to insert cartridges in the bottom, so it doesn't look like an adapter that could easily be re-used in the field...

Either way: very bizarre item; I'm curious to find out what it is too. :p

Cheers,
Olafo
 
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US-Subs, it is actually such a thick wall. It is very heavy for it's size.
 
I recall 10 cm Nb.W.40 used a similar looking adapter for 26mm b-shells. Naturally the adapter outside diameter must be larger than yours. I don't remember if the adapter was in one piece or could this be it's inner part? I have somewhere a copy of manual showing both adapter and shell but can't find it now to confirm.
 
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