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1968 105mm HE Shell and Casing


McDermut99
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This was a pickup over the semester, and my first piece of big ordnance. The guy only wanted $40 for it and I understood why once I had it in hand. The shell is an unfired 1968 HE M1, and is in decent condition. There’s no severe rust, but the base is probably the least attractive part, especially after someone before me took what looks like a flathead and hammer to it. The fuse is what looks to be a 1970 M565, and I have not been able to separate it from the shell. According to the guy I bought it from, they got it from a surplus store 20+ years ago and all the shells had the top part of the fuse removed and a cutting torch was used to “demilitarize” it. It also explains why it’s a “mixmaster” of years. The casing is a 1974 dated 105mm M14B4, and is in pretty rough shape. The outside is covered in light surface rust, and the interior is very rusted, but intact. The guy said it was stored in a garage and got exposed to constant moisture. For the $40 I think I did decently.

 

My question is how would I start restoring this to look like it used to? Is it possible to restore the brass of the casing, and how would I go removing and replacing the fuse?

How valuable is the set right now compared to if it were restored?

 

Any advice and comments would be greatly appreciated!

 

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Kaptainssurplus

First off, I'd be very careful as it may be live. The case primer looks to be unfired and live. So with that, it presents doubt on the projectile being safe as well.

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First off, I'd be very careful as it may be live. The case primer looks to be unfired and live. So with that, it presents doubt on the projectile being safe as well.

 

Believe me that was a main concern when I first looked it over. However, I believe the X's stamped on the fuze mark it as a demil, and the shell makes a hollow sound when tapped. I'm sure there was a time that the fuze could've been removed rather easily, however over-tightening and rust has made it near impossible. Not to mention what would be the point of having a fuze with the mechanism deliberately torched and melted on a live shell?

 

As for the primer it may very well be live, or a "dud" put on as surplus.

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Kaptainssurplus

You may be right, but I have seen all types of screwy stuff over the years. Just be careful, an abundance of caution is never a bad thing.

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I have quite a few 105H rounds. Some background info. Your HE M1 round is Vietnam dated, a plus. The B14 case is spiral wrapped laquered steel, most later war 105s had steel cases. It is junk, un restorable. Good news, Gunbroker has both brass and steel ones for under $100. Your fuze, junk. Soak the fuze mating area in Kroil oil and apply heat to the steel projectile. Heat gun, hair dryer, propane torch. Put outside freezing, repeat, it could take awhile. With what is left of the fuze, you don't have to worry about putting a pipe wrench on it and marring it up. You can get a PD M557 fuze for about $25 from old guns.net. Lastly, projo condition. Not good but restorable. Use phosphoric or citric acid or naval jelly to remove rust. Fill pits with skim coat auto filler ( be careful to not fill the lettering). Prime, paint with Fed Standard OD. Current 105mm correct, complete rounds currently bring about $175-350, the high end ones will be war dated, have original paint, inking and pristine driving bands. They are getting harder to find.

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