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60mm mortar rounds


colt thompson
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colt thompson

I've recently branched from grenades into US 60mm rounds. Is there a good source of photographs and descriptions on the web or in print so I can better educate myself?

Thank you

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I've recently branched from grenades into US 60mm rounds. Is there a good source of photographs and descriptions on the web or in print so I can better educate myself?

Thank you

A few of my mortars and some info I have aquired since collecting. Random observations. The holy grail of 60mm is the WP round, grey in color. 99.9 percent found had a hole punched in the body to inert them. The hole was filled and repainted. Untouched, un punched ones bringing $350-450+.It took five years of searching to find mine. The second most desirable are modern day examples ( post 1990) as the Comp B HE filler can not be inerted without burning it out ( WW2 era common as the TNT flake could be easily removed). Modern era fuzes toughest to find, especially complete with safety pins. M821 81mm ( made in England) during Gulf War 1, another rarity, mine with factory multi function fuzes ( hens teethe). Most examples have the plastic training fuze stuck in them.Lastly, are WW2 and pre WW2 dated, yellow and OD ( original markings scarce) fairly common but in high demand. The TM references I posted are your bible- you will find the correct M numbered fuzes used for each specific round. Many have incorrect fuze combinations stuck in them to fill the hole. I buy all the modern era fuzes I find as they are the hardest to obtain, as bodies with out fuzes always seem to surface. See pics.post-180924-0-21873400-1571496035_thumb.jpeg
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A pic of my 81mm HE M374, Vietnam era, repainted in the correct Fed Standard colors, and complete with plastic obturating ring, mint fuze with fuze safety as issued with correct Fibre shipping tubes and dated wooden crates. Took some time finding ( and money) all the matching dated " parts and pieces". M821, M362, and M374A1 bodies are out there, but finding the correct fins and fuzes is the hard part. And again, Fibre shipping tubes and crates equally hard to find.post-180924-0-32013900-1571496730_thumb.jpeg

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A few 81mm I have laying around to fill my crates. Notice the M362 ( top- no obturating recess cut into the body), dated 1966. I need to switch the fuzes out. I forgot the M number in it, but it goes into the M374 body, that fuze was issued primarily to the Marines during Vietnam, instead of the M526. I got lucky with that one, bubba thought it was an artillery fuze...it pays to learn the TMs. Many " non ordnance" collectors fail to realize Ordnance is a detailed and exact field. I noticed members here post " what is it" but fail to give measurements and ALL markings, the difference between finding a hen's toothe ($$$) and a parts piece is in the DETAILS.post-180924-0-66446300-1571498525_thumb.jpeg

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M821 81mm HE, Gulf War 1,with an authentic M734 multi fuze ( a hen's toothe), notice the packaging. Our TM states its authorization and use, much nicer than the US Fibre tubes and wooden crates. Also note the British manufactured ones were NOT engraved/ ID stamped but the body was only ink stamped with the M numbers. When the US was finally licensed, we started manufacturing our own M821A1/2s, the bodies were ID model engraved. I have a few with the few different fuze variations. post-180924-0-02073800-1571503606_thumb.jpeg

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You are welcome. Hope you do not get addicted. I realized after collecting howitzer and tank / gun rounds that mortars are still as of yet under valued compared to traditional ordnance. They take less space, and in all honesty get more questions and interest when I haul them out to events. I have pretty much assembled a good representation and now have been on the look out for just one more piece, a 120mm round.

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  • 9 months later...
Johan Willaert

Just bumping this with a question...
The manual states the M83 Illuminating shell was packed in a fiber container...

Does anyone know the nomenclature of the said fiber tube container? Any markings on the cap end?

Any photos available?

 

Thx

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4 hours ago, collector said:

Had this since childhood, a practice round?  Marked M49 A2.

US Mortar Round 60MM M49 A2.jpg

Looks like a nice M49 HE that is inert, it was never loaded with energetic material. If it was loaded with explosives, it would be OD green with yellow ink stampings. It should also have a date by the M number. I have a few WW2 HE pieces of ordnance that are white inked "inert " and black in color. Issued Practice ordnance generally was and still is blue in color. If missing all the engraved markings, M49xx HE date lot number, two to three letters that were inspection stamps during the manufacturing process- it is more than likely a piece that failed dimensional inspections, and was given out to Arsenal employees, which was very common back then.Nice original piece, they are getting hard to find.

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13 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

Just bumping this with a question...
The manual states the M83 Illuminating shell was packed in a fiber container...

Does anyone know the nomenclature of the said fiber tube container? Any markings on the cap end?

Any photos available?

 

Thx

I checked TM 9-1901, not there but reference possibly where to look, see 78.image.png.9fa32a5461b6c0d37064e99ca5232776.png

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This motar round has a bunch of text on it. The body is:

8 LOT 106 23140 44 1942 AS 00 MM M49A2   Maybe the AS 00 MM is really AS 60 MM?

The bakelite nose has:

PDF M52B2 LoI WC-4-5

 

Some of this might be wrong, some of the letters are not clear to me so I guessed.

Also the aluminum? tip is spring loaded, can be depressed and pops back up.spacer.pngspacer.png 

 

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IMG_1744.jpg

IMG_1743.jpg

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Johan Willaert
10 hours ago, 917601 said:

I checked TM 9-1901, not there but reference possibly where to look, see 78.

 

Thx, will check it out...

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They make a super rifle grenade when used with the M1 projection adapter. Not for shoulder firing or M1 Carbine use...

PA100253.JPG

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