Great mushroomed AP projectile

[Brian Keith]

Here is a really cool shell and projectile I just picked up. The shell is a nice brass 75mm M18, with a 1941 dated primer. What is great is the fired projectile that is stuck back into it. I have to imagine it is a test shot, either to test the armor it was fired at, or the projectile itself. Either way, it had to hit dead on flat against the armor to produce the perfect mushroom that it did. It just had to come home with me from the antique store.

Comments welcome, Thanks for looking,

BKW

 

[Browninggunner688]

Now that's something you don't see every day, thanks for sharing.

 

Nick.

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for your comments Nick!
BKW

[opus5150]

That IS a rarity.  Very nice shell.  My collection is mainly range recoveries, but I've never seen one like this.  

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for your comments opus! I'm just assuming it is a armor piercing round, I don't know for sure. But it is solid shot.
BKW

[Persian Gulf Command]

Very interesting piece but i don't understand why the center of the flair would have a convex dome if it struck an armor plate at a 90 degree angle.  I suppose that the metal of the projectile could have filled in to the "punch" that was made by the shot.  Also with such extreme deformation was the base of the projectile manipulated so it would fit so well in the throat of the case?

 

To me the deformation just does not make sense.  Please explain if there are any large bore ballistic specialists viewing this thread. 

[Brian Keith]

Excellent observations PGC, It doesn't really look like anything was done to make it fit back into the shell. You can see where the rotating band is expanding, but at the bottom, it is still about the same size. I would have to remove it from the shell to know for sure. That would also tell me if it had a tracer component or a base fuze.

Thanks for everybody's input! Glad it is of interest.

BKW

[Scottz63]

That is cool! Nice find.

[SubgunFun]

Wow... that energy transfer must have been impressive! I bet it rang loud and clear! 

 

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for everyone's great comments! Glad it is of interest!

BKW