Help for 2 WW1 75mm Rounds

[Persian Gulf Command]

I have two WW1 75mm rounds, I need help to sort them out.

 

First, is a fired Shrapnel projectile painted dark green. Is this the color for a Chemical round or something else?

 

Second, is a complete 75mm round still having its ordnance cover. It's not a Shrapnel. I'd like to identify its designation and the type of fuze it would carry? 

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance!  

 

 

 

[917601]

I have a few unfired 75mm, one complete with shrapnel balls and plunger. The answer I believe is the missing fuze adapter ring that connects the fuze assy to the shell body. I believe the threaded plug pictured ( it screws onto the projectile body) is a shipping plug. 
 

The projectile body is filled with shrapnel balls, a black powder charge at the base, and a hollow plunger ( hollow with a black powder fuze train) which pushes the balls out. The projectile when filled withthose components would be sealed by the plug you have pictured. 
 

When assembled in the field, the plug is removed, a fuze adapter ring is installed with a fuze. 

[917601]

Second picture. Your projectile is green, no idea why. My original, is a deep faded red complete with ink markings. It also has the metal fuze protection cap.

[917601]

Lastly, the original plunger. The fuze adapter ring must be removed to remove the plunger.

[917601]

Also, are you sure the green one is 75mm, not a 3” shell ( (76mm)? Also, The Navy used a strange Hunter Green color, different color coding than US Army. See the picture of my original WW2 40mm Bofors, the color looks like yours.

[917601]

Just throwing out things. Your round pictured w/o fuze, can you pull it out of the case? Reason, see if the projectile base has no crimping rings, your Hunter green color one has two crimping rings- the 75mm has no crimping rings, I THINK the 3” had crimping rings in the projectile.

[Persian Gulf Command]

The projectile cannot be removed. Also, the 1907 Shrapnel fuze will not screw into the crimping ring of the projectile in the 75mm casing.

[917601]

Is the hunter green colored shell 76mm measured at the base? 

[Persian Gulf Command]

Green projectile is a 75mm.

 

Also here are some more photos of the complete 75mm shell, showing the open-end w/ shipping plug and the inside of the projectile.

 

 

 

 

[917601]

I am searching the BOCN website. It will take time. Here is a hit. 
 

“Yes, it's a 75mm US Shrapnel for the M1898 and M1917 guns. The US 3" Shrapnel for the M1902/04/05 gun was almost the same but was shorter from the rotating bands down and had 2 crimping grooves”

 

Can you measure the projectiles overall length? I believe both are shrapnel rounds. Puzzling as the standard 75 mm shrapnel did not have crimping grooves, the 3” (76mm) had two crimping grooves.

 

I will post on BOCN website.

 

[917601]

The green projectile clearly has two crimping grooves at the base, below the driving band. 

[Persian Gulf Command]

These measurements are on the projectile only. Measurment does not include the fuse or Fuze "adapter" rings.

 

The green shrapnel total length is 7 2/8", 18.3 cm. From the rotating band up is 5 7/16" 13.7 cm. The projectile in the casing from the rotating band up is 6 1/2", 16.7 cm.*

 

 

 

* Unable to measure the total length of the projectile in casing as it's not removable from the casing.

[Persian Gulf Command]

Well, I answered my own question about the 75mm complete round. It's a United States produced WW1-75mm round for Russia. It's quite rare!  The crazy coincidence is that I was at the Mattydale, NY Militaria Show today and there was a fuze on a table with threading that appeared to fit the adaptor ring for the projectile. The consensus was that the fuze was WW1 Russian. It all fit together. 

 

I would guess that the round was intended to be shipped to Russia, with the shipping plug and then they placed their fuze on the round. Or, perhaps the fuze was also produced here in the U.S. 

 

I still can't believe that I found this fuze at the Mattydale Show. It's not the first time I found a "needle in a haystack" item at this show!  

 

 

[Persian Gulf Command]

And just found this online, fuze was also produced in the US.