An odd case found with a metal detector

General Ammunition Discussion
#1

Sirs,

a friend sent me these pics, is there anyone who knows what’s this?

…it looks like a double diameter case with four holes around its largest part and two crimps on its smallest diameter part…the largest cylindrical body is 14mm long and has a diameter of about 12.5mm…the smallest diameter cylinder has a lenght of about 15.4mm and a diameter of about 6.2mm…its head while larger than the head of a 6.5 Carcano cartridge looks similar.

The odd case was found by a friend in a country where there were most of the battles between the italian and austro- hungarian armies during the first world war.

All the best
Andrea

#2

I would think that it is a detonator/initiator for a trench mortar or similar.

The British used a variety of cut down .303 cases for a similar purpose in WWI.

Regards
TonyE

#3

Andrea,

posso postare le foto sul forum del CESIM? Molto strano 'sto coso

Can I post your pictures on the CESIM forum? It’s a strange thing

#4

TonyE,

thank you for your interesting reply!

Pivi,

obviously you can!

All the best
Andrea

#5

From CESIM forum , by Stecol ( Stefano)

“Capsula d’accensione della miccia che ritardava l’esplosione della carica di rottura delle bombe a caricamento chimico dei Lanciabombe Livens, ma di produzione italiana in quanto ricavata da bossoli 6,5 Carcano.
Quelle inglesi erano ricavati da bossoli del 303 Br.”

Hard to translate for me,more or less:

“Primer of the fuse that delayed the explosion of the chemical loaded bombs canister fired with the Livens Launcher, of italian production because it is made from a 6.5 carcano case. The british ones were made from 303 British cases”

edited for better translation

#6

Here is a link to Livens mortar en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livens_Projector. Why was there a need for retarded firing? Nevermind, I understand, it is the actual explosion of a chemical canister, not the charge which sends it on its way.

#7

Vlad,
thanks. I didn’t know how to translate some words. Will edit my post

#8

According to the US manual dated 1942, which is the one illustrated above, the Fuze M1 aasembly was used to set off the burster charge which ruptures the shell after it has been fired.

#9

[quote=“Pivi”]From CESIM forum , by Stecol ( Stefano)

“Primer of the fuse that delayed the explosion of the chemical loaded bombs canister fired with the Livens Launcher, of italian production because it is made from a 6.5 carcano case. The british ones were made from 303 British cases”
[/quote]

Pivi,

it’s interesting but there is one problem…as I wrote in the message above the friend told me that the case has a diameter larger than the case of the 6.5mm Carcano…more or less it’s 1mm larger…can you ask for the diameter of these italian 6.5mm based primers?

All the best
Andrea

#10

Andrea,

it seems, from your first picture, that a 6.5 mm carcano case ( obviously cut down) has been inserted into the largest part of this detonator.

Just like a tube with 0.6 mm wall thickness. Carcano rim diam is about 11.38 mm + 0.6 mm ( x 2) = 12.5 mm

#11

[quote=“Pivi”]Andrea,

it seems, from your first picture, that a 6.5 mm carcano case ( obviously cut down) has been inserted into the largest part of this detonator.

Just like a tube with 0.6 mm wall thickness. Carcano rim diam is about 11.38 mm + 0.6 mm ( x 2) = 12.5 mm[/quote]

Pivi,

you are right!

…thanks for all the informations…I’ve just forwarded them to the friend…I guess he will be happy!

All the best
Andrea