75mm Artillery Shell?

[steve952]

Hi, hoping someone can give me some info about this artillery shell I found at a yard sale. It measures about 75mm diameter, 12.25 inches long and weighs a little over 13 lbs. On the tip it is marked OS or GS and stamped 10-10. Any info appreciated. Is it safe? It was full of pennies...

 

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[nsdq]

How old are the cents ?, yes safe if full of pennies, and elcome to Tnet

 

[EOD Operator]

It's a 75 mm Base Ejecting Round. Approximately WWII era. The nomenclature should be stamped on it somewhere. It was most likely inerted at some point, unless you have the shell casing to go with it. If you do, it could also be a load trainer. Whichever it is, it is in an unfired condition (no scoring on the rotating band).

The ejection tube is capped with a shipping cap (the thing that looks like a big screw head). Inside that would have been explosives. Make sure that it does not contain any. Hopefully someone before you was dumb enough to open it and check. If not, you may want to consider contacting your local bomb squad and request that they X-Ray it.

Side question: Where was this found? I ask because the Delaware area was famous for experimenting with converting all sorts of shells into chem rounds back in the day. A 57 mm AA shell bit one of my friends a few years back with HD gas (shouldn't have been in it).

Edit: I've got a call into my old unit. They are going to get into the pubs and get you an exact nomenclature. Also, I did some digging.. That round looks awfully French to me. But I'll see what the guys come up with.

 

[steve952]

It was empty inside except for the pennies, none that were of any real value. I guess it is safe? Nothing inside the cavity. Does the shell have any value? Thank you for your responses...

 

[steve952]

I found it in Vermont...

 

[Icewing]

Killer find, I have a 155mm Howitzer shell (not dug), but couldn't obtain the fuse tip, since they are of questionable legality to own. Thanks for posting.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Look at the copper driving band near the base of the shell, there should be info stamped on it

 

[steve952]

Here's the only markings I can find. This one is near the base. I cropped it so you can still see the edge so you know the orientation. I'm not sure which way it is meant to be viewed..


These two are on the bottom. You can see them in the first pics I posted but figured a closer look might help...


I looked closely along the raised band and couldn't find any markings. Thanks guys!!

 

[sutphin]

HOLY BOOM .

 

[frijoles]

Hi, I noticed this thread was never updated to identify. Like the other thread i just answered, this is a Russian contract 76mm high explosive shell built by the USA for the russian empire during ww1. The fuze appears to be dated 1916 and is called a 3GT if i remember correctly. It was a direct copy of the United states mk1 pount detonating fuze for the time that the Russians had made for them but redesignated. I have one also, with that same model of fuze, that completely disassembles and has all the internal little bits (it is safe dont panic anyone). The way this would work is the large fuze had more sensitive explosive elements in it, inside what is called the "gaine" at the bottom of the fuze. This extended inside of the shell into the main payload to ensure that the main payload detonated properly when the fuze went off.
Great find!

 

[Georgivs]

Is that fuse intact?

 

[frijoles]

Hiya Georgivs,
His fuze is indeed intact, in a unused state. If it had been fired and lets say we could see what remained of this fuze, the whole bottom tube half would be gone while only the top threaded bit of the fuze remained (if it did its job). Mine is the same way.

 

[A2coins]

Now thats freakin awesom that would find a place on my mantel sweet relic

 

[A2coins]

Welcome to tnet

 

[frijoles]

Welcome to tnet

Thank you for the welcome, I enjoy seeing ordnance related stuff from 1890s to 1920s and you guys have found plenty of things like that from what I've seen. Looking forwards to seeing more posts from people

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Frijoles, welcome to TreasureNet, and the What-Is-It? forum... from another "Historical Artillery Projectiles" specialist.

We should keep in touch here, to fill in gaps in each others knowledge as various projectiles get posted. My knowledge of pre-1890s artillery projectiles (and their fuzes) is very deep, but after that time, much thinner.

Check my T-Net profile. Also, you can view my past posts on artillery projectiles (and my Profile) by clicking on my posting-name, and then either on "View Profile" or "View Forum Posts." But I should mention, many of my posts here are not about art'y projectiles and fuzes.

Again, welcome to the What-Is-It? forum. Thank you for your contributions of detailed knowledge from your time-period of familiarity.