26 Manuals 3835, Field Branch Artillery Ammunition

210 Pages·2016·9.09 MB·English

War Office Code
RESTRICTED No. 11257
The information given in this document
is not to be communicated, either dir­
ectly or indirectly, to the Press or to any 26
person not authorized to receive it. Manuals
3835
Ibio-bb- o r t-Y liJ
User Handbook
t for
FIELD BRANCH ARTILLERY
AMMUNITION
Land Service
1958
i
THE WAR OFFICE R.A. 1.
January, 1958.

ffTO ? e ^ c rv (
War Office Code
RESTRICTED No. 11257
The information given in this document
is not to be communicated, either dir­
ectly or indirectly, to the Press or to any 26
person not authorized to receive it. Manuals
3835
User Handbook
for
FIELD BRANCH ARTILLERY
AMMUNITION
Land Service
1958
THE WAR OFFICE R.A. 1.
January, 1958.
- i i -
Record of Amendments
Amendment By whom Date of
Date A.C.I.
Serial No. amended Insertion
i..
CONTENTS
Page
List of illustrations .......................................................................................................................... xii
Chapter i
Introduction
Section i. General
Scope ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
Objects 1
Arrangements 1
Section 2. Definitions associated with Equipments
Guns, howitzers and mortars ...........*. ............. ................................................................... 1
Classification ................................................................................................................................... 2
Means of firing ................................................................................................................................... 2
Means of initiation .......................................................................................................................... 3
Safely devices ................................................. 3
Section 3. Field Branch Artillery Equipments
Loading ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Section 4. The Round of Ammunition
Future designation and marking .......................................................................................................... 3
Components ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Cartridge ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Section 5. Categories of Ammunition
General ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2
Explosives
Section 1. Introduction
Classification of explosives ........................................................................................................ 7
Definitions ............................................................................................................................................. 7
Uses ................................................................................................................ 10
—iv —
Section 2. Propellants Page
General............ .................................................................... ..................... ................................ 10
Historical ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Burning of a propellant ...................................................................................................................... 10
Properties of the ideal propellant ......................................................................................./ • • • 11
Composition ................................................................................................................................... • • • 12
Characteristics ......................................................................................................................................... 12
Plash and Smoke ....................................................................................................................... ••• 14
Properties of the commoner propellants ........................................................................................... 15
Nomenclature ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Multiplicity of propellant ...................................................................................................................... 18
Section 3. High Explosives
Definition ............................................................................................................................................. 18
Compositions ................................................................................................................................... 20
Categories ............................................................................................................................................. 20
Bursting charges - i.e. shell fillings ...................................................................................... 21
Constituents ................................................................................................................................... 21
Code for H.E. fillings 21
Initiators (disruptive) ................................................................................................................. 21
Constituents ................................................................................................................................... 22
Intermediates ................................................................................................................................... 22
T.N.T. ............. *......................................................................................................................... 23
Constituents........................................................................................................ 23
Section 4. Miscellaneous Compositions
General...................................................................................................................................................... 23
Initiating agents (igniferous) ........................................................................................................ 24
Smoke producing substances ................................................................................................................. 21+
Flare producing substances .................................................................................................................. 26
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 26
Chapter 3
Cartridges
Section 1. Introduction
Classification and comparison ........................................................................................................ 27
Comparison of Q.F. (separate loading) and B.L. cartridge systems ........................................ 27
Cartridge case ................................................................................................................................... 27
Cartridge bag ................................................................................................................................... 28
Propellant charge................................................................................................................................... 28
Charge - types ................................................................................................................................... 30
Propellant proof and charge adjustment ......................................... 30
Section 2. Q.F. Cartridges
General...................................................................................................................................................... 31
Sub-division of cartridges ........................................................... 31
Design of cartridges .......................................................................................................................... 31
— V
Page
Section 3. Types of Q.F. (Separate loading) Cartridges
used in Field Branch Artillery Equipments
Q.F. 25 pr. gun................................................................................................................................... 32
Normal charges .......................................................................................................................... ... 32
Super charges ................................................................................................................................... 32
Increment charges .......................................................................................................................... 34
Issue and preparation ................................................................................................................. 34
Section 4. B.L. Cartridges
General ............................................................................................................................................ 33
Sub-division of cartridges ....................................................................................................... 35
Materials ............................................................................................................................................ 35
Diameter and length .................................................................... ............. ... ... ............. 35
Design of B.L. howitzer and gur^/howitzer cartridges ........................................................... 36
Arrangement of howitzer and gurj/howitzer cartridges ........................................................... 36
Section 5. Types used in Field Branch Artillery Equipments
B.L. 4.5 in.gun................................................................................................................................. 37
B.L. 3*5 in.gun.................................................................................................................................. 37
B.L. 7*2 in.howitzer......................................................................................................................... 39
Chapter 4
Means of Ignition
Section 1. Introduction
Ignition of the propellant charge ............................................................................................... 41
Section 2. Primers
General ............................................................................................................................................ 41
Percussion - description ... 41
Action ............................................................................................................................................ 43
Section 3. Tubes
General ............................................................................................................................................. 43
Percussion, S.A. cartridge ....................................................................................................... 43
Action .................... 43
Section 4. Igniters
General ............................................................................................................................................ 4^
— vi—
Chapter 5
Projectiles
Section 1 Introduction Page
General................................................................................................................................ 45
Component details......................................................................................................................................... 46
Projectiles - definitions ....................................................................................................................... 48
Section 2 The Shell
General............. .................................................................... ................................................. ••• 50
High explosive shell .......................................................................................................................... 50
Shell H.E. Nosed fuzed ................................................................................................................ 50
Shell, H.E. base fuzed 52
Carrier, shell ... .......................................................................................................................... 52
Shell, smoke, B.E. .......................................................................................................................... 52
Containers, smoke .......................................................................................................................... 54
Shell plugs in coloured smoke containers ...................................................................................... 54
Shell, flare ................................................................................................................................ 54
Shell, incendiary, B.E. ................................................................................................................... 54
Shell, chemical, B.E................................................................................................................................ 54
Shell, star, B.E. 54
Practice projectiles .......................................................................................................................... 55
Section 3 Shot
General...................................................................................................................................................... 55
Armour piercing ................................................................................................................................... 55
Armour piercing capped 55
Practice ............................................................................................................................................. 56
Proof ...................................................................................................................................................... 56
Paper ...................................................................................................................................................... 56
Chapter 6
Fuzes
Section i. Principles etc.
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 57
Forces ..................................................................................................................................................... 57
Mechanical devices .......................................................................................................................... 58
Other fuze components ......................................................................................................................... 64
Section 2. Types
Time fuzes ............................................................................................................................................. 66
Time and percussion fuzes ................................................................................................................. 67
Percussion fuzes ..................... 67
Base fuzes ............................................................................................................................................. 67
Proximity or variable time (V.T.) fuzes ........................................................................................ 67
—vii—
Section 3. Fuzing Procedure Page
General............................................................................................................................................ 68
Examination of fuzes ................................................................................................................... 68
Nature of shell normally issued fuzed or plugged ................................................. 70
Instructions for fuzing ........................................................................................................... 70
Preparation for firing ...............................................................................................................73
Prepare shell for return to vehicle ............................................................. 74
Section 4. Care, Preservation, faulty Ammunition and Prematures
Care of fuzes ........................................................................................................................... 74
Preservation................................................................................................................................... 73
Faulty anniunition ................................................................................................................... 75
Prematures ....................................................................................................................-. ... 76
Defective fuzes ................................................................................................................. ... 76
Unserviceable fuzes .............................................................................................................. 76
Chapter 7
Tracers and Tracer - and - Igniters
Section 1. General
Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 77
Classification ...................................................................................................................... 77
Section 2. Tracers, Shell
Description ...................................................................................................................... 77
Action ............................................................................................................. .................... 79
Section 3. Tracer-and-Igniters, Shell
Description .............................................................................................................................. 79
Action ............................ ..................................................... ............................................. 80
Section 4. Integral Tracers
Description .............................................................................................................................. 80
Chapter 8
Cartridges, Blank and Paper Shot
Section 1. Introduction
General....................................................................................................................................... 01
—viii—
Section 2. Types authorised for Field Branch Artillery Equipments
Page
Cartridge, blank...................................................................................................................................
Precautions to be observed when firing blank ammunition ........................................................... 82
Cartridge, paper shot .................................................................................................................. 82
Chapter 9
Drill Ammunition
Section 1. Introduction
General ............................................................................................................................................. 83
Section 2. Components
Drill cartridges................................................................................................................ 83
Drill projectiles ........................................................... ... .................................................. 86
Drill fuzes............................................................................................................................................. 87
Drill primers .................................................................................................................................... 87
Drill tubes - S.A. percussion .......................................................................................................... 88
Chapter 10
4.2 inch Mortar Ammunition
Section 1. Introduction
Equipment ............................................................................................................................................. 89
Ammunition .................................................................................................................................... ... 89
Waterproofing and rustproofing ........................................................................................................ 90
Clips safety pin special ................................................................................................................. 90
Cover, tail, M.L. 4.2 in. mortar ............................................................................................... 90
Spring, retaining cartridge augmenting ...................................................................................... 90
.Means of ignition ........................................................................................................................... 90
Section 2. Bombs
Bombs, S.B. M.L. H.E. streamline ............................................................................................... 91
Practice bombs ............. ................................................................................................................. 92
Section 3. Propellant Charges
Primary cartridges ........................................................................................................ ... ... 92
Augmenting cartridges....................................................................................................... ............. 94
Drill cartridges (primary and augmenting)...................................................................................... 94