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37 MM Projectile

rhmc24
I have a 37 MM projectile, bullet, shell I would like to identify. Dimensions are ruler, scale and guestimate. I can furnish a photo if someone wishes more detail. Diameter approx 37 MM, length 4 7/8", pointed nose, flat base, solid hardened steel. Base has a drilled hole 1/2 dia by 7/8" deep. Up from the base about 1/8" is a machined in ring cut about 1/16" wide and .020" deep. Up from the base is a copper rifling belt about .060" larger than the steel diameter and one inch wide. There are 12 land impressions from having been fired. In the groove areas are remains of numbers and letters, incomplete and partially obliterated. Good paperweight. What, Who, When, Where, etc.??? Is there collector interest? Any info or opinions appreciated. Thanks
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8 comments

Date Votes
  • IAMACLONE_2
    Guessing, sounds like a milspec M79 gernade lancher round.
    Should be 42mm dia. if a M79.
    Never heard of a steel 37mm round being avilable to the public.
    Be careful this thing could be dangerious.
    I would advise getting rid of it, SAFELY!
    Walte
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  • p3skyking
    37 MM is a very common antitank round. I myself have a US, German, French, and Japanese 37mm. Several other countries used variations also.

    If you can provide a photo and show what markings remain, it would help greatly.

    Men have passed on...knowledge...yet in politcs, statecraft, and social relationships we continue to repeat old mistakes.
    It is a thing I must remember, that men must always remember, that civilization is a flimsy cloak, and just outside are hunger, thirst, and cold.....waiting. L'Amour
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  • 1KYDSTR
    I would doubt serously the this thing is live since, as you said, there are rifling impressions on the copper belt. I would still handle it with care, but would not be overly worried. Sorry I cannot help you with the designation, but would stil like to see a picture as I have several armour books (BIG tank fan!) at home, several of which have pictures of common rounds in them as well!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • Tailgunner1954
    See the website recogmended by Rufe-Snow on the "107.98 projectal" thread.

    Whittemore
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
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  • rhmc24
    I have a good photo of the projectile but unable to upload it. Anyone wanting to see it send me your email address and I will send it to you. Looking at the markings (I will put rr where the lands wipe out marks): LOTrr92-rr13rrrr25-rr12-rr- 3rrM - Lest anyone fret that this is a live round, it is solid steel. Also, it is about 37MM diameter which I measured with a millimeter steel scale.
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  • 1KYDSTR
    sure sounds like a high velocity AP round to me! Please check my profile for the e-mail address and forward if you get the chance! Thanks!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • rhmc24
    D@D volunteered to post my photo of the round which should show up soon. I did micrometer measurements which are: Root diameter 1.450" (36.83mm), OD of copper rifling belt 1.508", Length overall 4.818", weight 1 lb 14 oz advp., Rifling Clockwise from breech view. Triangle measured .084" by .765" (copper belt width) with which one can consult a trig table and figure the rifling pitch.
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  • heavyiron
    rhmc24,

    I also would like to see the picture when it is posted.

    I have two 37MM anti-tank cannon rounds in my collection. These are American and were used during WWII. The 37MM was the cannon used as the main gun on the Stuart Tank and was also a field piece often pulled by a jeep. This round had good trajectory relatively high velocity in its day and age.

    You may have a fired dummy/practice round. The practice rounds were made of solid steel and had a brass belt around the shell to pick up the cannon rifling. It is similar in appearance to a truncated cone type of bullet. The two I have are painted blue and are unfired. There were a lot of these in the scrap piles years ago as the government unloaded them to scrap metal dealers and steel mills.

    HI
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