Treatise on Ammunition, 1915

717 Pages·2016·42.72 MB·English

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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY.
NOTE.
The inkirmidion given in this Treatise
la not to be •ommuniesded, either directly
or indiveitly, to the Press, or to My
perS011 not holding an official position in
Ms Majesty's Servlek.
TREATISE
ON
A NI ill UNIrl'ION.
10th EDITION.
WAR OFFICE, 1915.
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LONDON:
PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE,
Br HARRISON A ►ND SONS, Sr. MARTIN'S UNE, W.C.,
PRI-NIERS IN ORDINARY TO His MAJESTY.
1915.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Preface to Tenth Edition viii
List of Plates ..,
,, Tables ... ••• vi
„ Abbreviations ... vii
Chapter I. General Remarks on Explosives 1
,
IL Gunpowder 4
III. Nitroglycerine 10
IV. Guncotton 12
IP
V. Cordite ... 26
VI. Miscellaneous ExpIosive=, 35
VII. Metals, Textile and Paper Goods, &c., also Terms used in
the Manufacture of Ammunition ,.. 47
VIII. Mines and Warheads 54
IX. Cartridges for B.L. and B.L.C. Gun and Howitzers 60
.• X. Packages for B.L. Cartridges. &c. 114
XI. Projectiles for B.L., B.L.C., Q.F. and Q.F.C. Guns and
B.L. and Q.F. Howitzers 140
XII. Hand Grenades 264
XIII. Percussion, Time and T. and P. Fuzes 266
XIV. Tubes ... 349
XV. Primers 376
XV I. Igniters, Torpedo :388
XVII. Cartridges for Q.F. and Q.E.C. Guns and Q.F, Howitzers 392
„ XVIII. Cartridges, Impulse, Torpedo 495
„ XIX. Implements and Stores, &c., used in carrying out Labora.
497
XX. Detonators and Electric Fuzes, &c. 611
11
XXI. Aiming Ride, Machine Gnn, and Small Arm Ammunitiii 527
„ XXII. Rockets and Lights, &c. 552
is 11123) Wt. w fi515-2475 :1000 8115 ti & S P 15/36
iii
LIST Or PLATES.
PAGE.
Service Guncotton Primers ... 16
Slabs ... ... ... 21
Mine, Spherical, Mark II 54
Cartridge, B.L., 2.75-inch, 7 ozs. 9 drs., Cordite, Size 7+,
Mark I I L I .. ... ... 66
60-pr., 9 lbs. 12 ozs., Cordite M.D.,
PP „
Size 16, Mark II I L I ... ... 68
„ „ 6-inch Gun, 23 lbs., Cordite M.D.,
Size 16, Mark III I C I ... ... 69
6-inch Gun, 23 lbs., Cordite M.D.,
77 „
Size 16, Mark II I C I ... ... 70
,,, „ 9.2-inch, 60 lbs., Cordite M.D., Size 37,
+ Charge, Mark III I C I ... ... 72
,-, „ 9.2-inch, 60 lbs., Cordite M.D., Size 37,
Mark II J C I , + Charge for Marks
IX and X Guns ... ... ... 73
„ 12-inch, 65 lbs., Cordite M.D., Size 45,
Mark I, f Charge ... ... ... 74
12-inch, 63+ lbs., Cordite M.D., Size 45,
„
Mark II, I Charge ... ... ... 74
9.2-inch, 51 lbs. 8 ozs., Cordite, Sizes
„
44 and 31, Mark I 1 C 1 .. ... 75
„ 6-inch, 30 cwts., Howitzer, 2 lbs. 8+ ozs.,
Cordite M.D., Size 41, Mark I ... 95
„ 5-inch, Howitzer, 11 ozs. 7 drs., Cordite,
Size 4, Mark V ... ... ... 96
Tracer, Shell, Night, Internal (Mark I) I C I or Shot ... 147
Types of Driving Bands ... ... ... ... ... 153
Shell, B.L., Conimon, 9.2-inch, Cast Steel, Mark V ... 159
Pointed, 9.2-inch, Cast Steel, Mark
f t 7P
IV I N I ... ... 162
12 and 14-prs., Mark II... 162
It 15 PP II
with Cap, 12-inch Heavy,
tt 55 P5 PP Mark VIII I N I ... 163
Armour Piercing, 9.2-inch, Mark III ... 168
„ „
, „ with Cap, 9.2-ineh, Mark V 169
„ „ B.L.C. or Q.F., Shrapnel, 15-pr. (Mark VI)
175
Q.F., Shrapnel, I3-pr., Mark III J L J ... ... 176
PP B.L., Shrapnel, 2.75-inch, Mark 1 ... 177
PI
Q.F., Shrapnel, and Tracer, 3-inch, Mark I ... 178
))
B.L., Shrapnel, 60-pr., Mark I ... 178
55
„ or Q.F., Shrapnel,. 6-inch Gun or Howitzer,
PO Cast Steel, Mark IX J C 180
„ Shrapnel, 9.2-inch, Cast Steel, Mark VIII ... 185
PP
v• PP Pf 12-inch, Heavy, Mark ID I N J ... 185a
Star, 10-pr. (Mark II) I L I 194
PP
ff 75 „ 6-inch Howitzer, Mark I ... 194
PP „ 60-pr., Common Lyddite, Mark III, Forged 207
„ Q.F. or Q.F.C., Common Lyddite, 6-inch Gun,
208
Common Lyddite, 6-inch Gun, Mark VIP, 208
•P
6-inch Gun, Mark
)5 PP „ XIPQNT ... 208
„ 12 and 14 pr., Mark IV ... 209
iv
PAGE.
Shell, Q.F., Common Lyddite, 3-pr., Mark V`T `?09
„ 12 and 14-pr., Mark 111 ... 209
„ B.L. Armour Piercing, with Cap, 9 .2-inch,
Mark VIII 1 L • 210
Shot, B.L., Case, 15 and 12-pr., Mark V ICI ... 227
Distinguishing Marks for Shot and Shell ... ... 237
ITand Grenade (Mark I) 4.. ... 264
Fuze, Percussion, Direct Action, No. 1, with Cap, Mark
III 272
with Cap, No. 17, Mark
77 III 276
Impact, Na. 13, Mark V 278
17
„ No. 18, Mark 11 279
Base, Large, Bronze, No. 15, Mark
III ICS ... ... 282
No. 11, Mark IV 1 C I ... 285
PI . „ „
Bronze, No. 16, Mark I ... 289
7, PP
„ Time, 15 Seconds, No. 25, Mark IV ... ••• 309
„
,, „ Sensitive, Middle, No. 24, Mark I ... ... 310
N'
No. 30, Mark II I ••. ••• 311
•••
9, and Percussion, No. 65e, Mark I I L I Metal 314
No. 63, Mark I I C I 316
l• „ „ 11
No. 60, Mark II I C I 317
77 PP I
No. 66, Mark IV IC 317
17 PP
No. 66, Mark I I L I 318
SP 11 n 1
No. 62, Mark L ?318
IP
Middle, No. . 54, Mark III
PP PP
o r - -•• 319
j
No. 64, Mark II I C 320
77 PV D. I
No. 80, Mark V L 1 322
VP I
No. 81, Mark I 1 N 327
*7 t, PP
No. 82, Mark III I L I 329
PP PP
No. 83, Mark I I L 332
17 „ P/ I
No. 84, Mark I I C 333
PI
Tube, V.S., Percussion, Mark VII I C I ... ... 353
Mark IV I C I ... ... 354
PP „ „
,., „ Electric Wireless, " P," Mark VI I C I 355
/7 1• IP PP " P," Mark V 1 C I 356
9.9. PS 17 " P," Mark ry ICI 357
„ „ " 8," Large, Mark I I N I ... 359
„ „ , " P," Mark VII I C I ... 360
I
„ Friction, T. (Mark IV) I L ..• .•• 367
I
„ Push, Mark I I L , Brass ... ... 369
Cartridge, Q.F. or Q.F.C., Primer, Electric, Large,
377
Primer, Percussion, Q.F. Cartridges, No. 1, Mark H I C I 379
No. 2, 'Mark III i C I 381
PP 17 „
Igniter, Torpedo, Mark IV ... ... ... ... .. 388
Cartridge, Q.F., 1-pr. ... ... ... ... 4.. 394
6,:pr., Cordite M.D., Steel Shell, MarkXIV 396
17 „
Mark XI 399
77 „p f 7 .,
,,. „ 13-pr., Shrapnel, Mark II ... ... 407
I
,-, „ 13-pr., Star Shell (Mark 1) L I ... 411
3-inch, Shrapnel Shell, Mark 1 ... ',.,... 413
PP „
12-pr., of 4 cwt, Filled 1 lb. 0 oz. 12 drs.,
IP „
Cordite M.D., Size 8, Mark 1 I N I ... 441
12-pr., of 12 cwt., Filled 2 lbs., Cordite
PI „ I
M.D., Size 11, Mark III C I
441
12-pr., of 12 cwt.. Filled 2 lbs., Cordite
PP pp
M.D., Size 11, Mark 1.1 ICI ...
V
PAGE.
Cartridge, Q.F., 12•pr„of 18 cwt.; Filled 2 lbs. 12 ozs. 2 dr•.,
Cordite M.D., Size 11, Mark II N 1 448
15-pr., Filled 1 lb. 2 ors. 10 dra, Cordite
„
M.D.T., Size 20-10, Mark III f L I ... 450
4-inch, Mark IV Gun, Filled 5 lbs, I oz.
17 „
12 drs., Cordite M.D., Size 15, Mark
INI 452
...
4-inch, Mark V Gun, Filled 7 Ibe. 11 oz.,
IP „ Cordite M.D., Size 16, Mark I N I ... 453
4.5-inch Howitzer, Filled 15 ozs. 14 drs.,
Cordite M.D., Sizes 21 and 41, Mark I
454
.• „ 4.7•inch, Marks I to IV* Guns, Filled
2 lbs. 51 ozs., Cordite, Size 74. Mark IV
455
Cartridges, Q.E., for Paper Shot ... ... 459
Blank, 3-pr. and 6-pr. ... 167
11. „ „ 18-pr., Mark II ... 470
PP PP
I2-pr., of 8 cwt. ... 471
PP 71 „
12•pr., of 12 cwt. 471
PP 71 „
4-7-inch ... ... 473
JP 71,
or Q.F.C. Drill... ... - 484
17Cartri dge, Im„pu lse, Torpedo, 10 oz., Mark IA I N ./ 495
I
Detonator, Electric, No. 13, Mark III L) 516
„ No. 9, Mark IV 1 N I 517
PP
Fuze. Electric, No. 14, Mark IIIIL I ... 525
, No. 19, Mark III N I ... ... 526
71
Cartridge, Aiming Rifle, 1-inch, Electric, Mark V... ... 527
1-inch, Electric, Cordite, Mark I
,P PP PP
1 C I ... ... • ... ... 628
1-inch, Percussion, Mark I I L / 529
11
S.A. Ball, •303-inch, Mark VII I C I ... ... 531
fl '
Mark VI I C ... ... 532
IP PP
„ Blank, .303-inch, without Bullet, Mark V
PP
1 C 1 ... ... ... ... ... 632
„ Ball, Pistol, Webley, Mark II I C 1 ... 536
14
„ „ Self-Loading, Webley and
PI -PP
Scott, •455-inch, Mark I
... 637
Distinguishing Marks for S.A. unition Boxes ... 642
Rocket, Life Saving ... ... ... ... ... ... 555
„ Signal, 1 lb., Service ... ... 558
„ Sound, & lb., Mark III ... ... 564
LIST OF TABLES.
TABLE. PAGE.
1. Powders for Shell Filling 7
2. Dry Guncotton Primers 19
3. Wet Guncotton Slabs ... ... ... ... ... 25
4. Combustible Compositions for Laboratory Stores ... 43
5. Non-combustible Compositions for Laboratory Stores 50
6. Warheads for Torpedoes ... ... ... ... 57
7. Standardized Igniters ... ... ... ... 64
8. Cordite Cartridges for B.L. and B.L.C. Guns 78
„9. „ Howitzers... ... 100
„
10. Powder Cartridges for Paper Shot ... ... ... ... 112
11. Blank Cartridges for B.L. and B.L.C. Guns and Howitzers 113
12. Cylinders, Cartridge ... ... ... ... 134
13. Cases, Powder, Cylindrical ... 136
14.''' „ „ Rectangular ... ... ... 137
15. Ordnance Firing Heavy and Light Projectiles 142
16. Dead Weight limits of Shell ... ... ... ... ... ... 145
17. Shell, B.L., B.L.C., Q.F. or Q.F.C., Common Pointed and Common
Pointed with Cap ... ... ... ... ... 164
18. Shell, B.L. or Q.F., Armour Piercing and A.P. with Cap 170
19. „ „ B.L.C. Q.F., or Q.F.C., Shrapnel ... 186
20. „ „ „ or Q.F., Star ... ... 197
21. Long Exploders, Lyddite Shell ... 205
22.7Exploders T.N.T., Lyddite Shell ... ... ... 206
23. Shell, B.L., B.L.C., Q.F. or Q.F.C., Common Lyddite 212
24. Shot, B.L. and Q.F. Case ... ... 231
25. Packing of Projectiles ... ... ... 244
26. Base Fuzes, Nos. 11, 12, 15 and 16 ... 295
27. Percussion Fuzes used in Land Service 301
28. „ ,, „ Naval Service ... ... 304
29. Time Fuzes used in Land and Naval Services ••• 312
30. T. and P. Fuzes used in Land Service ... 334
31. „ „ „ Naval Service ... ... 337
32. Igniters used in R.G.F. and R.N.T.F. Heater Torpedoes 390
33. „ „ Fiume and Weymouth „ , „ 391
34. Q.F. Ammunition, Fixed ... ... 420
35. „ o Separate ... ... 460
36. Q.F. Powder Cartridges for Paper Shot 466
37. Q.F. Blank Cartridges. ... ... ... 474
38. Cartridges, Impulse, Torpedo ... 496
39. Detonators and Electric Fuzes... ... ... 511
40. Bridges for Electric Detonators and Fuzes ... ... ... 520
41. Packages for Cartridges, Aiming Rifle, S.A., and M.G. (Ball) 548
42. „ „ „ „ „ „ (Blank) 551
43. Rockets, Signal ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 562
44. Rockets, Light ; Sound ; Light and Sound ; Flash and Sound 568
45. Tin Cylinders with Contents ... ... ... ... ... 574
vii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
A.C. Adjusted Charge.
A.O. Army Order.
A.O.S. Regulations for Army Ordnance Services.
A.P. Armour-Piercing.
A.P.0 Armour-Piercing, Capped.
B.L.I Breech Loading.
B.L.C. Breech Loading Converted.
I C. I Common to both Land and Naval Service.
C.E. Composition Exploding (or Tetryl).
C.S. Cast Steel.
C.F. Common Pointed.
C.P.C. Common Pointed, Capped.
C.I. Cast Iron.
C.F. Central Fire.
ZD.T. Day Tracer.
F.S. Field Service or Forged Steel.
F.G. Fine Grain.
F. of M. Fulminate of Mercury.
G.G. Gardner-Gatling.
G.S. General Service.
fs. Feet per Second.
H.A. High Angle.
H.E. High Explosive.
L.S. or I L. I Land Service.
L.G. Large Grain.
M.G. Machine Gun.
M.H. Martini-Henry.
M.L. Metal Lined.
M.D. Modified Cordite.
M.D.T. Modified Tubular Cordite.
M.D.S. Modified Strip Cordite.
M.V. Muzzle Velocity.
N.S. or I N. I Naval Service.
N.T. Night Tracer.
Q.F. Quick Firing.
Q.F.C. Quick Firing Converted.
R.F.G. Rifled Fine Grain.
R.F. Rim Fire.
R.L. Royal Laboratory.
S.F. and A.W. Small Flange and Above Water.
S.V. Specific Volume.
S.V. Striking Velocity.
S.F.G.' Sulphurless Fine Grain.
T.N.T. Tri-nitro-toluene (or Trotyl).
V.S. Vent Sealing.
W.I. Wrought Iron.
§ Paragraph in List of Changes.
PREFACE TO TENTH EDITION.
The matter in this edition IS CONFIDENTIAL attention is directed
;
to the note on the title page.
An attempt has been made in this edition to make the Treatise
on Ammunition as complete as possible.
Chapters have been added describing the materials used in the
manufacture of ammunition, and technical manufacturing terms are
explained.
Most of the text has been rewritten and brought up to date, and
the amount of matter increased.
The number of plates has been increased from 94 to 117, and a
large number of new wood-cuts added.
Most of the tables and descriptions of packages and " Implements
Ammunition " have been placed at the end of the chapters to which
they refer, thus avoiding a mass of tables at the end of the Treatise.
This edition has been prepared by the Instructional Staff
(Ammunition Branch) of the Ordnance College, who desire to
acknowledge with thanks the assistance given by the staffs of the
Chief Inspector, Woolwich, and of the Superintendent, Royal
Laboratory.
Ammunition Branch,
Ordnance College.
1st August, 1914.
The information given in this Treatise is not to be regarded as an
authority for demand, issue, or condemnation of Stores.
(N.B.—This edition is corrected up to 1st August, 1914. As
some typographical errors may have occurred in publication,
it is requested that, should any be discovered, they may
at once be pointed out in writing to the Secretary, War
Office, S.W.)
TREATISE ON AMMUNITION.
(NOTE.—For the regulations as to handling, making up, inspection,
packing, and marking of ammunition, see Regulations for Army
Ordnance Services, Part II. For the regulations affecting the classifi-
cation and storage of explosives, see Regulations for Magazines, cfc.)
CHAPTER I.—GENERAL REMARKS ON EXPLOSIVES.
COMPOSITION ; SERVICE EXPLOSIVES ; CHARACTERISTICS.
(Far further details, see Text Book of Service Explosives.)
Explosives can be made by forming intimate mechanical mixtures
of the combustible and the oxygen supplying substance or by causing
oxygen to enter into chemical combination with such elements as
nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon, &c.
Gunpowder is an example of the mixture type of explosive, gun-
cotton is a chemical compound, and cordite is a mixture of two chemical
compounds.
Most of the chemical compound type of explosives are nitro com-
pounds. In these, oxygen is held in unstable chemical combination
with nitrogen. The application of heat upsets the stability, and the
oxygen set free forms new combinations, usually gaseous, with the
other constituents of the explosive.
When this chemical action takes place great heat is evolved and
considerable expansion of the products of combustion takes place.
The quicker the action and the greater the heat evolved the more
violent the explosion.
(B 11123) A
2
The explosives commonly met with in the service are gunpowder,
cordite, guncotton, lyddite, picric powder, trinitrotoluene, fulminate
of mercury and composition exploding.
Explosives may be divided into three classes :-
(1) Propellants.
(2) Disruptives or High Explosives.
(3) Detonators.
(1)This class includes gunpowder, cordite, and all explosives used
for the firing of projectiles.
These explosives are intended to act very much more slowly than
those in Classes 2 and 3.
The inertia of the projectile has to be overcome gradually , other-
-
wise the projectile or gun may be strained or fractured. The rate of
burning can be to sonic extent regulated by altering the composition,
moisture, density, size of grain or cord, &c.
Explosion is very rapid combustion.—Combustion is the oxidation
of such elements as carbon, hydrogen, &c., contained in the substance ;
if the oxidising process is moderately slow it is called burning, if very
rapid, explosion.
The rate of combustion of an explosive is affected principally by
pressure and the amount of area exposed ; the action takes place on
the surface only.
The higher the pressure the more rapid the explosion.
For example, a cordite cartridge ignited in the open burns away
rapidly but harmlessly, but if it is confined so that the gaseous products
formed cause the pressure to rise, explosion takes place.
The greater the area exposed the more rapid is the explosion.
A cartridge made up of small size cordite burns faster than one
of equal weight made up of large size sticks, because the igniting
flame can act on a greater surface or 3arger number of particles at the
same time.
(2)This class includes guncotton, dynamite, lyddite, &c. These
explosives are intended to detonate, though most of them can be made
to simply explode, or even burn, but they cannot be used as propellants,
whereas some of the latter may be made to act as disruptives. (See
Cordite.)
Detonation is a different action from explosion, for whereas in
the latter combustion is confined to the surface and takes place layer
by layer, in the case of detonation the action takes place instantane-
ously throughout the whole mass of the substance,
Detonation is a wave action, and the detonating wave will pass
through space and through solids.
An explosive, when detonated, is considerably more powerful than
when simply exploded.
The usual means of securing detonation of a high explosive is by
igniting a small quantity of fulminate of mercury in contact with it ;
but a blow, friction, or a sudden rise in temperature, will in some
cases cause detonation.
The speed of detonation varies with the different disruptives and