Empty 105mm howitzer steel casing

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Rick M

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Hi folks... perhaps a silly question but is it safe to attempt to remove the fuse section of an empty 105MM HOWITZER M2A1 M2A2 M103 Steel Casing? I have a project that the casing would be perfect for but am hesitent to start pounding on this thing to remove the rod. I have a feeling that once it has been fired it is harmless but I just need to confirm.

Rick
 
Assuming the projectile is from the type of 105mm howitzer we were issued.

The fuse unscrews.

You need a tool to fit into the twin slots on opposite sides of the fuse. The tool looks similar to a tuning fork.

Under the fuse you will find a tin of black powder and under that, the main
explosive charge.

The tin may be rusted in place, avoid any sparks while removing.

Pictures would help.

If there is any possibility the projectile is alive, leave it alone !
 
Rick M said:
Hi folks... perhaps a silly question but is it safe to attempt to remove the fuse section of an empty 105MM HOWITZER M2A1 M2A2 M103 Steel Casing? I have a project that the casing would be perfect for but am hesitent to start pounding on this thing to remove the rod. I have a feeling that once it has been fired it is harmless but I just need to confirm.
Click to expand...

There shouldn't be a "fuze" in the empty, fired case.
 
Try soaking the inside of the casing w/ hot water and toilet bowl cleaner. After, wiggle the "rod" side to side in both directions. After while it should, hopefully, screw out.
Clint
 
Inside, there is just a burnt out rod. This casing seems like it has been fired... or so I am told. There is a dimple in the contact area, if that is any indication.

Can I clamp onto the rod inside with vicegrips to unscrew it?

When i'm back inside, I will post pics.

Thanks so far.
 
Here's a couple of pics of blank 105mm casings. They're the same, just 1/3 of the length

CIMG0074_zpsaae35cd6.jpg


The 1st casing is fired. 2nd one has been cleaned and shined up for an "award".

CIMG0075_zps7ff6a87d.jpg


The rod is threaded into the casing

Clint
 
I have two of these shells one with the primer in and a fully polished with it out. The polished one is smooth not threaded and the dirty one has no way to screw out the existing primer. It seems they are pressed in. I have a buddy who is an ammo tech I will give him a shout and find out how to extract the primer.

Rick
 
The rod held a charge of black powder to set off the cordite bags in the casing.
There were 7 charges to vary the range, you always used the least number of charge bags to hit the target.
All the casings I dealt with were brass, only the projectile was steel.
 
Well... I survived the extraction. Yes, I believe it was the primer. Just like the one on the left in Clint's pic. I put a pair of vicegrips on the end and unscrewed the post. It went off without a bang, so to speak.

Thanks.
 
Sorry if I am butchering the lingo, folks.

The purpose of this project is to make a canister to hold thermal insulative material called perlite. I am a bladesmith and use this set up to anneal my steel. Slow cooling steel from red hot allows me to drill, machine and generally work it much more easily with less wear on my tools. So basically, I heat a blade blank to red and shove it down into the perlite. I have been using a metal bucket but found it too big for my needs.... besides being more compact, the empty shell is simply packed full of awesome.

I notice you have a knife sub-forum..... coooooool.

and a wilderness survival section.... sweeeeeet.

Rick
 
Very interesting! I have 1972 dated 105 casing that is full length brass, once fired (do they reload these?) and has a long flash tube in it. With a flash light you can see it is perforated. I gently put some vice grips to it but it's in there pretty solid and doesn't feel like it wants to turn.
 
hard to turn a tube inside a tube, especially considering most cases start as a flat sheet.

like this only bigger, the case is then drilled/tapped for the flash tube, this causes a better burn pattern increasing pressure curve, and reducing SD's
 
teenahlake said:
hard to turn a tube inside a tube, especially considering most cases start as a flat sheet.
Click to expand...

You're right, turning the tube inside a tube is the trick! I can get on the end of the flash tube with a set of vice grips but I didn't want to risk squishing it so wasn't able to grab it tight enough to turn in either direction without the vice grips starting to slip. The holes in the flash tube seem to be drilled clean right through both sides so I may be able to put a 2" or 3" nail through the flash tube and use that to torque on. I'd like to be able to disassemble this casing slightly but if it's not meant to be, oh well. Makes a great door stop either way!
 
im sure they reload them the do have extra primers for these things for a reason well maybe not the 105mm but some of the older smaller tank/anti tsank gun rounds try finding powder and primers for those
 
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