***please delete***

OK...I kept Googling, and the weight was a tip-off. Appears to be from an "18 Pounder", British Artillery, etc. Still not clear on what type this is, why it might be stamped "1914 WAR", as I doubt any that were made for battle were stamped that way. A souvenir maybe? Mostly curious about whether or not it's inert/safe...then...what exactly it might be, how it ended-up in someone's house, etc.
 
No 100 I is No. 100 Mk 1 Percussion Fuze which was used on a variety of shells including the 18 Pounder High Explosive Shell. The 18 Pdr shell is 83mm / 84mm in diameter.

The shell you have is unfired, the driving band (Copper band) has not been engraved by the rifling. I have not seen a base like that one before on 18 Pdr shells. I would have to get into the books to positively ID it.

There is no way to tell if it is actually inert from a visual inspection of the exterior.
 
armycat said:
No 100 I is No. 100 Mk 1 Percussion Fuze which was used on a variety of shells including the 18 Pounder High Explosive Shell. The 18 Pdr shell is 83mm / 84mm in diameter.

The shell you have is unfired, the driving band (Copper band) has not been engraved by the rifling. I have not seen a base like that one before on 18 Pdr shells. I would have to get into the books to positively ID it.

There is no way to tell if it is actually inert from a visual inspection of the exterior.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input armycat~I'd appreciate any additional information you can drum-up. I did see lots of "battlefield finds" photos while Googling, and noticed the ones that had been fired are marked deeply by the rifling. With this weighing the full 18 pounds, it's what has me wondering whether or not it's filled with something I'd rather not have in my house!
 
Generally, a scale is only accurate in the center band of it's range so I wouldn't count on the 18pd reading of a bathroom scale.

If the fuze unscrews, open it and check to see if it's filled. Even if empty you still have to worry about the fuze.

If you can't open it, I would suggest calling it in to get rid of it. 18pr shells aren't that rare as to make it worth the risk.
 
In the second last photo, the marks look like the tip to tip broadarrow sale marks. If so, these, along with the 1914 WAR mark could indicate that it was a curio.

But if you cannot confirm that the shell and fuse are inert, don't assume that they are.
 
tiriaq said:
In the second last photo, the marks look like the tip to tip broadarrow sale marks. If so, these, along with the 1914 WAR mark could indicate that it was a curio.

But if you cannot confirm that the shell and fuse are inert, don't assume that they are.
Click to expand...

^this is what I'm thinking...but I want to be sure. And yes...even though this got knocked around by a shop door for several decades, I don't want to simply assume it's a safe thing to have sitting on my shelf.

Anybody know who I might contact?
 
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