I bought this casing and shell today at a flea market but after several hours looking online I can't find another projectile like it. The metal casing says On the top it says 37 mm Mark III A2, Lot247 And under that F. A. E. D. B 1.457 IN SUB CAL GUN The projectile says 1.7 smoke shell MK II There are 2 1/8 inch holes 1858 8 24 HYATT U. M. CORP Thank you for any help you can give me
I don't mean to appear rude, but do you know how to use a search engine? Searching google for the text" 1.457 IN SUB CAL GUN" will tell you much of what you want to know as well as introducing you to other people who collect cartridge cases. http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/70566-WW1-37mm-Sub-Calibre-Brass-Case Sub calibre rounds are fired by a sub calibre device that fits into the breach of an artillery piece. They allow gun detachments, observers and fire control technicians to practice firing drills and target engagement , but without the expense and barrel wear of using live ammunition or the need to clear an extensive danger area. This was particularly useful for coastal artillery.
Not sure there were many British 37mm guns, they tended to favour the 2lb / 40mm calibre, so it could be ammo for a US 37mm gun of a lend lease tank. Are you sure it's 1858 and not 1958 ? A picture would help a lot, could "sub cal gun" refer to a littlejohn adapter ?
Ditto 1958 would seem more logical than 1858 . U.S. 37MM standards were based on French WW1 shells , so 1858 would seem most unlikely because those days the U.S. used canons balls.
My iPhone will not let me copy the picture. I will look into the Coast Guard idea I've spent many hours Looking this up thank you for your input