Unknown Artillery Shell from 1917

[Lt. Martin]

I have this artillery shell in my collection that I got a few year ago.

It is dated 1917, and has what looks like 1 metal ring around the bottom.

I am not an expert on this at all, so do any of you know what it is?

I have a question though: Is it de-activated? It has 2 small holes drilled in the base, but they end after about half an inch, so what are those?


Thanks for the help,
Swayne

[Lt. Martin]

The numbers on the shell

[Lt. Martin]

Date and base

[Maarten]

I would not be very happy to have this one in my house. It looks like the bottom screw has not been out for a very long time. There is a chance that this one still has something inside.

[Maarten]

Edit: Double post.

[Lt. Martin]

So, it sounds like from what you said that the two holes have nothing to do with de-activation???

Thanks,
Swayne

[Maarten]

There would be a special key that fits in those two holes so that the bottom screw can be screwed out, but I would not recomment doing that. Becouse there could be an explosive/gas/phosphorous charge inside.

Maybe there are other guys who can give you more information about this grenade.

[Lt. Martin]

The shell feels too heavy to be empty, which makes me nervous.

Thanks,
Swayne

[uscob]

they are quite heavy, but I wouldn't find out if it's the empty or loaded weight. What I would do, is to find out if there's an ordnance depot nearby as they mostly have a demolition team with the right tools to open it. Maybe you're lucky and it's empty to keep it.

[Lt. Martin]

I will probably do that, but it is not that important to me because I only bought it for $25.

The people who deal with ordnance sometimes just blow it up to make sure there is nothing in it.

Thanks,
Swayne

[jiipee76]

Driving ring intact and bottom screw looks suspicious.

I would not recommend trying to open it.

[Alan Smith]

The EOD folks will not disarm the shell to create a souvenir for you: they will simply take it from you and it will be blown to pieces the next time they dispose of a pile of such items.

[Lt. Martin]

Thats exactly what I thought they would do.

It doesnt matter anyway, its not important to me.

How do you think I should contact them?

Thanks,
Swayne

[Jean-Loup]

I am curious about these shells with no forward detonator. How do they work?

About contacting the bomb squad, make sure you do so with tact so that your house is not considered a terrorist threat and your entire block isnt put under look down.

JL

[Lt. Martin]

I was also wondering about that.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Swayne