Artillery shell id.

No stamped markings on the head?

It would be very unusual if it doesn't have the makers name & date, etc, stamped on the rim.

rc

I think I have the mate to it. I will take some pics and measurements tomorrow. I also have a wood and steel practice dummy the same dimensions. 3" 50 cal sounds like a naval designation. Any squids out there?

Pretty neat find, especially for ten bucks!!! I have a friend who lives in the country and has the projectiles from a naval 16" gun on either side of the steps leading up to his front porch. Word is they were from the USS Colorado by way of the Governor at some far past moment.

Naval guns are designated by the bore and the length of the barrel in calibers, in this case 3". So a 3 inch, 50 Caliber would be a gun with a bore of (approximately) three inches, and a barrel 50 times 3 inches or 12.5 feet long.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3″/50_caliber_gun for a pretty good artlicle and pictures.

Jim

The 3 inch 50 refers to both the bore and the length in calibers of the barrel. The 3 inch is the nominal caliber of the round. The barrel is 50 calibers (150 inches) long. The round is typically considered an anti aircraft round. The nomenclature is typical Navy.

My entire naval career lasted the length of my third class midshipman's cruise. Ships were assigned by academic standing. I ended up on the USS Schenectady, a LST (Landing Ship, Tank or large slow target). The gator navy was significantly down the pecking order - this should tell you about my grades. The entire offensive capability of the LST was the embarked Marines. The 3" 50's had a small problem of being not able to train or elevate fast enough to hit a plane. Likewise, if either of the two single mounts were fired, the ship basically had to recalibrate due to the shock through the aluminum superstructure. Finally, both were aft facing. This did not bode well for a ship designed to beach if need be.

One of the single most terrifying things I did, was approach the Chiefs' mess. I found the Gunnery Chief, and plead. He took pittance on me. The 3" 50 brass he gave me was a gift I carried home from the Philippines to my Dad, a former Navy Weapons Officer during WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. Before thinking Dad was the Hero I always thought of him, he successfully defended San Diego, Kansas and Dallas during his career.

The following should be representative:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/3"/50_caliber_gun

picture 2

picture 3

Yep, 3" 50 cal. They were disappearing off navy ships before WWII, but some hung around. This one came off of the USS Vestal (yea the one moored next to the USS Arizona).

My grandfather started the project and intended to finish it after he retired. Then Pearl Harbor, and he went back into the navy. He died in late 1942.

It sat around unfinished from 1941 until 1978 when I completed it.

The shell case was filled with wet sand, then the pattern was hand punched into it. The base is Philippine mahogany. It had a varnish of some sort on it that was a bear to remove. It's been coated in urethane.

The "bullet" is a bronze practice round (no explosives) that was hollowed out, I'd like to see some of today's "machinists" do that without a CNC.

Very interesting thread. I bought my empty at a flea market in Buffalo Gap, Texas for $15.00. Wish I knew how it got this far inland! It is marked 3 In. 50 Cal Mk7 Mod 1-NS-12-1942 URD US(anchor emblem) Lot 103. I presume 12-1942 was the manufacture date.
The wood and steel dummy was at a surplus store near Midland, Texas, even farther inland. It is marked 3" Dummy Cartridge Mk 6 50 Cal. VMC 1944. I wanted to find three more and use them for table legs but haven't seen others for a reasonable price.
I have tried to rotate the pic without success, sorry.

I have one that has a case length of 24" with an additional 13" added to the length of the case. Not fair, no markings and or stenciled information. The diameter is 4,130" (with limited light) and when fired from a tank it kicks up a lot of dust.

F. Guffey