Archived Posts » 59,726,163
help ID these 20mm rounds
11/29/2011 1:31:23 PM
Buddy found them at an antique store and got them for like $1 a pop. He is a cartridge collector so he is super stoked.
I see the blue ones are marked incendiary, Shit are these even legal?
cheers
12/5/2011 6:58:39 PM
Pretty cool find for an antique store !
12/6/2011 3:55:07 PM
Could you let us know what thw markings on the projectiles are?
Also any headstamps?
Also any headstamps?
12/7/2011 4:18:53 PM
First my qualifications. I am a retired USAF armament systems specialist and have loaded more that a billion rounds of 20mm ammo in my day.
BE CAREFUL! 20mm is most commonly electrically primed, static electricity can set the ammo off.
That stuff is old. The lower two appear to be be OLD TP ammo. The projectile in those are no more dangerous than the ammo you shoot all the time. The dead giveaway is the blue color. I am shocked they are mark as incendiary. BLUE is the color for inert.
The other two look like HEI! Get rid of that stuff by contacting a local LEO or contact a close military base for EOD to dispose of it safely. That crap could go boom with little warning based on the apparent age. It arms by the spin of the round as it is fired but don't trust it to have been handled safely over it's lifetime.
My guess is M56. Not safe for keeping around the house based on the electric primers.
They are not legal.
I have wonder if the blue color was really green a long time ago and faded. That COULD indicate white phosphorus.
BE CAREFUL! 20mm is most commonly electrically primed, static electricity can set the ammo off.
That stuff is old. The lower two appear to be be OLD TP ammo. The projectile in those are no more dangerous than the ammo you shoot all the time. The dead giveaway is the blue color. I am shocked they are mark as incendiary. BLUE is the color for inert.
The other two look like HEI! Get rid of that stuff by contacting a local LEO or contact a close military base for EOD to dispose of it safely. That crap could go boom with little warning based on the apparent age. It arms by the spin of the round as it is fired but don't trust it to have been handled safely over it's lifetime.
My guess is M56. Not safe for keeping around the house based on the electric primers.
They are not legal.
I have wonder if the blue color was really green a long time ago and faded. That COULD indicate white phosphorus.
12/8/2011 5:34:52 AM
Keep in mind, the color code info stated above only applies to US/NATO ammo.
Other countries use different colors.
Nomenclature, and headstamps are your best bet for proper ID.
Other countries use different colors.
Nomenclature, and headstamps are your best bet for proper ID.
1/10/2012 4:59:52 PM
IF those top two are 'spin armed' then aren't they effectively "safe" until they are spun at super-high RPM? I'd check further before I went to hand ammo over to anyone from the GOV. They generally aren't there to help and shucks, those rounds could come in handy some day. (For Deer hunting, yea...for that.)
1/10/2012 6:51:49 PM
Originally Posted By ErikS:
First my qualifications. I am a retired USAF armament systems specialist and have loaded more that a billion rounds of 20mm ammo in my day.
BE CAREFUL! 20mm is most commonly electrically primed, static electricity can set the ammo off.
That stuff is old. The lower two appear to be be OLD TP ammo. The projectile in those are no more dangerous than the ammo you shoot all the time. The dead giveaway is the blue color. I am shocked they are mark as incendiary. BLUE is the color for inert.
The other two look like HEI! Get rid of that stuff by contacting a local LEO or contact a close military base for EOD to dispose of it safely. That crap could go boom with little warning based on the apparent age. It arms by the spin of the round as it is fired but don't trust it to have been handled safely over it's lifetime.
My guess is M56. Not safe for keeping around the house based on the electric primers.
They are not legal.
I have wonder if the blue color was really green a long time ago and faded. That COULD indicate white phosphorus.
First my qualifications. I am a retired USAF armament systems specialist and have loaded more that a billion rounds of 20mm ammo in my day.
BE CAREFUL! 20mm is most commonly electrically primed, static electricity can set the ammo off.
That stuff is old. The lower two appear to be be OLD TP ammo. The projectile in those are no more dangerous than the ammo you shoot all the time. The dead giveaway is the blue color. I am shocked they are mark as incendiary. BLUE is the color for inert.
The other two look like HEI! Get rid of that stuff by contacting a local LEO or contact a close military base for EOD to dispose of it safely. That crap could go boom with little warning based on the apparent age. It arms by the spin of the round as it is fired but don't trust it to have been handled safely over it's lifetime.
My guess is M56. Not safe for keeping around the house based on the electric primers.
They are not legal.
I have wonder if the blue color was really green a long time ago and faded. That COULD indicate white phosphorus.
This.
OP, you're going to want to get rid of those. I'd also especially ignore anybody who wants to "help" by taking them off your hands, etc. You never know who is a goobermint/ATF plant and who isn't. Especially people with only one post to their name.
Seriously, call somebody in .mil EOD and have them look at them. White phos, HE/I, and old electronic primers aren't best left laying about in your home–– no matter where one stands on "eventually needing them," etc.
Mike
1/10/2012 8:11:37 PM
Those are sweet! I wish I could have picked those up, are you sure they haven't been fired already?
1/11/2012 7:19:56 PM
On 2nd thought , They look pretty old and possibly live .I wouldn't want to go around it . That's one of those things that seem pretty cool at first , but could turn into more worry than it's worth , not to mention the hassle of where to get rid of them . Still pretty cool rounds though , best of luck . 
1/11/2012 7:34:22 PM
Can we get a pic of the headstamp?
1/24/2012 12:01:31 AM
Could you please post what the writing is on the projectiles as well as the head stamp?
1/24/2012 12:48:59 AM
Originally Posted By ErikS:
First my qualifications. I am a retired USAF armament systems specialist and have loaded more that a billion rounds of 20mm ammo in my day.
BE CAREFUL! 20mm is most commonly electrically primed, static electricity can set the ammo off.
That stuff is old. The lower two appear to be be OLD TP ammo. The projectile in those are no more dangerous than the ammo you shoot all the time. The dead giveaway is the blue color. I am shocked they are mark as incendiary. BLUE is the color for inert.
The other two look like HEI! Get rid of that stuff by contacting a local LEO or contact a close military base for EOD to dispose of it safely. That crap could go boom with little warning based on the apparent age. It arms by the spin of the round as it is fired but don't trust it to have been handled safely over it's lifetime.
My guess is M56. Not safe for keeping around the house based on the electric primers.
They are not legal.
I have wonder if the blue color was really green a long time ago and faded. That COULD indicate white phosphorus.
First my qualifications. I am a retired USAF armament systems specialist and have loaded more that a billion rounds of 20mm ammo in my day.
BE CAREFUL! 20mm is most commonly electrically primed, static electricity can set the ammo off.
That stuff is old. The lower two appear to be be OLD TP ammo. The projectile in those are no more dangerous than the ammo you shoot all the time. The dead giveaway is the blue color. I am shocked they are mark as incendiary. BLUE is the color for inert.
The other two look like HEI! Get rid of that stuff by contacting a local LEO or contact a close military base for EOD to dispose of it safely. That crap could go boom with little warning based on the apparent age. It arms by the spin of the round as it is fired but don't trust it to have been handled safely over it's lifetime.
My guess is M56. Not safe for keeping around the house based on the electric primers.
They are not legal.
I have wonder if the blue color was really green a long time ago and faded. That COULD indicate white phosphorus.
Some are "dual fuze" AKA Self Destruct, impact in front and timed in rear...if the projectile is pulled, while it might take some effort to set the impact fuze...it is not the case for the timed (rear) one
1/26/2012 5:44:47 PM
Really?? I work with these rounds EVERY day! There is almost a ZERO chance of those rounds spontaneously going off! Electric primers are completely LEGAL! Those look to be inert rounds. The fuze is not even correct for the HEI round. Static electricity has no chance of setting those off. For loading a billion rounds you sure have no clue what you're talking about! HEI is legal as well...this is how rumors are spread. By the way those are 20 x 110mm
1/26/2012 5:49:20 PM
Originally Posted By 145MMSOP:
Really?? I work with these rounds EVERY day! There is almost a ZERO chance of those rounds spontaneously going off! Electric primers are completely LEGAL! Those look to be inert rounds. The fuze is not even correct for the HEI round. Static electricity has no chance of setting those off. For loading a billion rounds you sure have no clue what you're talking about! HEI is legal as well...this is how rumors are spread. By the way those are 20 x 110mm
Really?? I work with these rounds EVERY day! There is almost a ZERO chance of those rounds spontaneously going off! Electric primers are completely LEGAL! Those look to be inert rounds. The fuze is not even correct for the HEI round. Static electricity has no chance of setting those off. For loading a billion rounds you sure have no clue what you're talking about! HEI is legal as well...this is how rumors are spread. By the way those are 20 x 110mm
HEI's legality depends on the amount of explosive. They may very well be a DD in and of themselves. Therefore, posession of said unregistered DD would be a felony count...PER HE round.
1/26/2012 11:13:06 PM
I know the ATF code. I deal with this stuff on a daily basis. There is not a 1/4 ounce of "explosive"in in those rounds.
1/30/2012 1:31:08 PM
Originally Posted By 145MMSOP:
I know the ATF code. I deal with this stuff on a daily basis. There is not a 1/4 ounce of "explosive"in in those rounds.
I know the ATF code. I deal with this stuff on a daily basis. There is not a 1/4 ounce of "explosive"in in those rounds.
Are there 20mm HEI rounds with 1/4 ounce of explosive and therefore a DD? If there is, how do you tell the difference?
