Handbook of Enemy Ammunition, Part 5; German 2 cm Cartridges

HANDBOOK OF ENEMY AMMUNITION

PAMPHLET No. 5

GERMAN SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION, GREANDES AND
DEMOLITION CHARGES

SOLOTHURN TYPES

Cases and Caps

The case is necked and rimless and has a belt of high diameter formed in front of the groove near the base. The usual cap chamber with anvil and two fire channels is formed in the base. Cases may be of brass of of steel. The steel cases are lacqured internally and externally. Brass cases are attached to the projectile by indenting or rolling of the neck into the cannelure formed in the projectile. Steel cases are not secured in this way and appears to rely upon being a close fit. The cap annulus, with all types, is black. Steel cases may also be coppered or gliding.

The cap is of brass and is not secured by ringing of stabbing. The cap composition is the same as that used in the 7.92-mm cartridge. The composition is varnished on the surface and covered by a foil disc which is kent in position by a thin brass sleeve fitting tightly into the wall of the cap. The weight of the composition is approximately 0.7 grains.

Propellant Charges

The propellant consists of irregular tubular grains of nitrocellulose powder, which are graphited. The approximate dimensions of the grains in inches, are: length 0.08, external diameter 0.054, internal diameter 0.01. The composition consists basically of approxima-tely 93 per cent of nitrocellulose (nitrogen content 13.27 per cent) stabilized with diphe-nylamine and moderated with centralite. Potassium sulphate is also included and in some instances camphor.

Natrue and Fuze	Projectile markings		Projectile Weights		Propellant N.C. Flakes	Trace Colour	Cartridge Wt.	Fig. No.
	Body	Bands	Filling	Total	Propellant N.C. Flakes		Cartridge Wt.
	Body	Bands	Filling	grains	grains		grains
H.E./T. (S.D.) A.Z. 5045	Yellow	––	96 grains P.E.T.N./Wax	1775	618	Pale green	4676	26
H.E./T. (S.D.) S/L A.Z. 5045	Yellow	0.08 inch red above driving band*	94 grains P.E.T.N./Wax	1840	564	Pale green	4678	27
H.E./I./T. (S.D.) S/L A.Z. 5045	Yellow	0.24 inch black 0.8 inches above driving band	105 grains P.E.T.N./Wax and Aluminium flake	1837	564	Pale green	4480	––
A.P./I./T.	Black Sten-cilled "Ph" in white	0.2 inch yellow above driving band	42 grains phos-phorus	2260	564	Pale green	4946	28
A.P./T. (Filled Sulphur)	Black Sten-cilled "O" in white	0.08 inch red* above driving band and 0.2 inch yellow above.	55 grains Sulphur and Sand	2260	564	Pale green	4946	29
A.P./T. (Filled Sulphur)	Black with 0.4 inch red tip	0.08 inch red above driving band*	52 grains Sulphur and Sand	2265	551	Green to red	4960	––

The charge is contained in a silk bag, an igniter being formed at the base of the bag. The igniter consists of a small pocket containing approximately 15.8 grains of gunpowder.

H.E., Tracer, Self-destroying Shell (Fig. 26) (2.cm Sprgr.Patr. L'Spur)

The shell is fitted with a copper driving band and is cannelure behind the band. The mouth of the case is not indented into the cannelure. Two cavities formed in the shell are separated by a diaphragm, with a central hole, formed in the shell body. A self-des-troying pellet in a brass container is fitted in the hole in the diaphragm from the front.

The forward cavity contains the bursting charge in the form of a 94 grains P.E.T.N./Wax pellet. The pellet is recessed at the front end to receive the magazine of the fuze and also at the base end to fit over the self-destroying pellet.

The rear cavity in the shell contains a steel tube into which is pressed the tracing and priming compositions. The tube is secured in position by a steel hollow base plug, the base plug being closed by celluloid disc. The trace is pale green and burns statically for 6.4 seconds.

The fuze A.Z. 5045, used in this shell, is described in this pamphlet.

Fig. 26

GERMAN 2 CM SOLOTHURN H.E./T. (S.D.)
SHELL

H.E., Tracer, Self-destroying, Streamlined Shell (Fig. 27) (2-cm Sprgr. Patr. L'Spur)

The streamlined shell body is similar to that of the H.E./T. (S.D.) plain-base shell, but is heavier. The self-destroying pellet is not enclosed in a metal container and appears to be put in during the moulding of the H.E. bursting charge. The H.E. bursting charge of P.E.T.N./Wax is of the same weight as that in the plain-base shell, i.e. 94 grains.

The tracing and priming compositions are pressed direct direct into the cavity in the rear part of the shell. A domed steel plug, coated with gliding metal is fitted in the forward end of the tracer cavity. The domed portion of this plug contains an ignition charge which is caused to flash and ignite the self-destroying pellet by the rise in temperature as the tracing composition burns away. The trace is pale green and burns statically for 6.4 seconds.

The fuze A.Z. 5045, used in this shell is described in this pamphlet.

Fig. 27

GERMAN 2 CM, SOLOTHURN, H.E./T. (S.D.)
STREAMLINED SHELL