Italian 70 mm 15 cal. Q.F. Separate H.E. ShellItalian 77/28 Lunga, Corta and 6 Migl. H.E. Shell, Shrapnel Shell and Separate Loading Q.F. Cartridges
HANDBOOK OF ENEMY AMMUNITION
PAMPHLET No. 10
GERMAN, ITALIAN AND JAPANESE AMMUNITION
ITALIAN 76MM. 40 CAL. CARTRIDGE Q.F. H.E.

(Fig. 27)

This fixed Q.F. round is used with the Italian 76 mm. 40 calibre A.A. gun. The base of the shell and body forward of the driving band are coloured cream. A narrow red tip is pain-ted at the nose of the shell. The body to the rear of the driving band is unpainted. The shell wall bears the stencilled markings:–

76/40
T.U.R.
A  L  359/936

Similar markings also appear on the base of the shell. The shell examined was closed by a transit plug similar in appearance to those employed in the British Service. The total lenght of the round is 26.6 inches and weight 20 lb. 9 1/2 oz. A ring, one-half of which is blue and the other white, is painted under the flange of the 17.4 inch case.

Shell

The shell is of forged steel throughout, the nose contrary to usual Italian practice having been formed by the "bottling" process. The upper portion of the cavity is threaded to take the fuze, and is otherwise machined only at the base end which is slightly coned. A pressed-in steel base plate is fitted. The single driving band is of pure copper. The plug-ged shell has a lenght of 11.2 inches. The weight of the empty shell is 11 lb. 3 oz. 8 dr. The weight, filled and plugged, is 13 lb. 6 1/2 oz.

Bursting Charge

The bursting charge consists of 1.48 lb. cast T.N.T. of melting point corresponding to British Grade I quality. A cavity about 1.9 inches deep is cast at the top of the filling. The remainder of the top is covered by a brown composition washer.

Gaine

The 25 gram T.N.T. gaine is described elsewhere in this pamphlet. It is posioned within the cavity by means of 3 felt washers and the brown composition screw plug with cen-tral flash hole shown in the diagram.

Fuze
No details of the fuze used with this shell are avaible.
Cartridge Case

The cartridge case is of brass, bearing on the base the following marks stencilled in blue "CA-XXIII-4° V-3-937 VER-V-3-937" together with a green disc and blue triangle. It is secured to the shell by indentation into a continuous cannelure on the shell body.

Propellant Charge

The propellant is wrapped in a fabric bag and consists of 1 lb. 10 oz. (approximately) of double base propellant in cord form. The cords have a mean diameter of 0.06 inch and length 14.4 inches. The propellant corresponds to the "Italian Cordite" described else-where in this pamphlet. Inserted in the bag with the propellant are three small package each about 100 grains in weight containing Potassium Chloride presumably as an anti-flash agent. Tied to the base of the propellant bas is the igniter composed of about 1 1/4 oz. gunpowder of somewhat finer grain than British G.12. The base of this bag is coloured red. The whole is covered by a firmly secured pressed paper cup, probably to ensure good contact between the igniter and primer.

Primer
This is fully described in this pamphlet, under the title 9 grain percussion primer.

Fig. 27

Italian 70 mm 15 cal. Q.F. Separate H.E. ShellItalian 77/28 Lunga, Corta and 6 Migl. H.E. Shell, Shrapnel Shell and Separate Loading Q.F. Cartridges