This ammunition is used in the Italian 77 mm, 28 calibre gun. Four types of shell have so far come to light, and following notes are divided thus:–

Table of shell giving external detail.

Methods of filling and relevant diagrams.

Cartridge case and propellant.

Table of propellant charges.

1. TABLE OF ITALIAN 77 MM. 28 CAL. SHELL

2. METHODS OF FILLING ITALIAN 77 MM SHELL

This shell has a sherardized metal surface and is coloured and marked as in the table above. The shell body is made of forged steel, and has no base plate. The cavity is slightly coned at the rear end. The exterior surface is machined to size, as is also the rear end of the cavity. The driving band is of pure copper. The nose fuze adapter is machined from bar stock and is threaded internally to carry the fuze and gaine and externally for attachment to the body.

The filled and fuzed shell weighs 13 lb. 13 oz. The weight of the empty shell is 11.7 lb.

The bursting charge consists of 1 lb. 8 oz. cast T.N.T. carrying at the forward end a ca-vity for the exploder.

The 14 dram exploder consists of flake ballistite carried in a cardboard tube fitted in an aluminium sheath.

The fuze is the Inneschi graze fuze used over a 2.3 gram ballistite gaine both of which have been described in Pamphlet No. 7.

Fig. 28

This shell has a sherardized metal surface and is coloured and marked as in the table above. The shell is in three parts. The body is apparently of hot rolled tube and the nose has been forged to shape by the bottling process, it is threaded at the rear end to re-ceive the base plug and the forward end to receive the nose adapter. The base plug is machined drop forging and has a central cavity which carries the base of the filling. It is sealed by a copper washer. The nose adapter is machined from bar stock. Both external and cavity surfaces are fully machined. The driving band is pure copper. The filled and fuzed shell weighs 10 lb. 9 oz. approximately. The weight of the empty shell is 8.44 lb.

The bursting charge is of cast T.N.T. and weighs 1 lb. 8 oz. approximately. A cavity about 3 inches deep and 3/4 inch in diameter is cast at the top of the filling, and carries an aluminium sheath. The surface of the filling is covered by a thick felt washer.

The 14 dram exploder consists of chopped ballistite carried in a brass container and is positioned in the exploder cavity by means of a series of felt discs.

The fuze is of the Inneschi graze type used over a 2.3 gram ballistite gaine both of which have been described in Pamphlet No. 7.

Fig. 29

This shell has a sherardized metal surface and is coulored and marked as in the table above. The shell body in this case is forged of steel having a parallel walled cavity with a shlightly coned base. The external surface and the radius of the base of the cavity have been machined. The shoulder is threaded internally to receive the nose adapter. A pres-sed in steel base plate is fitted. The nose adapter is machined from bar stock. The driv-ing band is of pure copper. The filled and fuzed shell weighs 13 lb. 12 oz. approximately. The weight of the empty shell is 11.7 lb.

The bursting charge is of cast T.N.T. and weighs 1 lb. 6 oz. and carries at the forward end a cavity for the exploder. The surface is covered by a felt washer.

The 14 dram. exploder consists of flake ballistite carried in a cardboard tube within an aluminium sheath, and positioned by means of felt washer.

The fuze is of the Inneschi graze type used over a 2.3 gram. ballistite gaine both of which have been described in Pamphlet No. 7.

Fig. 30

The shell body is painted as has been described in the table above. It comprises the fol-lowing components, nose adapter, flash tube, diaphragm and shrapnel bullets.

The shell body is of forged steel and is machined externally. The burster cavity and bear-ing surface of the diaphragm are also machined.

The nose adapter, which also forms a cover for the shrapnel bullets and provides a slot for the flash tube, is machined from bar stock. It is perforated centrally and has a de-pression for the initiating cap.

The flash tube is of brass and fits between slots in the nose adapter and diaphragm.

The shrapnel bullets, about 180 in number, are of lead antimony alloy and are about 45 to the pound (0.48 inch diameter).

An initiating cap consisting of 1 13-gain perforated powder pellet in an aluminium contai-ner, closed by paper discs, is inserted in the nose adapter. The flash tube contains 9, 4 1/2-drs. wrapped perforated powder pellets. (This device was employed in early British shrapnel shell to impove the dispersion of the bullets, but became obsolete early in the 1914-18 war.)

The burster cavity contains 3 oz. 1 dr. black powder. The shrapnel bullets are packed around the flash tube by means of a composition of Venetian red and resin. The whole is covered by resin topping.

The time fuze graduated to 59 is fitted. This is fully described in Pamphlet No. 9.

Fig. 31

The cartridge cases so far encountered have been of brass and show the normal hard-ness gradients in the wall. The length is 9.2 inches, weight 2.1 lb. and capacity approxi-mately 62 cubic inches.

Base stampings encountered sometimes include 77/28. It must be noted that 77/28 may not appear and only the old designation "8 cm." may be present.

The primer MOD. 908 has been fully described in Pamphlet No. 9.

The charges are normally in three parts, except that the shell marked "CORTA" was asso-ciated with a two-part charge only. The propellant is contained in cloth bags marked as indicated in the table below.