Help with ID of huge round, (not live)

[smudge.g]

Found in our woods with the Euroace and nel Tornado coil yesterday. This huge round is largest I've ever found but base has no primer thingy so is it live (and thus off to police station)?? Not sure if its a rifle or aircraft shell, any help would be gratefully received!

[beaubrummell]

Is it a type of anti tank shell? One of the experts will know.

https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php? ... type=topic

[smudge.g]

Further to my last, just noticed a small hole in the side and it sounds hollow. However, if it is AP, them definately a no-no!!

[alloverover]

.55 Boys anti tank round

http://www.antitank.co.uk/ammunition-boys.htm

[smudge.g]

.55 Boys anti tank round

http://www.antitank.co.uk/ammunition-boys.htm

Thats great, thanks Alloverover. However, still confused as to what makes this illegal to keep, as its just a hardened bullet end in an empty case. If it poses no danger, (and I understand the law is the law) why could this potentially get me imprisioned if it wasnt handed in? just trying to broaden my knowledge!!

[Machinist]

.55 Boys anti tank round

http://www.antitank.co.uk/ammunition-boys.htm

Thats great, thanks Alloverover. However, still confused as to what makes this illegal to keep, as its just a hardened bullet end in an empty case. If it poses no danger, (and I understand the law is the law) why could this potentially get me imprisioned if it wasnt handed in? just trying to broaden my knowledge!!

The problem is if it gets reactivated you then have a very deadly round.

Ray

[smudge.g]

.55 Boys anti tank round

http://www.antitank.co.uk/ammunition-boys.htm

Thats great, thanks Alloverover. However, still confused as to what makes this illegal to keep, as its just a hardened bullet end in an empty case. If it poses no danger, (and I understand the law is the law) why could this potentially get me imprisioned if it wasnt handed in? just trying to broaden my knowledge!!

The problem is if it gets reactivated you then have a very deadly round.

Ray

fair enough!!!!

[Wansdyke44]

The percussion cap is missing, so it has been lost or removed in order to make it decorative (perhaps it was thrown away by someone else as they were concerned about having it). The cartridge, without the bullet would be perfectly safe to own...

W.

[RRPG]

The bullet is indeed illegal to possess. The below thread explains in detail why.....

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=52771



Nice find though. Boys 55cal is not a common find.

[jeff82]

Very nice find ..being an anti tank round wouldn't this imply the bullet would be explosive to? live rounds make me very nervy .. I have a live 303 blank which is heading for the station tomorrow ..

[Pastmember01]

RRPG, just out of curiosity? I know the legislation says the round is illegal to own but you can buy these as deactivated rounds. I don't know the law on this but I thought you could have deactivated rounds for collection and display. The deactivation looks to be a cut in the base of the bullet to destabilise flight, removal of the primer and no propellant. And the one in this thread doesn't have a primer.
I think the Boys AT is a solid core round so shouldn't be a problem to deactivate (needs to be checked of course with someone like yourself).

I am NOT advocating folks keep ammunition without checking first and certainly not to start working on it, but it would also be a shame to hand it in if they didn't need to.

Sometime in the future detectorists in some places in the world will have a whole new problem when they dig up kinetic energy projectiles - could be a way of heating the house on the cheap!

Cheers.

[Wansdyke44]

Very nice find ..being an anti tank round wouldn't this imply the bullet would be explosive to? live rounds make me very nervy .. I have a live 303 blank which is heading for the station tomorrow ..

The Police won't be very impressed. A live blank is safe to own and a long soak in WD40 will render the propellent inactive so you can keep it if you so wish.

W

[Wansdyke44]

RRPG, just out of curiosity? I know the legislation says the round is illegal to own but you can buy these as deactivated rounds. I don't know the law on this but I thought you could have deactivated rounds for collection and display. The deactivation looks to be a cut in the base of the bullet to destabilise flight, removal of the primer and no propellant. And the one in this thread doesn't have a primer.
I think the Boys AT is a solid core round so shouldn't be a problem to deactivate (needs to be checked of course with someone like yourself).

I am NOT advocating folks keep ammunition without checking first and certainly not to start working on it, but it would also be a shame to hand it in if they didn't need to.

Sometime in the future detectorists in some places in the world will have a whole new problem when they dig up kinetic energy projectiles - could be a way of heating the house on the cheap!

Cheers.

WVAM, I can see where you got the idea about cutting a slit in the bullet (I found the same ad). But as RRPG has already said the possession of an armoured piercing bullet in this condition is illegal and I am sceptical that even a seller cutting a hole in the bullet would get you out of a court appearance.

In danger of repeating, but will do anyway. The cartridge IS safe to own, NOT the bullet itself.

W.

[jeff82]

Very nice find ..being an anti tank round wouldn't this imply the bullet would be explosive to? live rounds make me very nervy .. I have a live 303 blank which is heading for the station tomorrow ..

The Police won't be very impressed. A live blank is safe to own and a long soak in WD40 will render the propellent inactive so you can keep it if you so wish.

W

One of me neighbours is in the force ..she got the local friendly PSO to collect .. I wanted to get rid of it to keep my missus mind at ease ..have 3kids so just seemed best to hand it in ..its of no value to me ..I have a good 200+ 303 shells as is ..I also don't trust them ..my father in law has a firearms licence and I remember a blank going off in his kitchen .. i was deaf for 2 days from the bang

[oldartefact]

With the greatest respect ... the advice would be to leave it where it was ... you are endangering yourself and other innocent people by doing anything otherwise ...
Please note that I have written the above with the utmost restraint ... but quite how the police will react when you walk into the station with the thing is an entirely different matter... you might get locked up for "wanton endangermant" once the station has become operative again.
Just one moments thought for yourself and others is all that is asked.