# 76 mm ARMDC



## RexX (27 Jan 2019)

Hello Gentlemen, 

I have found this in my attic and am wondering what the lettering means. 

I am having trouble finding information on this.

Thank you,


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## AmmoTech90 (27 Jan 2019)

It would be a good idea to contact your local police and have them contact the nearest military base for explosive ordnance disposal assistance.

That would appear to be a 76mm Armoured Car projectile.  Unfired.  Made in the United Kingdom.  Possibly High Explosive Squash Head.  Shell body was manufactured in Nov 1978 by Royal Ordnance Birtley.

In Canada they were fired from Cougar Direct Fire Support Vehicles.  These used the same turret as the British Scorpion.  The round could have originated from a variety of places:
-Early Canadian buy of ammo from the UK.
-British stock from Suffield, I'm pretty sure they had Scorpions there.
-It's a repainted drill or display round, most of which were UK manufacture.

Any other painted markings on it anywhere?


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## brihard (27 Jan 2019)

Yup, contact local police. Only a properly trained expert is going to be able to determine if this is any hazard. If it’s a real shell, there’s danger there because explosives can become less stable over time. Don’t handle it any further, just get an expert in.


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## daftandbarmy (28 Jan 2019)

RexX said:
			
		

> Hello Gentlemen,
> 
> I have found this in my attic and am wondering what the lettering means.
> 
> ...



If it's not too late, you might think about leaving that thing right there, tip toeing away, quietly locking the house up, and checking into a hotel until they check that baby for you. After you call the police.

Yes, really.


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## RexX (28 Jan 2019)

Thanks for the replies, 

Haha the shell is already disarmed. You can split it in half and everything is empty.
Should I still bring to local police? 

Would this be worth anything for collectors?


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## mariomike (28 Jan 2019)

RexX said:
			
		

> Should I still bring to local police?



I would say no.

I can imagine their reaction.

QUOTE

Toronto fire station evacuated after resident brings in old artillery shell
https://globalnews.ca/news/2976882/toronto-fire-station-evacuated-after-resident-brings-in-old-artillery-shell/
A Toronto fire station had to be evacuated Saturday afternoon after a man brought an old artillery shell for disposal.

Toronto police, including CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive) officers, were called to the fire station on McRae Drive, west of Laird Drive and south of Eglinton Avenue East, just before 1 p.m. 

END QUOTE


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## daftandbarmy (28 Jan 2019)

RexX said:
			
		

> Thanks for the replies,
> 
> Haha the shell is already disarmed. You can split it in half and everything is empty.
> Should I still bring to local police?
> ...



I know an ATO in the UK who spent alot of time blowing up people's living rooms in London because they had a 'memento' that they already thought was disarmed. 

How do you know that the warhead has been deactivated?


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## RexX (28 Jan 2019)

When I open it up everything is empty. Based on this I thought it was safe.
You can see in the attached photo everything is empty space in both parts.

You think it might still be unsafe?


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## daftandbarmy (28 Jan 2019)

RexX said:
			
		

> When I open it up everything is empty. Based on this I thought it was safe.
> You can see in the attached photo everything is empty space in both parts.
> 
> You think it might still be unsafe?



OK, looks safe to me, but this is where I now defer to the real Ammo experts in the room


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## RexX (28 Jan 2019)

Thanks for your input daftandbarmy, 

I would like to keep it as it looks badass. 
If it might be worth something though I would look to sell it as I am in need of some funds!

Hehe


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## RexX (28 Jan 2019)

AmmoTech90 said:
			
		

> It would be a good idea to contact your local police and have them contact the nearest military base for explosive ordnance disposal assistance.
> 
> That would appear to be a 76mm Armoured Car projectile.  Unfired.  Made in the United Kingdom.  Possibly High Explosive Squash Head.  Shell body was manufactured in Nov 1978 by Royal Ordnance Birtley.
> 
> ...



No other markings

It reads:

76MM ARMDC
SX 122 CE
LOT 536 RLB 11/78
LZ 113


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## AmmoTech90 (28 Jan 2019)

I'm not going to do EOD by internet based on any pictures or descriptions and change my advice.

One reason you might want to get it checked by EOD is to prevent heartache with your family when you die.  I have responded to many calls where Pops kicked the bucket and the family called the cops after going through the attic and finding his souvenirs.  Less happy is when they have to call the medics first.

Unless the law has changed in the last few years there is nothing that prohibits a citizen from owning non-explosive pieces of metal that aren't firearms.
CTAT may have changed that, I am not a lawyer.  My answer to police officers who accompanied us was that we, as military EOD types, did not have the authority to seize it.  I never saw a police officer seize something that was inert unless the owner gave it up for disposal.

As for selling, the market is very small and specialized.
Scrap metal weight although scrap merchants normally don't (or shouldn't) take ordnance.

It could fetch between 50 and 200 bucks IF you found an ammo collector who wanted one, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that.  They are not particularly unique and demand is probably low.  I don't know of any armoured vehicle collectors who have a Cougar or Scorpion that might want one for display purposes.
Might get five bucks from a surplus store who would try to sell it for 20 to 100 but it would probably just sit on the shelf for ever.  They should want some form of certification that it is safe.

One option could be donating it to a museum for a tax receipt, they too would want some form of certification that it is free from explosives.


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## daftandbarmy (29 Jan 2019)

AmmoTech90 said:
			
		

> One reason you might want to get it checked by EOD is to prevent heartache with your family when you die.



 :rofl:

That's a keeper.


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