Question : Trench Art and practice rounds

[Graham]

Hi

Today I saw a grand little exhibition of Great War trench art in Chorley library (Lancashire) and amongst the items I saw large shell casings with a waisted fluted section. At first I thought there was some method in the trenches to shape cases in this way but they looked too even and precise to be done 'in the field' - so my next thought is I have seen small arms cartridges shaped like this for 'practice rounds' so could these by artillery practice rounds?

[Tony B]

Trench Art is a rather dubious feild. As early as 1919 locals were collecting stuff and engraving it for tourist curious. There are modern examples even now, enough dated casings etc still lying about.

[AlienFTM]

Correct me if I am wrong. I think you have the wrong end of the Practice Round stick.

 

A Practice Round (PRAC or PRAC-T to indicate that it has a trace) is a fireable round that looks and behaves like a service round (HESH, HE, etc) and flies downrange in exactly the same way. Used by crews to execute gunnery drills for real, against real targets, but with no HE, etc payload to damage the target apart from the kinetic energy in the round at impact. Filling is entirely inert. These rounds are painted a standard light blue to indicate that they are PRAC. A direct hit will still probably trash a B or light A vehicle.

 

You may be thinking of a Drill Round. Looks and feels like a live round but when you pull the trigger, it goes "click". Useful when working in a CIM (Classroom Instuctional Module), etc indoors - a big bang would NOT be useful.

 

A bit (but not much) like the difference between blank and drill rifle rounds.

 

HTH

[.303fan]

a lot of trench art on the dutch markets are made in school with arts and craft.

there were plenty of empties, so why not. it's just being sold for something it's not that gets me.

[Graham]

Correct me if I am wrong. I think you have the wrong end of the Practice Round stick.

 

A Practice Round (PRAC or PRAC-T to indicate that it has a trace) is a fireable round that looks and behaves like a service round (HESH, HE, etc) and flies downrange in exactly the same way. Used by crews to execute gunnery drills for real, against real targets, but with no HE, etc payload to damage the target apart from the kinetic energy in the round at impact. Filling is entirely inert. These rounds are painted a standard light blue to indicate that they are PRAC. A direct hit will still probably trash a B or light A vehicle.

 

You may be thinking of a Drill Round. Looks and feels like a live round but when you pull the trigger, it goes "click". Useful when working in a CIM (Classroom Instuctional Module), etc indoors - a big bang would NOT be useful.

 

A bit (but not much) like the difference between blank and drill rifle rounds.

 

HTH

 

Thank you HTH - I knew this forum would give a complete answer. I take you correction they must be drill rounds. I presume the factories had machines that could reshape cases to the fluted waisted shape.

I also take the other points that much 'trench art' was produced in art workshops rather than by serving men. Some items in the Chorley Library display are very detailed and probably made in calmer environments - others look as if they were made by a fighting soldier keeping himself busy?

Thanks again everyone.

[AlienFTM]

Thank you HTH - I knew this forum would give a complete answer. I take you correction they must be drill rounds. I presume the factories had machines that could reshape cases to the fluted waisted shape.

I also take the other points that much 'trench art' was produced in art workshops rather than by serving men. Some items in the Chorley Library display are very detailed and probably made in calmer environments - others look as if they were made by a fighting soldier keeping himself busy?

Thanks again everyone.

 

 

HTH = Hopes this helps.

 

Neil A = Alien backwards

 

[Bazz]

 

HTH = Hopes this helps.

 

Neil A = Alien backwards

 

 

I always knew you were backwards