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3" mortar -- Grogs ahoy!


Mikko H.

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I do not know how much this adds to the discussion but i have fired 3 inch ammo from 81mm mortar tubes. The 3 inch round is definitely smaller than the 81mm variety. We had to use modified firing tables and a much larger safety template when live firing. When you drop the rounds down the tube they almost rattle on their way down to the firing pin. A 5mm difference in diameter wouldn't seem too far fetched to me.

For the guy who expressed surprise about 30 year old ammo being used in a previous post. The 3 inch ammo we fired for about a year and a half in the early 70s was manufactured around 1947 from memory. The one baby viper I participated in firing was manufactured in 1944 again in the early 70s. The pistol club ammo we were issued for our 38s came in panniers dated in the 1930s

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I do not know how much this adds to the discussion but i have fired 3 inch ammo from 81mm mortar tubes. The 3 inch round is definitely smaller than the 81mm variety. We had to use modified firing tables and a much larger safety template when live firing. When you drop the rounds down the tube they almost rattle on their way down to the firing pin. A 5mm difference in diameter wouldn't seem too far fetched to me.

For the guy who expressed surprise about 30 year old ammo being used in a previous post. The 3 inch ammo we fired for about a year and a half in the early 70s was manufactured around 1947 from memory. The one baby viper I participated in firing was manufactured in 1944 again in the early 70s. The pistol club ammo we were issued for our 38s came in panniers dated in the 1930s

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Thanks Pacestick - coincidentally I asked the question on a local wargaming mailing list a few days ago and received this reply overnight:

I fired the 81mm Mortar with 3" rounds out of it in real life and we had to put a collar around the 3" round to stop it rattling down the barrel before firing. So no it isnt 81mm . Yet another way the cheapo Australian Army got rid of old ammo.
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Thanks Pacestick - coincidentally I asked the question on a local wargaming mailing list a few days ago and received this reply overnight:

I fired the 81mm Mortar with 3" rounds out of it in real life and we had to put a collar around the 3" round to stop it rattling down the barrel before firing. So no it isnt 81mm . Yet another way the cheapo Australian Army got rid of old ammo.
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[Re: John D. Salt]

Originally posted by JonS:

He's busy/travelling.

I got an e-mail from him this morning. To keep it brief, he has moved to Wales, is in a new house (you didn't expect him to pack his old one along, did you), and has no i'net connection at home yet. Otherwise, he seems to be well, has found gainful employment (if I understood his message correctly), etc. Nothing about 3" mortars however.

Michael

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[Re: John D. Salt]

Originally posted by JonS:

He's busy/travelling.

I got an e-mail from him this morning. To keep it brief, he has moved to Wales, is in a new house (you didn't expect him to pack his old one along, did you), and has no i'net connection at home yet. Otherwise, he seems to be well, has found gainful employment (if I understood his message correctly), etc. Nothing about 3" mortars however.

Michael

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