Description
75mm Field Gun Brass Cartridge Case – Inert, AM. LOT 1273
Item Overview
This is an inert and empty 75mm field gun cartridge case with a clearly marked brass base. In service, this case formed the lower part of a fixed artillery round. It held the primer and propelling charge, while a projectile was secured in the open mouth. The case is offered without a projectile, primer, powder, or other ammunition components. Its headstamp identifies it as a 75mm field gun case, but the available markings do not confirm the exact projectile, loading, or individual gun model with which it was used. This case would have been originally made for the 75mm M1897 field gun, but these same 75x350mm-R cases were used in the M5 aircraft guns of the B-25 Mitchell bomber, as well as the M2 / M3 / M4 / M6 guns that were used in the Grant, Sherman, and Chaffee tanks of the Second World War.
Identification and Features
The headstamp reads “75 m/m F.G.,” “AM. LOT 1273,” and “LOT 38 NYAB.” Period U.S. Army marking practice recorded the ammunition lot separately from the cartridge-case lot and maker initials. “AM. LOT 1273” identifies the ammunition lot marking, while “LOT 38 NYAB” records the case lot and the stamped maker initials. The full name represented by NYAB has not been independently verified for this listing, so the initials are presented exactly as marked. The case has a long, slightly tapered brass body, an open 75mm mouth, a rimmed base for extraction, and a central primer pocket. No readable case model number is confirmed, so this case is not assigned to one specific 75mm gun or ammunition loading.
- Caliber: 75mm, approximately 2.95 inches
- Application: Field-gun ammunition
- Primary marking: 75 m/m F.G.
- Ammunition lot marking: AM. LOT 1273
- Case lot and maker marking: LOT 38 NYAB
- Construction: Drawn brass case with rimmed base
- Included: One empty cartridge case
- Missing: Projectile, primer, propellant, and fuze
Historical Background
The 75mm field gun became an important light artillery weapon during the early twentieth century. A major example was the U.S. 75mm Gun M1897, which was based on a French design. The United States purchased guns from France and also manufactured similar guns domestically with interchangeable parts. Later M1897A2 and M1897A4 versions continued the basic system while adapting it to changing service needs, including faster motor transport. The gun used a recoil system powered by oil and compressed air, allowing the carriage to remain in position while the recoiling parts returned for the next shot. Opening the rotating breechblock automatically ejected the empty cartridge case. U.S. Army manuals state that the M1897, M1897A2, and M1897A4 were chambered alike and used the same fixed ammunition. The French-designed 75mm system saw extensive service during World War I, including use by American artillery batteries in France, and remained covered by U.S. Army technical manuals in 1941. Available ammunition included high-explosive, shrapnel, chemical, practice, blank, and drill types. Because the original projectile and loading are absent, this particular case cannot be linked to one of those configurations.
Condition
This inert cartridge case is empty and has an open primer pocket. The brass displays an aged golden-brown patina with darker discoloration, oxidation spots, scratches, scuffs, and handling wear. Shallow dents and creases are visible along the case body, with additional wear around the rim and open mouth. The principal headstamp markings remain readable, including 75 m/m F.G., AM. LOT 1273, and LOT 38 NYAB. Other faint characters have not been transcribed because they cannot be read with confidence. The firing history and internal condition have not been independently verified, and no claim is made that the case is suitable for reuse.
Ideal For
This marked 75mm field gun case is well suited to collections and displays focused on early twentieth-century artillery, American field artillery, military ammunition production, or historic cartridge-case markings. Its separate ammunition-lot and case-lot stamps provide useful details for headstamp study, while its natural patina preserves the appearance of a service-handled military artifact. The empty configuration also allows the case to be displayed without a projectile or primer.
- U.S. field-artillery collections
- M1897-era weapon displays
- Headstamp and lot-mark research
- Museum and educational exhibits
- Historic inert-ordnance displays
Approx length 14", Approx width 3.5", Approx height 3.5", Approx weight lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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