SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1945
STP42570S

A Damping Test for Season Cracks in Cartridge Brass

Source

At the present time most artillery cartridge cases are used only a single time. Since the process of reshaping a fired cartridge case so that it may be used again is much simpler and cheaper than the original manufacture of the case, it is clear that important savings could be effected if such reformed cases were used in place of new cases. Extensive use of reconditioned cases has been hindered in the past, however, by the deterioration of the brass which may occur in the period of time between the first firing and the reconditioning of the cartridge cases. This deterioration sometimes results in a dangerously high incidence of firing splits in groups of reconditioned cartridge cases. It appears that the mechanism of the deterioration is the season cracking of the brass, for season cracks, of varying degrees of severity, may frequently be found in the cartridge cases after their return from the field. There are, of course, severe practical limitations to the extent to which fired cartridge cases can be protected from corrosion under battle conditions, particularly since the powder residue in the case is itself corrosive.

Author Information

Read, T., A.
Ordnance Laboratory, Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa.
Kitchen, S., W.
Ordnance Laboratory, Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa.
Fusfeld, H., I.
Ordnance Laboratory, Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa.
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Details
Developed by Committee: B05
Pages: 135–143
DOI: 10.1520/STP42570S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5903-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-6057-6