Care of artillery cartridges

[M19 MADMAL]

Hi All,

With regard to the brass propellant cartridge cases used for field guns and stored in bunkers:

Would the brass cases have been kept polished and shined up every so often (as in the posed photo) or were they put into racks and then just left as brass does not really corrode and only tarnishes???

I am making racks like in the 1st photo for storing 10,5cm K 331 (f) cartridges and have several original cartridges.

Regards,
Malcolm

[Sheldrake]

Shining and polishing is a military fetish....

There are rules on ammunition handling. Ammunition should be kept clean, dry and out of direct sunlight. The words "clean" to many warrant officers are an open invitation to make said objects "gleam" - the holy grail of military cleanliness.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filt ... -mean.html

[OldBill]

No. Clean yes, not polished. While I am sure you may have an overzealous JO, WO or NCO who will have someone do this, it is forbidden (at least in modern US naval practice) to do so. Should be enough on the gun itself to keep someone busy anyhow.

[Sheldrake]

No. Clean yes, not polished. While I am sure you may have an overzealous JO, WO or NCO who will have someone do this, it is forbidden (at least in modern US naval practice) to do so. Should be enough on the gun itself to keep someone busy anyhow.

That's a fair point. The only legitimate polish is elbow grease...