5 inch shell ashtray ??’s

[LLOYD17]

Picked this up yesterday and have some questions for anyone actually familiar with big guns.

The base looks like a cut-off 5in shell, but then so does the top. The top fits inside of the base, the wall thickness is greater on the top than the base, and the rims are slightly different profiles.

Are there different 5in shells or did they turn the inside diameter of the base to accept the top? There aren't any stampings on the base from what I can see. Also not sure if there's brass or steel under that plating. Figuring a magnet could help with that.

I don't know anything about surface guns so any help would be appreciated.

 

[WR Moore]

Dunno about 5 inch but the 105mm casing was brass. The primer looks like a supersized regular primer with an extension tube (full of some substance to take the flame to the base of the projectile. The top appears to be something made to fit the base.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Those Navy Guys often had a lot of time on their hands as they cruised through the Night.
My Dad was the Only Carpenters Mate on a Troop Transport, the Gen. McRay.
During long nights in the Pacific the machinists taught him how to use the Lathe.
He made himself a Stainless Wedding Ring from a piece of pipe.

 

[Rudi]

Is there a head stamp?

 

[LLOYD17]

Is there a head stamp?

I don't see any sort of head stamps which could be covered up by the plating.

 

[Tom S.]

5" = 127mm, so perhaps it was for the 127mm naval gun?

 

[tlawler]

It was popular with the GM's on my ship to make butt kits with the discarded 5"/54 steel casings. The brass ones were reused, so rarely used, but I've seen a couple of them. Here's a picture I found on the web of an example. The ones I saw onboard didn't have the things welded on to hold the cigarettes, just straight sides.

 

[14daMoney]

another form of "Trench Arts & Crafts" .....

 

[Dave.357]

My guess is a 5" 38 navy barrel is 5x38
Or 190" long .
Casings made out of cadmium.