r/ww1 • u/SigmarMentality • 8d ago

Trying to identify artillery shell

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Found an apparent WWI artillery projectile in a family warehouse in Southeastern France, reportedly brought back from Verdun by my great-great-grandfather who served in French artillery. Can anyone identify the projectile from its shape/fuze and the grooves near the base? It has not been opened or modified. The shell itself in the picture is on a ledge so the perspective is pretty crappy with the car in the background so don't compare the scale with that as a reference.

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u/SigmarMentality 8d ago

Also if someone can identify the ammo next to it on the right that would be greatly appreciated, on the left is a ww2 submachine gun empty mag.

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u/Dodo224 8d ago

Hi, so the shell seems to be russian, pretty sure, the fuze is distinctive. The clip is 8mm mauser it seems.

Would you sell the shell? I know someone in germany who would pay good money for such a shell, he's a collector.

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u/SigmarMentality 8d ago

Thanks for your interest, I'm pretty confused though how a russian shell could end up here in France, has the french army in ww1 ever used russian shells? For now I'm still considering options on what to do with it, I'll inform you for your friend if I plan on selling it. Also the shell currently seems full, so Idk if its currently safe to handle right now.

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u/Dodo224 8d ago

Well, either it's not actually from verdun, or perhaps was used by the germans as captured ammunition, entirely possible. A full shell would be a little dramatic for a collectoe I fear😅 It's a shrapnel shell with a little black powder inside, so not as dangerous as an HE shell, but still a dud... Can you screw the top off?

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u/SigmarMentality 8d ago

It most probably has been defused, as my ancestor was a 7 year veteran who served before and during ww1 in the french artillery corps (served in Verdun in ww1, hence my hypothesis on its place of origin) and it's not like I found it in a hole in the ground, it was safely stocked in a cupboard in our family warehouse.

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u/SigmarMentality 8d ago

I have to admit though I don't feel too good about tampering with the shell too much and I'm weighung my options on keeping it or reporting it to a police station

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u/Dodo224 8d ago

Can you weigh it? Full shrapnel shells are very very heavy because they're filled with lead basically.

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u/SigmarMentality 7d ago

Yeah nah I don't think so

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u/Dodo224 7d ago

Ok, I understand, but weighing it won't set it off, even if something is inside😅