Easily the weirdest thing I've found inside the city limits

Georgivs

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I was doing some scouting on city property near where I live. Historic maps show the area as never being developed and the lack of anything but shotgun shells and the occasional trash pile seem to support that.

I was on my way out when I got a screaming signal not too deep and this guy popped out of the leaf litter.
PXL_20210926_130208164.jpg PXL_20210926_130259570.jpg

Now I'm no expert but this sure looks like the driving band off of a shell. Absolutely no reason for it to be here inside city limits where there hasn't been a military engagement in the last 150 years. Also, not exactly the kind of place you would expect a military training exercise with heavy firepower considering the proximity to town. Best I can figure is it was carried in? I'm going back to look for shell fragments, but I'm going to be a lot more careful digging the area now!

PXL_20210924_214329087.jpg
Bonus pic of another type of shell I found hiding in a trash pile.
*edit: this shell was still occupied
 

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creskol

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That's interesting! Sure does look like a sabot.
 

Westfront

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Driving band for sure. Weird is the different wide from what we call "Feld&Zug". I talk about the high and low areas from rifling.These are usually almost the same width. I guess there will be someone out there who's able to identify the cannon by the diameter of the shell and the special pattern the barrel is rifled. This might give you an idea how it made it's way there.
 

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Georgivs

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Driving band for sure. Weird is the different wide from what we call "Feld&Zug". I talk about the high and low areas from rifling.These are usually almost the same width. I guess there will be someone out there who's able to identify the cannon by the diameter of the shell and the special pattern the barrel is rifled. This might give you an idea how it made it's way there.

Based on the diameter of the little scoop I have it pictured with I'd say it had a diameter of ~1.5 inches or ~38 mm
 

crashbandicoot

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That could be consistent with the early 37mm anti tank gun.Don,t know anything about it,s rifling pattern.
 

Westfront

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That could be consistent with the early 37mm anti tank gun.Don,t know anything about it,s rifling pattern.

With increasing muzzle velocity rifling had to withstand the also increasing strain. Thats why i agree with early gun. Probably WWI or short after.
 

Jeff H

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Good hunt. Box turtles are always a nice find.
 

Digger RJ

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I was doing some scouting on city property near where I live. Historic maps show the area as never being developed and the lack of anything but shotgun shells and the occasional trash pile seem to support that.

I was on my way out when I got a screaming signal not too deep and this guy popped out of the leaf litter.
View attachment 1948950 View attachment 1948951

Now I'm no expert but this sure looks like the driving band off of a shell. Absolutely no reason for it to be here inside city limits where there hasn't been a military engagement in the last 150 years. Also, not exactly the kind of place you would expect a military training exercise with heavy firepower considering the proximity to town. Best I can figure is it was carried in? I'm going back to look for shell fragments, but I'm going to be a lot more careful digging the area now!

View attachment 1948952
Bonus pic of another type of shell I found hiding in a trash pile.
*edit: this shell was still occupied
Nice!!! Congrats!!!
 

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