81mm Shell, M68
This article is from TM 9-1904 which is available on this site.
The contents have been supplemented with modern photos and comments or additional information added in some instances.
Date Compiled: 7/18/2007
Editor: Chris Guska
Photographs: Drew Ballard
SHELL, Training, M68. The shell is designed to give the mortar crew training in loading the weapons and practice in firing under conditions which will not permit firing in more than the first zone.
Shell body. The body of the shell is cast iron. It is similar in shape to the light H.E. 81-mm shell which is tear-drop with a blunt nose and tapered tail. It has a bourrelet on the body near the nose to act as a forward bearing surface and gas check.
At the tail end is a recess which is threaded to receive a stabilizer assembly. The nose end is closed and rounded with no provisions made to receive a fuze. Its weight varies depending on its weight zone. Nine weight zones are used with a minimum of 9.50 pounds for weight zone one, and a maximum of 10.10 pounds for weight zone nine, weighed without fin assembly and ignition cartridge.
The fin assembly and propelling charge. The fin assembly is of the same construction and shape as previously described. It receives the Ignition Cartridge M3. Several ignition cartridges are provided with each round so that the shell can be fired more than one time. There are no propellant increments used because the shell is designed to be fired in the first zone only. The maximum range is 350 yards.
Marking and, packing. The shell is painted black with white stencil. On the shell body may be found a number of white squares (one to nine) with a prick punch mark in the center of each to indicate the zone weight.
Information as to the packing of the shell is not available at the present time. However the complete round comes in separate units consisting of shell body, ignition cartridge, and fin assembly.
