PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-602
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 602
JANUARY 2003
•
155mm projectiles with
loose or cracked base plates,
loose, missing or damaged
grommets, and damaged or
corroded rotating bands. A cut
or dent that extends through all
sections of the rotating band
could cause a short round.
•
Severely corroded aluminum
base plates on Improved
Conventional
Munitions
(ICM),
specifically
the
M483A1 with the green base
plate. Corrosion could cause a
blown weapon.
•
Swollen obturating bands on 155mm rocket-assisted projectiles (RAP) and ICM
projectiles. The bands may swell due to moisture and pop out of groove. Reseat the
bands if possible. Reject the round if the bands are cracked or missing.
•
A stuck lifting or closing plug on 155mm projectiles. The plug must be tight, but
it should give to a good, strong turn. If not, turn in the projectile. If the plug threads
are rusty, clean them and apply a light coat of silicone grease, NSN 6850-00-702-
4297. Then, keep the plug in place until the round’s ready for use.
•
Liquid or crystalline matter oozing or growing around the threads in the nose or
the fuze cavity on high explosive D544 155mm projectiles. The goo could be explo-
sive exudate or a leaking chemical. Isolate the leaky round and call in the Explosives
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts.
•
White smoke or gray crusty powder indicating a leaking white phosphorus (WP)
round. Leaking WP rounds should be immediately submerged in water and left
there. Notify EOD.
•
Primers that are not flush with
the cartridge case on 105mm
artillery ammunition. If the primer
sticks out, you could accidentally
bump, strike or compress it and
ignite the propellant. If the primer
is too far in, it won’t fire at all.
•
Damage to the base of primer-
installed rounds. Use the fiber
container cap to safeguard the
primer until it’s being loaded.
•
Supplementary charges, if needed, on C445 105mm and D544 155mm ammo.
Never fire a short fuze designed for a shallow fuzewell in a deep-cavity projectile
without using a supplementary charge. Turn in projectiles that are missing supple-
mentary charges.
•
Rounds damaged by recoil or rammed out of a gun or howitzer. Turn them in.
PS 602
JAN 03
50
Artillery Ammunition
To detect any
problems, give all
artillery rounds a
quick inspection
before chambering.
Look for…
Deep dents and cuts
in rotating band
cause short rounds
Protect the percussion primer from
bumps, strikes or compression
Pyrotechnics
Any signaling devices that have misleading or missing color markings should not
be used. Using the wrong color signaling device could have disastrous conse-
quences.
You may notice bulging of the storage container for the M206 infrared counter-
measure flare. This is due to gas pressure buildup inside the container.
The gas is flammable, but the M206 flares are still OK to use. Just open the con-
tainer slowly and carefully so the gas can vent. Don’t use tools that may cause a
spark and don’t have any open flames nearby.
It's
stuck!
we don’t
have time
for this!
Deep
dent
Major cuts
or dents
Minor cuts
or dents
Cut
Small
dent
Deep gash
or cut
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