Ground Burst

[speedenforcer]

I was wondering. I know there are a lot of them out there. Is it possible that someone could take the remnants of shells that DOD detonates and put them back together and pass them off as a legitimate ground burs shell. has anyone on here heard of anyone doing that. I know once they are detonated then the im sure there would be no problem with those guys who did the dastardly deed removing the fragments. Down the line they could be sold off as legit.

[Dave the plumber]

 I've seen them offered before.
   Firstly, they are very sharp edged - crisp break lines unlike something that has been buried for 100 years plus and has a smoothness to the edge comparitevly.
  Secondly, they typically smell of C-4 or whatever they use, although I'm sure that could be masked.
  Thirdly, the explosive definitely leaves a 'flash' spot on them that changes the color in the area the shape charge was put on them.

   I remember when the authorities took all Lawrence Christopher's shells and blew them up, he had a monster 10 inch solid shot with all the explosive marks on it where they tried to blow it up !! I guess  they gave up and gave it back to the family. I saw the pile of frags they gave back from the pile of shells they took away. There was not one fuze in there, only one or two sabots....

[relicrunner]

good answers Dave. I have seen several frags sold as battlefield frags or "recovered in N Ga" that came from Lawrence's destroyed shells. In fact, after I cleaned the dirt off one Hotchkiss frag, I found where it had been drilled and plugged with a set screw!!

[speedenforcer]

Thanks guys. very educational.

[scottfromgeorgia]

On June 2, a few weeks before Lawrence's accident on July 27, 2006, I stopped by his place in Dalton to load up so many shells that my Mustang dragged all the way down to Cherokee County. I was so grateful that I could save some of his rarer shells, including these two (text is from Lawrence):

Confederate 6.4” Parrott Type II long Shell (100 pounder): The one in Jacks Bell book (p. 298) has a number stamped on the base. This one also has a number stamped on the base 397 very good iron nice sabot. Rarity 9. 
   
6 pound Confederate with wooden sabot from Oconee River   Found by Charles Nash, Stone Mountain Relics, in Oconee River in Milledgeville, Georgia. Found in 1989-1990. Confederates on retreat route dumped four to six wagons of artillery shells in 1864.