Hotchkiss 1.65 inch mountain gun ammunition

[Gildwiller1918]

In the late 1800s the US Army needed a more modern field gun t o support its forces, mainly for use with fast moving units like calvary. In 1876 the US military started buying 1.65 inch Hotchkiss from the French Hotchkiss Ordnance Company, and continued to do so for the next 20 years. These light and versatile guns were to see action during the Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American and Philippine-American wars. After these conflicts the ammunition was still being produced and the guns were mainly used as training aids up till WW1. 

The 1.65inch Hotchkiss Mountain Gun fired two types of projectiles. A common shell, either base fused or nose fused or a canister. The common shell would explode on contact showering the enemy with jagged shell fragments. The canister would rip open at the muzzle spraying the enemy with a fan shaped pattern of hardened lead ½ inch balls. This projectile was used at close range. The early cartridge case did not have a primer. Instead there was a hole in the center covered internally with a diaphragm. The gun was fired by a friction primer inserted into the back of the breech housing.

The ammunition below is the common shell, these are all inert as well. The common shell weighed 2.62 pounds and the shell head would break apart upon impact into about 16-20 pieces of shrapnel. One big disadvantage of these shells is that since they were so small, they could not be fitted with an air bursting charge. The hotchkiss gun would be used again in WW1, albeit with a more modernized round and weapon system. The last image is that of the gun itself. 

(reference source, internet)