Original Items: Only One Group of 2 Available. Totally inert and demilitarized according to BATF guidelines with solid bodies and the propellant charge removed. These mortar rounds cannot be converted back to an explosive device and are not available for export.

There are two inert mortar rounds included in this group.

The first one is a 1954 dated 81mm M43 A1B1 High Explosive mortar round as used with the M1 & M29 Mortar Systems. The round and fixed fin assembly is painted an OD green color, which appears to have been done sometime after the round was unearthed and rendered inert. The body and fin assembly do display a nice “ground dug” battlefield pick up look with pitting, which was painted over. There are the original stamping still partially visible on the body:

81MM. M43A1B1
CE__2___1954

The second round is a 60mm M302, White Phosphorus (WP) smoke, carrier, fin stabilized mortar. The M302 and the M302A1 differ only in minor dimensions and in the presence of the 51-millimeter (2.00-inch) fin extension on the M302A1. The M302A2 is identical to the M302A1. They are a semi-fixed, fin-stabilized, central bursting type mortar used with WP for spotting, screening, anti-personnel and limited incendiary effects. The mortar is composed of six major components - the body, PD fuze (not included), fin assembly, propelling charge of four increments (not included), ignition cartridge and primer(not included).

The body is a thin-wall steel casing with cylindrical sidewalls and a conical base which is threaded to receive the shaft of the fin assembly. The front end is closed with an adapter that holds the fuze and the burster casing. The burster extends about three fourths the length of the cavity, which upon functioning bursts the casing to release the chemical contents. The body is painted gray and does not have any stenciling present, however, there are factory stamping still visible: KVS-3-12-74-60MM-M302. The fin assembly retains just a little of the original black paint with most areas being bare metal.

Both rounds are in beautiful display condition and would be welcomed into any Korean War to Vietnam War Mortarmen collections!

M1 & M29 Mortar
The M1 mortar is an American 81 millimeter caliber mortar. It was based on the French Brandt mortar. The M1 mortar was used from before World War II until the 1950s when it was replaced by the lighter and longer ranged M29 mortar. The M29 is an American-produced 81 millimeter mortar. It began replacing the M1 mortar in U.S. service in 1952 being lighter and with greater range. It was subsequently replaced by the M252 mortar in 1987. Variants included the M29E1 and M29A1, adopted in 1964. These were produced with a hard chrome-plated bore to prolong barrel life and ease of cleaning.

The maximum rate of fire is 30 rounds for the first minute followed by 4 to 12 rounds per additional minute. The range is 5,140 yards. The weapon was usually serviced by a crew of five. The normal crew consisted of a squad leader, a gunner, an assistant gunner and two ammunition handlers.

M2 Mortar
The M2 Mortar is a 60 millimeter smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used by U.S. forces in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War for light infantry support.

The U.S. M2 60 mm mortar was developed from the heavier 81 mm M1 Mortar to provide a lighter-weight alternative to company-level fire support. The M2 attempted to bridge the gap between the 81 mm mortar and the hand grenade. Normally employed by the weapons platoon of a U.S. infantry company, the M2 is of the usual mortar pattern of the day. It consists of a smoothbore metal tube on a rectangular base plate, supported by a simple bipod with the elevation and traverse mechanisms. The firing pin was fixed in the base cap of the tube, and the bomb was fired automatically when it dropped down the barrel. Though classed as a light mortar, the M2 had considerable range compared to the 50 mm and 60 mm mortars of most other nations, and its fixed-firing pin design allowed a high rate of fire by trained crews.

History
During the late 1920s, the US Army began examining mortars to act as a light infantry support weapon. The War Department eventually settled on a 60 mm design from Edgar Brandt, a French ordnance engineer, and purchased a license to build the weapon. The model was standardized as the Mortar, 60 mm M2. Testing took place in the late 1930s, and the first order for 1,500 M2 mortars was placed in January 1940.

The weapon was used throughout World War II by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. It saw service again in the Korean War, and by French forces in their counterinsurgency campaigns in Indochina and Algeria. It was used under designation m/952 by Portugal during the Portuguese Colonial War. During the Vietnam War, the M2 was again used by the U.S. Army and Marines, as well as by South Vietnamese forces. Ultimately, the M2 was replaced by the M224 in 1978.

M19 Mortar
The M19 Mortar is a light, smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon for light infantry support developed and produced in the United States. It has been replaced in service by the more modern 60 mm M224 mortar, which has a much longer range and improved ammunition.

The original M19 just had a simple spade-like M1 baseplate, leaving the elevation and traverse free for the firer. This of course was found to be too inaccurate, and the infantry initially refused the M19. A new mount, the M5, was developed, which used a conventional baseplate and bipod with elevation and traverse adjustment. This gave the M19 better accuracy, but made it heavier than the M2 Mortar with less range.

The M19 fired the same ammunition used in the M2 mortar, which it would replace. The 60 mm mortar is used by the infantry to lob high-explosive and white phosphorus smoke shells at well-protected hostile locations. The weapon can also fire illumination rounds to light up the battlefield at night. The primary difference between the M2 and M19 was that the M2 was drop-fire only while the M19 could be drop-fired or a round loaded and then fired by a lever-like trigger at the base of the tube.

History
M19 development began in 1942 as the T18E6 to replace the M2 Mortar. It was a very simple and light weapon, but was too inaccurate without a mounting. The conventional M5 mount for the M2 mortar was fitted to it. It began to be fielded during the Korean War to replace the M2 and saw limited use in the Vietnam War. Many M19s were scrapped or exported to other countries.