Sniper Plate

[Spasm]

Having a chat with Tony earlier today reminded me that I've got to get on with some constructive things. So, as I've got a couple of these to clean up, I made a start.

This one, I've always known to have a crack in it. Covered in rock hard mud, a thick layer of chalk and rust - it came from near the Lochnagar Crater, or rather the Glory Hole, as the area is being cleared for visitors (along with a newly discovered tunnel that I had a look down last month).

I've always assumed that it had been hit by a plough, or some farming machine, and that I'd have to clean and then weld up to keep it in one piece. 

After a few hours of cleaning and getting the 'gate/hatch' to operate, here is how it looks:  

The crack is fairly obvious running from the top middle down to the 'stop' bolt for the hatch.

However, it may not have been some heavy farming machinery that caused this thick steel plate to crack after all:

Now, I'm no ballistic expert. But would you say that this is a bullet strike while this plate was in place? I can't ever remember seeing a bullet hit on a quarter inch steel plate (I've seen larger rounds on tank armour in the Tank Museum and they sort of make a gouge or a hole rather than just a dent.)

So, I'm figuring that if this is likely to be a bullet hit from Tommy chancing his arm then I should leave the crack alone and not weld it up as it's part of it's story. Or am I making something up here? Any steel plate hitting experience out there?  

Edited July 29, 2016 by Spasm

[dond]

Bullet or shrapnel ball strike. 

[Tony]

18 hours ago, Spasm said:

So, I'm figuring that if this is likely to be a bullet hit from Tommy chancing his arm then I should leave the crack alone and not weld it up as it's part of it's story. Or am I making something up here? Any steel plate hitting experience out there?  

I'd say leave it as is too.

A mate had one of these with what he thought was bullet damage, the dent was a few mm deep, no cracks and nicely rounded but not being there at the time means you can only guess at what hit it. I bet whatever it was, it made the bloke behind the plate jump for a second.

 

[Pylon1357]

My personal opinion, Certainly leave it as it currently is. Just preserve it to avoid any further deterioration. It is a very nice piece, you are lucky to have it. 

[dond]

11 hours ago, Tony said:

I'd say leave it as is too.

A mate had one of these with what he thought was bullet damage, the dent was a few mm deep, no cracks and nicely rounded but not being there at the time means you can only guess at what hit it. I bet whatever it was, it made the bloke behind the plate jump for a second.

 

Whatever hit it was travelling at a high rate of speed.  Note the spalling on the back.  That metal would have flown off and could potentially injure someone.

[Spasm]

Yes, I think it was a definite hit during conflict rather than damage under a farmer's implement. And I agree, best left alone to tell it's own story in the history of things. Preserve and make a nice stand for it I think.

Thanks Gents