Dischargers, smoke generator, 4 inch

[David Dunlop]

A few years ago I wrote the Enfield Arsenal in England asking about these dischargers and canisters and eventually got quite a package of material back from them including machinists drawings for both the Ross Rifle and Enfield based versions. I believe the package also included detail drawings for the canisters. Should still be in a filing cabinet downstairs somewhere. The centre base of the canisters had a very simple detonator fitted which was basically two thin metal discs with a sandwich of something like mercury fulminate in the middle. The pressure blast of the firing cartridge was sufficient to set the detonator off, thereby igniting the propellant charge. Probably not an item you would want to drop.

David