Traumatized 12 pounder

[Ripcon]

My hunting buddy dug this 12 pounder Bormann on Tuesday. The Bormann fuze looks "melted". The underplug is still present but is covered in the zinc. Can anyone speculate as to how this fuze ended up in this shape? If it would've exploded, the underplug would be gone. We're trying to figure this one out. Thanks for any input you can give.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Sir,
  I can only speculate that t fuse blew out instead of firing inward as designed. A weakened casting, a clogged support (under) plug.  Perhaps the powder is still  inside. Beware!
Kd Regards,
John

[Selma Hunter]

Cuz,

Welcome back.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

thank you, beenpaying rent at local hospital with anemia and leukemia.
Kind Regards,
John aka Bart

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Ripcon,
   You might check the plug and see if the top of the plugis flush withth bottom of th threaded fuse well.
If the topofthe plug prtres into fuse well, setback could cause thefuse bottom to collaspe around the plug an caue the fse center to "pop" out when ignited.  Rference-applied physics.
Rgards,
John

[Pete George]

  Ripcon, as Bart speculated, the type of damage seen on your friend's Bormann fuze is caused by the fuze's centrally-located "booster" powdercharge.  In case you are not already familiar with the "booster" powdercharge inside a Bormann fuze... it occupied the cavity in the fuze's center, as shown in the photo below.  If the support plug's flame-hole has gotten blocked by a shifted case-shot ball or matrix, the booster charge's blast cannot go downward so instead it goes upward, ripping out the center of the Bormann fuze.

Regards,
Pete

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Good afternoon Pete,
    It is so good to see you up with energy to post. I do pray you a speedy and painless recovery.
As we look at your fine sectioned view would you itemize the features that identifies the case shot as C.S. as compared to the U.S. characteristic?
Thank you with Kind regards,
John aka Bart