Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 43:13-43:43

Could 40 mm pom-poms and Bofors guns share ammunition?

A shared nominal calibre did not make the two anti-aircraft weapons' ammunition normally interchangeable, although wartime shortages could complicate practice.

Anti-Aircraft WarfareBofors 40 mmNaval GunneryNaval LogisticsPom Pom Guns
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Question

Did the Royal Navy's 40 mm pom-pom use the same ammunition as the 40 mm Bofors?

Short answer

No, not as standard ammunition; the common nominal calibre did not make the two weapons' rounds directly interchangeable, though shortages produced exceptions.

Notes

A 40 mm diameter describes projectile size, not a complete cartridge and weapon system. The 40 mm pom-pom and 40 mm Bofors did not ordinarily use the same round. Supply shortages could make wartime practice messier than the formal specification and lead to exceptional adaptations. Calibre alone is not enough to establish ammunition compatibility.