German, WW2-Dated 1941, 7.5 cm KwK 37 (L/24) Tank Gun Brass shell Case, H. Hugendubel Metallwarenfabrik, Stuttgart (DE)

*German, WW2-Dated 1941, 7.5 cm KwK 37 (L/24) Tank Gun Brass shell Case, H. Hugendubel Metallwarenfabrik, Stuttgart (DE)*

An original Second World War German brass shell case for the 7.5 cm calibre KwK 37 (L/24) tank gun, retaining clear wartime headstamp markings and displaying honest service character.

The base is clearly stamped and reads: “• DE • 75 MM • 1 • 496 • 1 • 1941”, with the primer still present in situ. The calibre and date remain sharply legible and the overall form and dimensions correspond with wartime German tank and infantry-support ammunition manufacture.

Approx. Measurements – Height: 35 cm. Base diameter: 8.5 cm.

Markings and Manufacturer
The headstamp format follows standard German wartime artillery and tank ammunition conventions. The code “DE” (seen in period documentation also as lowercase “de”) identifies H. Hugendubel Metallwarenfabrik, Stuttgart, a recognised early-war manufacturer of brass components and shell cases. The remaining numerals represent lot and production identifiers, while the clear 1941 date places manufacture during the early expansion phase of German armament production, as the system transitioned from earlier numerical factory codes to lettered identifiers.

Historical Note:
This shell case is associated with ammunition used in the 7.5 cm KwK 37 (L/24) short-barrelled tank gun, most famously mounted in early-war German armoured vehicles such as the Panzer IV. Unlike later high-velocity anti-tank guns, the KwK 37 was designed primarily as an infantry-support weapon firing high-explosive rounds against soft targets, buildings and field fortifications. During the 1941 campaigns, including the opening phases of Operation Barbarossa, such guns played an important role in clearing defensive positions while longer-barrelled anti-tank designs were still entering widespread service. The survival of dated and coded shell cases like this provides a direct material link to early-war German armoured operations.

*Condition*
Good original condition overall, retaining aged brass surface with natural patination and service wear. Mouth shows minor deformation consistent with firing and later handling. Interior displays expected oxidation and verdigris. Primer remains present; detail appears consistent with a percussion-type fitting used in early-war tank gun ammunition, although fine markings are not clearly legible from the images. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

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