British, 1984, Inert 30mm RARDEN Practice Round, RG Radway Green, PRAC 4Z

*British, 1984, Inert 30mm RARDEN Practice Round, RG Radway Green, PRAC 4Z*

An excellent original British 30mm practice round, offered as a completely inert display piece, with attractive blue practice projectile, silver-coloured ballistic nose section and brass cartridge case. A very displayable Cold War British armoured vehicle ordnance item, clearly marked to Radway Green manufacture and dated 1984.

The brass case is marked “J 30 MM RG 84”, identifying it as a 30mm case made by RG – Radway Green in 1984. The upper band is marked “835 CY 84 PRAC 4Z”, indicating a 1984-loaded practice round, with PRAC 4Z denoting the practice/training projectile type. The blue projectile section is additionally marked “RG 88”, suggesting the projectile/body component was made or later assembled using a Radway Green component dated 1988. The silver nose cap is also stamped “RG”.

This type of 30mm practice ammunition is most commonly associated with the British L21A1 RARDEN cannon, fitted to vehicles including the FV107 Scimitar, FV721 Fox, Warrior reconnaissance/observation variants, and other British armoured vehicle platforms. The blue-painted projectile body denotes practice/training use rather than high explosive service ammunition.

Approx. Measurements – Overall length: 19.8 cm. Brass case length: 10.9 cm. Base diameter: 3 cm.

History Note:
This round is for the British 30mm L21A1 RARDEN cannon, the primary armament of Cold War British reconnaissance and infantry fighting vehicles including the FV107 Scimitar, FV721 Fox, and Warrior. The name “RARDEN” derives from the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Enfield, reflecting its joint development between Enfield Lock and Fort Halstead during the mid-1960s.

Entering service in the early 1970s following trials from 1966–1968, the RARDEN was specifically designed for light armoured vehicle turrets, prioritising accuracy and compactness over sustained automatic fire. It is derived from the WWII-era Hispano-Suiza 831L 30mm aircraft cannon round, retaining the same cartridge case dimensions, a detail of particular interest to collectors.

Unlike conventional autocannons, the RARDEN operates on a long-recoil system and is manually fed using distinctive three-round steel clips rather than belts. This unusual arrangement limits bursts to six rounds but allows for a compact, self-contained mechanism requiring no external power. In service, the gun is typically fired in single-shot mode for accuracy, capable of consistent engagement of light armoured targets at ranges exceeding 1,000 metres.

The blue projectile identifies this example as a practice (PRAC) round, used for training and handling drills rather than live firing, making it both safe and highly representative of in-service ammunition used by British armoured units during the Cold War period.

*Condition*
Condition is good overall, with attractive age patina to the brass case, light handling marks, rubbing and surface wear to the painted blue projectile, and minor wear to the silver nose section. The projectile unscrews/removes from the case, and the interior is shown hollow/inert. Primer appears present and struck/spent. Completely inert display item only. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

JAQ#3210BE_3754239601