Ammunition
Ammunition recovered for the Type 97 thus far is usually the Type 00 (1940) HE shell. This shell is 12.87 inches long and weighs 6.93 pounds, 1 pound of which is the weight of the TNT filler. The fuze is of the instantaneous type, which can be set for delay action, however, by the insertion of a delay pellet in the fuze nose prior to firing. The shell can be fired in the US 81-mm mortar M1, but the range will be about 10 per cent shorter than achieved with the US M43 and M43A shells. A firing test of Japanese shells in the US 81-mm M1 weapon gave the following results that cannot be regarded as wholly conclusive in view of deterioration of the shells.
Read more about this topic: Type 97 81 Mm Infantry Mortar