Abstract: In an armor piercing explosive shell of the kind which comprises a hollow charge and an impact contact member placed in the nose cone of the shell to provide electrical contact for initiation of the hollow charge upon impact of the shell against the target, the nose cone of the shell is provided with a reinforced tip for mechanical penetration of the active armor and the impact contact member does not extend all the way to the tip but positioned behind an inner shoulder made in the wall of the nose cone to improve the penetrative performance of the shell against targets protected by active armor.