I have two very different rounds with the same headstamp. Has anyone ever seen this before. Both rounds are stamped LC 43. One round is a rifle caliber with the following dimensions...
OA Length - 3.331 Inches
Case Length - 2.48 Inches
Case Diameter - .462
Primer - .218
The other has the following dimension, (possible pistol round)...
OA Length - 1.688 Inches
Case Length - 1.294 Inches
Case Diameter - .352 Inches
Primer - .159
Jim
Yes...the LC is likely just the plant it was made or who marketed it. Off the top of my head I can think of Lake City, Chinese, and I *believe* Hungary that used LC. The 43 is likely the year it was made. So it's very possible that you have two different calibers pumped out of the same plant in the same year. Do you have photos of the headstamps? There also might be very slight differences that you aren't noticing.
Jim, that is why we call Justine "The Problem Solver". >:D
Justine,
Here is a picture of the two headstamps side by side. My untrained eyes don't see anything different except for the primer color and possible size. Let me know if you need anything else.
Jim
In China and many East-Europian countries, the number mark, in many cases, the number of the factory were the ammunition was made.
US Military, Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Independance Missouri, USA.
First example: Cal .30 M2 , 1943 manufacture. Primer diameter .210", ring crimped in place. Bullet 150-152 grains ( Ball)
Second example: Cal.30 carbine, M1, 1943 manufacture, primer diameter .175", ring crimped in place, Bullet 110 grains round nose.
Trying to measure a primer diameter from a crimped in example will always lead to incorrect estimations of diameter.
photos are the best assitance to identification, accompanied by OAL, CarTridge case length, Bullet diameter at Mouth of case, head diameter just before extractor groove or rim, and Rim diameter (in rimmed case), and colour codes on Bullet tip, and in some cases, primer seals.
US primer colours have NO significance in ID. ( they are just a sign of different production lines in a massive plant such as LC.)
Whereas, primer seal colours are specific for ID of British made Small arms ammo.
Regards,
Doc AV