Topic: New Headstamps

[50M2HB]

7.62x39 Ball ammunition for US commercial market, from Romania, "Hotshot" line, lacquered steel case, GMCS jacket, lead core projectile, red primer sealant covering primer, percussion primer, headstamp poorly reproduces, even under magnification:  90 SADU 7.62  (Might also be 9D SADU 7.62)

[50M2HB]

7.62x54R Ball ammunition, reportedly US DoD contract for the new Iraqi/Afghani forces, copper jacketed, lead core projectile, brass case, brass percussion primer, red primer sealant, ring primer crimp.  Packaging & cartridge construction similar to IK production, but possibly Privi Partisan production.  Headstamp JMS 02

[50M2HB]

5.56 NATO Inert loaded dummy round, mfg'd by Lake City Army Ammunition Plant for packaging durability tests.  Standard brass case, FMJBT projectile, with inert powder simulant load, no primer or primer pocket, base headstamped INERT

[50M2HB]

7.62 NATO Inert Dummy load by Lake City Army Ammunition Plant for in-house package durability tests, standard brass case, FMJBT projectile, with inert powder simulant load, blue bullet tip, and heavy case neck crimp to prevent bullet set-back, no primer or primer pocket, but headstamped LC 77 INERT across base.

[50M2HB]

5.56/.223 caliber, 55 gr FMJ, lead core, GM jacketed bullet, brass case, headstamp T .223 from RUAG Swiss Munition.  Reportedly non-corrosive, percussion nickel primer, black primer sealant, 3-stab primer crimp.  Imported for the commercial US market May 2007.  From white cardboard, 50-round boxes, 5-grey plastic, 10-round stripper clips per box, 4 boxes in a white plastic sealed "battle pack."  Various lot numbers and dates.

[50M2HB]

Società Metallurgica Italiana, Campo Tizzoro, Italy headstamp.  Example is from a 12.7x81SR (.5 Vickers/565) ball round (semi-rimmed) from 1936.

[50M2HB]

Typical Frankford Arsenal (US Gov't) headstamp of 1939, but with a "dot" in the headstamp indicating a special lot of brass cases or a special method of producing the brass (different draw steps for example).  "FA . 39"  From sealed boxes of 30-06 M1 Ball ammunition with brass percussion primer, black primer sealant, ring primer crimp, GM jacket, lead core bullet, with knurled crimp cannelure.  Ammunition packaged on 5-round brass stripper clips, 4 clips to a standard tan cardboard box with white label and blank ink markings "20 Cartridges  Ball  Caliber .30 M1  Ammunition Lot FA 49301."  Lot is headstamped for Frankford Arsenal and carries an FA lot number, but label also says "Twin Cities Arsenal." 

[50M2HB]

30-06 NPE case (New Primed Empty) from Western/Olin.  Apparently intended for competition loading outside the factory.  Interesting to note these cases were corrosive primed indicating WW2 or earlier vintage.  Nickel plated brass cases, with nickel, percussion, boxer primers, no primer sealant, no primer crimp.  "Western 30-06 SPRG" headstamp.  Packaged in white cardboard, 20-round, slip-top boxes, with white labels and black printing.  "20  30 Springfield '06  Match  Empty Primed Shells  Corrosive Primers  Western Cartridge Co.  Division of Olin Industries, Inc.  East Alton, ILL. USA"  Lot number 50CC.

[50M2HB]

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. of Murfreesboro, TN, circa 2007, on .50 BMG caliber M33 Ball ammunition manufactured for them by CBC (Brazil), for the commercial US market.  661 gr FMJBT, copper-jacketed, mild-steel (not AP) core projectile, with knurled crimping cannelure.  Brass case, brass percussion, non-corrosive, boxer primer, purple primer sealant, 3-stab crimp.  From black, 10-round, cardboard boxes, with white printing & Barrett logo.  Lot # BI0830 L-143.

[50M2HB]

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. of Murfreesboro, TN, circa 2007.  Proprietary cartridge .416 Barrett, 10.5x83mm, .416/.50, for the commercial US market.  The .50 BMG case necked down and cut back for a .416 caliber projectile.  Bullet is a brass, monolithic solid match design.  Brass case, brass percussion, non-corrosive, boxer primer, no primer sealant or primer crimp, headstamp "Barrett .416"  From black, 10-round, cardboard boxes, with white printing & Barrett logo.  Lot # 022707.

[50M2HB]

Dynamit Nobel AG of Germany, from a 7.62 NATO caliber, blue plastic, short range training round, brass case head, nickel primer, green primer sealant, ring crimp.  Specifically, illustrated item is for the British L1A1 rifle and designated L14A1 for UK MoD service.  From 50 round, tan cardboard box, with white label and black ink markings "50 Round, 7.62mm  Training, Short Range, L14A1  For use in rifle 7.62mm L1A1  Lot No. 01 DAG-04-86  TI 1305-12-148-7829"

[50M2HB]

Radway Green manufacture of UK.  Illustrated specimen is of their post WW2 experimental assault rifle cartridge .280/.30 caliber, unsuccessful candidate to the 7.62 NATO caliber.  (1949 production)  Brass, berdan, percussion primer, purple primer sealant, ring crimp.

[mikeh123]

This ammo may be Igman made. Igman uses the same type ammo boxes and white paper boxes on other sizes too.

http://www.igman.co.ba/ammunition.htm

Scroll down to "Ammunition Cal. 7.62 x 54 mm"

7.62x54R Ball ammunition, reportedly US DoD contract for the new Iraqi/Afghani forces, copper jacketed, lead core projectile, brass case, brass percussion primer, red primer sealant, ring primer crimp.  Packaging & cartridge construction similar to IK production, but possibly Privi Partisan production.  Headstamp JMS 02

[50M2HB]

Packaging and construction of the cartridges themselves lend credence to the theory that they are Igman production, however, Igman sources say the JMS headstamp isn't theirs.

[50M2HB]

Igman production of Konjic Yugoslavia (Bosnia) 5.56 NATO caliber M855 Ball ammunition.  Headstamp "IK 03 5.56x45"  Reportedly a contract for a NATO member nation equipping for deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq.  Packaged on 10-round stripper clips in white cardboard boxes, 4 boxes to an olive drab fabric bandoleer.  Three boxes contain three, 10-round stipper clips/box, while the fourth box contains a single 10-round stripper clip and a stripper clip "spoon" to facilitate magazine loading.  This provides 100 rounds/bandoleer.  Ammunition is green-tipped, copper jacketed, lead core, with steel penetrator projectile tip, knurled bullet crimp cannelure, brass case, brass percussion primer, red primer sealant, ring primer crimp.  Lot # 09 IK 04