Topic: Ammunition Box Submissions

[50M2HB]

US manufactured WW2 vintage 30-06 Armor Piercing M2 packaging, with Blue & Orange stripes to visually indicate 'AP' ammunition.  This example is from the Denver Ordnance Plant.

[50M2HB]

US manufactured WW2 vintage 30-06 Armor Piercing M2 packaging, in late war boxes, tan box without label, minus colored stripes, black ink stamping and tear-away top.  This example is from the Twin Cities, MN Ordnance Plant.

[50M2HB]

30-06 New Primed, Empty cases, using T53 primers.  20 round tan boxes, buff label, black printing, manufactured by Frankford Arsenal.

[50M2HB]

US manufactured WW2 vintage 30-06 Ball M2 packaging, with the red stripe to visually indicate 'Ball' ammunition.  These were packaged on 5-round, brass stripper clips.  This example is from Frankford Arsenal.

[50M2HB]

Pre-NATO 7.62 Ball T104E1 from Frankford Arsenal.  20-round tan box, buff colored label, black printing.  Ball cartridges are brass cased, nickel percussion boxer primer, red primer sealant, headstamp FA 51.

[50M2HB]

Typical, current production, 5.56 NATO, M196 Tracer ammunition packaging.  20-round tan box, black printing.  Red tip, 55 gr. bullet.  From the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Independence, MO.

[50M2HB]

Predecessor to the M72 30-06 Match round, the T291.  Same Red, White, & Blue packaging with date of production stamped on label.

[50M2HB]

Final incantation of the 30-06 Frangible round (M22) for US military issue.  Used in "Project Pinball" (circa WW2) where bakelite projectiles were fired from bomber gun crews, in training, against specially armored P39 Aircobra fighters, painted bright orange & rigged with lights to indicate when being hit by the break-up projectiles.  Grey projectile, green/white tip color, these examples were manufactured by the Des Moines Ordnance Plant.  Note that virtually 100% of the cartons of this type ammunition will be encountered opened, then resealed with a form of masking tape.  Allegedly some aircraft were shot down when regular ball rounds were accidently mixed with the Frangible rounds.  US Army Ordnance ordered a 100% inspection of all ammunition in inventory to ensure no ball rounds were packaged with the frangible.

[50M2HB]

Replacement for the M118 Match 7.62 NATO load (175 gr FMJ) in US service, this is the prototype, XM852, 7.62 NATO 168 gr Sierra Match King Open Tip Match Boattail.  This load was eventually adopted as M852.  The M852 was, itself, replaced a few years ago with the M118 LR (for Long Range), which was a 175 gr SMK OTMBT.  This being an early lot (XM852), it is in left-over M118 Match packaging, which was a white cardboard 20 round box, printed with red & blue ink.  The XM852 label was placed over the original package markings.  Lot number indicates May 1981 production at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, MO.   The letter "S" in the lot number indicates a special loading.

[50M2HB]

Standard US military issue M856 5.56 caliber, 64 grain, tracer ammunition, but composed of lots that failed to meet military acceptance specifications, due to minor, usually cosmetic, reasons.  This ammunition was produced at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, operated by ATK which also owns the Federal Cartridge Company.  These "factory seconds" of LCAAP were repackaged in Federal, commercial, packaging.  20 rounds to a bright red cardboard box with white & black markings.  Black plastic spacer separating the cartridges inside the box.  Mixed headstamps, mostly LC 03, LC 04, and LC 05 (with NATO circle + symbol).  Brass cased, brass, percussion, boxer, non-corrosive primer, orange tip color, black primer sealant, ring primer crimp.  While designated XM856, this is, in fact, M856 ammunition that just didn't meet milspec.  (The XM designation actually means a cartridge design that hasn't yet been type classified/adopted.)

[50M2HB]

5.56mm NATO caliber M193 Ball, FMJBT, gilding metal jacket, lead core bullet with knurled crimp cannelure.  Brass case, brass, percussion primer, no visible primer sealant, ring primer crimp, headstamp "AP 07 5.56" from Arms Corporation (ARMSCORP) of the Phillipines.  Lot imported for commercial US market, fall 2007.  From white cardboard, 20 round boxes with black printing, "20 Cartridges  Cal. 5.56mm Ball, M193  Lot No 5560011"  Inside top flap purple ink stamped "07 072607"

[50M2HB]

12 Gauge shotshell, US DoD contract over-run, 00 Buckshot from Winchester.  Olive Drab plastic body with chemically darkened brass hi wall case head, black ink stamping on body "9 Pel 00 Buck," brass primer, "Winchester 12 GA" commercial headstamp.  Packed 5 rounds per tan cardboard box, with black ink stamping "5 Cartridges 12 GA Shotshell No. 00 Buckshot Lot WCC08B078-006 Olin Corporation" on front and "5 Cartridges 12 GA Shotshell No. 00 Buckshot" on one end.  White label with black printing on back with bar code on opposite end "Military Grade MG Buck Q1544"  Marketed by Midway USA  Lot # indicates Feb 2008 production.

[50M2HB]

5.56 NATO Caliber ball, from IVI (Imperial Val Carter Industries) of Canada, now a part of General Dynamics.  This is the 62 grain M855 "ball" containing a small, steel, penetrator reinforcement in the projectile tip.  As Canada only uses the 62 grain M855 load in this caliber, and not the 55 grain lead core ball as well, like the US, Canada doesn't paint the bullet tip a green color to differentiate the two ball loadings.  20 rounds/brown cardboard box, black ink printing, 2 plastic stripper clips of 10 rounds each.  Copper jacket, lead core, mild steel penetator, knurled crimp cannelure, brass case, brass percussion primer, dark purple primer sealant, ring primer crimp.  Headstamp NATO symbol, IVI 85.

[50M2HB]

30-06 Caliber M25 Tracer (Alternate), from the US Frankford Arsenal, headstamp FA 50, indicating 1950 production.  M25 Tracer would be an orange, rather than red tipped cartridge (M1 Tracer).  Alternate indicates that this bullet is a gilding metal clad steel (GMCS) jacket rather than a copper (gilding metal) jacket.  20 round tan cardboard box, tan label, black printing.  Brass case, brass percussion boxer primer.

[50M2HB]

7.62 NATO caliber Blank, probably Grenade, due to heavy wax case mouth sealant.  Black case mouth sealant, rose crimp case mouth, brass case, brass percussion primer, with clear primer sealant, ring primer crimp, TZ 79 headstamp.  From 20-round, tax cardboard box, with buff colored label, and Black ink printing, indicating lot # 5-79 with short string for breaking the seal and opening package.  Entire package sealed in plastic for storage.