Ammo.

Is this sort of stuff of interest, I have some with different coloured paint on the end too ! Mike.

I'm guessing the first three are blanks of some sort and the middle two grenade launching cartriges ? A U.S. and one from ???
Chris

Mike,

It is of interest to me. I copied the picture for my files.

Thanks

I've been trying to figure out the dates of various Lot Numbers on the L.C stuff but havn't got enough info to go on yet. Y'know, how long was a Lot number used for ?. Mike.

I've got one box of LC #12577 that is headstamped "LC 4" for '44. It was open when I got it, but don't think anyone had changed out the ammo in it. I have one sealed box of LC #12758 that is only one number higher than yours, but it's still sealed - wonder if they are 1944 too, or something later? I don't know if they ever did quit making it after the war was over. I know I've seen various loose LC marked cartridges with later 40's headstamps on them. I've fired them, but still have the brass with my reloading stuff somewhere - have no idea what the lot numbers were though. - Bob

Mikey, A lot number lasted till something was changed such as the powder lot being used or the primers were a different batch or even a different bullet was to be used. The majority of the time it was a change in powder lot that would change a lot number on a batch of carbine ammo. The powder used in each lot was in tons at a time.

Thankyou Bruce, that is great info. Jim, I'm in the process of taking pics of the headstamps of the rounds shown in the pic at the start of the thread for you. Mike.

Mike,

According to my copies of the War Dept. Supply Bulletins for small arms ammunition, your LC #12186 was made in 1943. Your LC#12757 was made towards the end of 1944, as the first lot number listed for 1945 was 12763. I couldn't make out the Western lot number, but the lot numbers listed for 1942 or earlier started with 6003 and ended with 6042. The box label also appears to be an early design, as most boxes used during the war used a printed label similar to those on your LC boxes. Hope this helps. Charlie

According to info I found on the Internet about the Lake City plant, it shut down for 5 years after the war was over. I searched through my brass today looking for the headstamps that I thought were late 40's and only found a couple. At first I thought they were LC 46 and LC 48, but when I looked at them with a magnifier I decided they were poorly stamped LC 43. An interesting thing I found is two different LC 43 headstamps. One has larger letters and numbers running off the edge of the case head a bit, the other type is the more familiar small head stamp. My earliest post war LC brass is 51 and 52. All of my WRA brass is without dates, but the WCC is dated, with some as late as 1968. Some cases had crimped in primers, but not many. I'd like to know why some lots had the crimp, while most did not. Thanks, Bob

#1, Grenade Launching
#2 & #3, Blanks by Dynamit Nobel
#4 & #8, Dummy/Practice
#5, Blank
#6, ? Blank or Grenade Launching?
#7, Ball Ammo
#9, Tracer

Or so I think :).

Number 6 , the large 5-pointed star , is a US GLC for sure. Number 5 has the type of tip FN put on thier 30-06 GLCs , so I'm betting it's a FN GLC here , too. Number 1 I'm not sure of , 2 & 3 I believe are blanks.
Chris

Nr 3 is Norwegian - made for the Bundeswehr. The W.German/Bundeswehr also had a blank adapter that fastened on around the front sight. Some of the thicker front sights would not take the blank adapter. There was also a blast shield that came with each BFA. It clipped on around/under the adjustable rear sight - not useable with the flip sight. The red blanks would sometimes spit powder residue in your face.
The orange tipped tracer round is Korean War vintage.
Sarge

Still working on taking good headstamp pics of those rounds that are detailed enough to post. It ain't easy ! Got a little slowed down by Christmas and all that unimportant stuff too ! Mikey.