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I got in about 30 rounds of what appear to be M1 Carbine blank ammunition with wooden bullets. Headstamp says "FN 55". The photo of the box end shows a carton end that was enclosed with the rounds, but I have no idea if they actually came from that box.
Has anyone ever seen ammo like this?
Clemson
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...eb5bfc_b-1.jpgCarbine Blanks by jakefromclemson, on Flickr
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...3de859_z-1.jpgCarbine Ammo Box by jakefromclemson, on Flickr
They most likely came from the box, which is translated "with wooden ball."
I've seen them with the green wood (Belgium), and with a natural color wood (US - WCC). There are also some Belgian ones with a long spitzer wooden bullet that would have to be single fed. Don't know why would use that one, unless they just needed to get rid of old .30 cal wooden projectiles.
Wooden bullet blanks, apparently Italy issued a blank like this for use. The bullets disintegrate before they go far but they function the carbine. Says "With wooden bullet"... So, yes you have the cartridges and the box they came in.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clemson
Didn't the Bren BFA have a 'shredder' to break the bullet up?
The Swedish Mausers had one later on, but it wasn't necessary. The hollow cavity inside the bullet was still at propellent pressure as the bullet exited the barrel, literally blowing itself to smithereens immediately.
Interesting and not ammo that you see every day. FN 55 = Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre (FN), Herstal, Belgium
Imagine that with a wooden bullet blank then there would be no need for a BFA. Have also read that wood bullets have been used for nonlethal crowd control?
As MAC702 mentioned WCC (as well as WRA) did make rounds with wooden bullets, but they were actually Dummy rounds not blanks.
I'm tempted to fire a few to see if they will function an M1 carbine action. My only hesitation is whether there is any collectability of the ammunition. Don't want to waste ammo that has some sort of demand.
Clemson
Imagine there is some collector value, I know if I saw a box of it at a gun show I would snatch it up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clemson
Wayne is that info from the headstamps shown above, or from WB III page 1409? The picture of the carton doesn't seem to match. So these aren't Italian, right? WB III shows FN ammo as being made in Bruges.Quote:
Originally Posted by W5USMC
Now I'd like to find hollow wooden bullets and make a bunch of blanks with all this .30 Carbine brass I've got stashed away! :thup: - Bob
Bob, just from the head stamp code. Listed on the IAA headstamp page linked below. And yes I do see that WB III says that FN ammo was actually produced in Bruges.
No idea about the writing on the box, also dated 2 years later than the head stamp? Google translator says "con bala de madera" is Spanish.
Headstamp Codes International Ammunition Association
I'm thinking not Italian since Google shows the most prominent languages in Belgium are French, Dutch, and German. Those all use terms other than "Cartuchos" for cartridges.Quote:
Originally Posted by W5USMC
We need Ovidio over here! ;) - Bob
these have been around for a long time
The writing is Spanish, I didn't say it WAS Italian, I just suggested Italy issued a cartridge like this. I wonder if these were loaded from fired cases by another entity other than FN? On the other hand, maybe the box and cartridges were brought together for display by some well wisher...Quote:
Originally Posted by USGI
FN likely had labels in many languages, depending on to where the cartridges were being exported.
The writing on the box is indeed Spanish "with wooden bullets". If there was an 'i' in madera it would be Portugese.