The infamous 'CIA' Canadian 8mm round.

[jonnyc]

"Sarge is closer to correct than you think Jonny. We didn't load anything for the CIA. The chinese nationals, yes."

Jim, think about your statement. If all that ammo was made during WWII and sent to China, the boxes would be marked as such, the ammo would be found in Asia (China, Korea, or Vietnam). In addition, it would be made according to the manufacturing processes of the 1940s. Unfortunately for your disbelief, the boxes are totally unmarked, they are only found as US surplus, and they are made according to Canadian 1950s manufacturing technology. If for the post-1949 Chinese Nationalists on Taiwan, the dates would be post 1949.

[Anzac15]

Here's some pics..this is a small portion, the box is full as well. Soooo......clandestine or not? Makes a neat story anyway!

[jonnyc]

I haven't shot any of the 8mm, but the 9x19 is great shooting ammo.

[browningautorifle]

Johnny, when we disposed of our .30 cal AP ammo it ALL went into the US and then we saw it. It wasn't released anywhere else. Then we could purchase it back here. It was all belted for 1919's and in cans. Yes, it was all marked. The point of the story is we don't sell our stuff to ourselves. We have to sell it somewhere first and then buy it back. Or we destroy it. The 8mm could have been sitting anywhere for the duration. When we made 7.62 and .556 for US consumption during the Vietnam war it was for continental US use only. Therefore marked. If this was for use overseas in China I could see why it wouldn't be marked. And by Chinese national, I mean anyone living in China at any time. I just wouldn't buy into a story like spooks and robbers. And yes, the examples we had here years ago was exellent ammo.

[jonnyc]

No problem, you don't have to buy into anything. This "story" has been studied and researched by some of the best people in the cartridge world. You're free to believe anything you want.....and be wrong. Read the info on the IAA postings and make an attempt to refute any bit of it. Good luck.

[Anzac15]

What's the IAA? I'd be interested in checking that out. I'd like to point out at this time that I can't say I believe or disbelieve the claims regarding this ammo. I have heard some pretty convincing evidence from both sides of the argument. If there's some solid evidence backing this up, I sure would like to see it.

[jonnyc]

The IAA is the International Ammunition Association. Read the links above to the relevant postings on the subject. There have been others, but they're a good start. The IAA homepage is International Ammunition Association

[Anzac15]

Thanks!

[Calif-Steve]

I have always heard that the Bay of Pigs ammo was unmarked. It was 8mm as the bulk of the weapons were 8mm. My boss in Viet Nam was captured at the Bay of Pigs and our team medic was in the aborted 2nd wave at the Bay of Pigs. His landing boat made it ashore and picked up people from the 1st wave, they then returned to the US Navy ship. Very lucky that he wasn't captured.

[jonnyc]

Many of the weapons used were US military, in .30-06. There are clandestine cartridges in that caliber with AN, BN, and CN dated headstamps.