Brass info?

[browningautorifle]

I should think up to about '45. Production would have stopped suddenly and probably not moved much until Korea. They had scads of surplus ammo as we are still seeing.

[Reload]

I should think up to about '45. Production would have stopped suddenly and probably not moved much until Korea. They had scads of surplus ammo as we are still seeing.

Right. I meant 'any production year' that they made them. Looking at my list is like a glimpse of history. '42-'45, then a huge gap until '51-'54, then another gap until '67.

Except for the oddball steel cases from Lake City in '56. I've been told there was a brass shortage in the 50's that was severe enough to cause ammo plants to shut down. Not sure why they would've made them in '56. Suez?

[USGI]

For what it's worth, I've seen Lake City .30 Carbine ammo from 1955 that is just marked "5" - I would say if it is marked with a "4," it was manufactured in 1944 only. - Bob

[emmagee1917]

I believe it was done to '43 dies for use in '44 only. We were expanding production before Dec. 7th , took off in '42 , and really expanded in '43 . Lots of shortages in '43 in everything . In '44 they needed "44" dies , but a lot of the machinery had been added to the lines in '43 and the dies were good , so they just modified them. Later in '44 the issue was no longer in doubt , just how long it would take to win. Many of the shortages were cought up on and many production lines were closed because of surplus production ( carbines , for example ) . Now worn "4" dies were replaced with new "44 " dies as needed and they had new "45"s when they needed them.
Chris