Smle grenade cup- markings survey

[lithgow1918]

Very clearly struck MM.

Thanks, just wanted to be sure, that's a new mark to me.

[hatrick]

Here’s a WWI cup from my collection. S&B on both components with an additional M&S/L on the clamp. Not sure what the 1161 number is all about but it looks like it was probably struck with the S&B.

[lithgow1918]

Here’s a WWI cup from my collection. S&B on both components with an additional M&S/L on the clamp. Not sure what the 1161 number is all about but it looks like it was probably struck with the S&B.

Interesting, first S&B cup in the survey(only have 11 so far most from pictures online), I am really beggining to suspect it's not a manufacturer mark, anyone else have any insight into this?

[Nagloc68]

Really enjoyed the insight from this post, especially the instructions on the correct mounting. Was anyone able to identify markings for Australian produced Metro Gas Co cups? I have seen a few cups for sale and most are clearly identified and not metro. Occasionally there is an “unknown”. Is there any thoughts that maybe metro has didn’t mark their grenade cups? I would really like to add an Aussie version to my collection. Thanks in advance fir any updates.

[lithgow1918]

No news that I'm aware of. Found and bought a grenade cup and clamp both marked with an "M", but I doubt it's Metro gas co. Heard somewhere that the single letter marks were a WWII thing. It also has the S&B mark which really leads me to believe they were not a manufacturer, and that the marking has some other significance.

[Nagloc68]

Thanks Lithgow. I appreciate the work. If I learn any more I’ll update the thread and in the meantime I am on the hunt for a grenade cup!

[lithgow1918]

Thanks Lithgow. I appreciate the work. If I learn any more I’ll update the thread and in the meantime I am on the hunt for a grenade cup!

https://www.gunboards.com/threads/Australian-smle-grenade-cups.1163113/#post-10406551

Also started this thread elsewhere, don't think anything came of it though.

[AD-4NA]

Since these cups are fairly available here in the U.S., I'll be interested to see what the results of this query are, especially since there seems to be a hole in the markings database for them. But I'm mostly interested in whether any of the ones currently on the market aren't Indian.

[lithgow1918]

I have one I suspect isn't indian. No rfi markings or much black paint (there may be a few specs, I don't remember well). It is also a matching cup and base for what that's worth. Paid a premium for those reasons, although I suppose it could just have a light sprinkling of "inidaness" given the specs of black paint.

[Claven2]

Arise, Necro thread!

Not being in the USA, I picked up another cup today which is an uncommon find in Canada nowadays.

Base is marked S&B (have not found what this stands for) with a WW1 style broad arrow next to it, and on the other end, same side, of the base it's stamped BS.

The cup is clearly made by another contractor, marked NPFL. (National Projectile Factory Ltd?, could also be NPF Lancaster that opened November 1916 or NPF Leeds, also from WW1 era?)

The cup body is not knurled on this one, it's got annular grooves around the circumference, like it came rough off the lathe and got finished and issued. It has a wartime cruder feeling to the machining for certain. the valve assembly is riveted to the cup body, and not screwed. Most I see are held on with screws, and the rivets looks like a wartime expediency change to me.

No signs of suncorite or Indian black paint on this one, it's either phosphated or oil blackened - hard to tell, finish is a little worn.