Reversed bullets in WWl

[bearhunter]

RS, you're right. I have that book. I knew I had read about it but at this stage of the game, just couldn't remember where.

[smellie]

The idea of a composite bullet, using the jacket to stabilise the entire package and the following lead core to hammer a penetrator core through a chunk of armour, had to come from somewhere. This is how Jerry started the quest, later backed-up by the development of the anti-Tank loading, the JsS, which originally was restricted to machine-gun use. Of course, everybody in the german Army had friends in the machine-gun section, so the rifle-calibre AT ammo percolated down through the ranks rather rapidly.

The British approach was different, designing first the Mark VIIP and the later Mark VIIW loadings, the W serving as the genesis of the WII load of World War II after the ammunition nomenclature was changed in 1926/7.

There are numerous references to the use of 'reversed-bullet' ammunition on both sides to be discovered in older literature concerning the War and in a number of 'responsible' military books as well. IT did work, not as well as wished, but better than one might think.

Nice to see some contemporary confirmation of the old stories.

Sure wish I had a couple of chargers of those.... and a big box of Mark VIIB.