FA .30 M1 Lot FA 1949. With clips

[A. F Medic]

Just got 5 boxes of the above and one was open. I expected to see the cartridges dated 1949. I pulled one off of the brass stripper clip and it was FA 1936. I thought that the box year was to be the same as the cartridge year.

All the cartridges are of that date with cardboard protector in the center. Not reloads. I was able to pry another box open and the 1939 date was there too.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[RCS]

Photo shows from left to right: 30-03, 30-06, 30 M1 and 30M2.

When 30M2 was introduced in 1937 (headstamp in photo is FA 37) the bullet had a stannic stain while 30M1 ball did not. This stannic stain was eliminated by Sept 1940. This stain was used to I.D. the M2 cartridges.

The USN continued to order 30M1 in 1940

The best way to tell the difference between 30M1 and 30M2 is to weigh the entire cartridge

[Emri]

The 1949 in the nomenclature was a lot number, not an actual date. It is just coincidental that it is also a year date. In the 30's no one would assume the number was a date, but we look at things differently after 60 or 70 years.

Don't shoot the ammo. Pre-WWII ammo has brittle brass than can split upon firing, so it is not recommended to shoot ammo made before 1940.

HTH,

Emri

[A. F Medic]

Emri.
I did not know that about the brittle brass. I had thought about putting a clip through one of my 03s .
Really Thanks!!

[Emri]

You're welcome. I remember reading that info in the American Rifleman many years ago. IIRC, the brass "age hardens" since they were not annealed. If you had a large lot of it, you would probably find some cases already with neck splits even though unfired. Neck splits during firing aren't too bad, but a split in the body is not a good thing and if one were to split through the web (head) of the cartridge it could be quite unpleasant. Look at some clean WWII ammo and notice the brass is bright but for the neck and shoulder area that will have a "discoloration" to it. That is from the annealing process. There is plenty of good ammo out there to shoot without taking any chances on a few rounds of old stuff!

HTH,

Emri

[AZPhil]

So would the FA stand for Frankford Arsenal??
My Father worked there until it closed!!!

[A. F Medic]

So would the FA stand for Frankford Arsenal??
My Father worked there until it closed!!!

Yes. The FA stands for Frankford Arsenal..