Actually that was non-corrosive Ball M2 or tracer ammo made mostly in linked pack for clandestine ops about the time of the Bay of Pigs and the Euro headstamp style was meant to confuse its origin. It is described in Bill Woodin's book and was in common use through the Vietnam era, including CONUS training use.
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ary_headstamps
Special cartridges[edit]
During World War II the Western Cartridge Company made 7.92mm Mauser ammunition for the Chinese Nationalists. There are Chinese characters at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions and the year of production (42, 43 or 44) at the 6 o'clock position.
In 1953, large batches of .30-06 ammunition were manufactured under unique arsenal headstamps.[4] The case had red lacquer sealant around the primer.[4] The headstamp has a two-letter manufacturer code and the lot code (rather than the year) is the number 40 followed by a third numeral.[4] Collectors allege that the cartridges were intended to be aid to anti-Communist insurgents and Allied forces equipped with US weapons.
AN 40# Twin Cities Ordnance Plant, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
BN 40# St. Louis Ordnance Plant, St. Louis, Missouri.
CN 40# Lake City Ordnance Plant, Independence, Missouri.
Lake City agreed on then.
What about the 8 40 markings?
http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes
If it helps, this was in my fathers fired casings to eventually be loaded for the Garands and is 30-06
The 8 40 markings are camouflage, this ammo was loaded post WW2.
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Any idea when it was made?
I was also told that this was clandestine ammo and the Bay of Pigs invasion was also mentioned. There were a couple different headstamps used. Either BN or BXN with a month and year on the case head. I was testfiring a M1 Garand and found some live rounds and fired cases on the ground. Would have to go through my cartridge accumulation to check if I still have the live rounds. Have three large plastic boxes marked Sporting, U.S. Military, and Foreign Military. Frank
The brass I have is marked C N 9 40.I bought as loaded M2 ball probably in the late 50's.I believe it was corrosive primed.
I'll be the contrarian. It could be French. http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/h...adstampcodes#C
Is it berdan or boxer primed? That should tell the tale.
It's boxer primed for sure.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |