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Steel Ammunition Boxes - WW2 (and beyond)


N.O.S.

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Can anyone give us a run-down on the extent to which steel ammunition boxes replaced wood boxes during WW2, what the basic types looked like (steel and wood) and how the designs changed post war?

 

Were U.S. and British designs different in WW2? Were U.S. ammunition supplies used by British forces and vice-versa?

 

For example here is a post war British box, measuring 17.5" L, 13.25" W, 11.5" H. The lid is stamped BOX F631 MK1 and PMD SV44 65 How does this compare to WW2 styles?

DSC00261.jpg

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All the US ones I've seen have a flaming Grenade embossed into them. Most Ammuniton boxes are based , obviously , on the size of the contents. But the Defence Packaging Agency, anything from half a dozen eggs to a nuclear warship, packed especially for the military, spend a lot of time designing and testing.

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Much ordanace and weapons were made in US to UK spec. The Americans charged for ordance and fuel used by Brtish forces, but used British manufactured and supplied without paying. I have a Mossberg MB42a riflre, .22 Bolt action one of about 42,000 manufactured for UK at a cost of $10 each. They were then fitted with Paker Hale sights. Mine traces by serial number to one of the last batches of 21, 000 delivered February 1941. The top of the barrel is stamped US Goverment Property, because of course at the time the US was netural but was supplying Lease/Lend, you can't 'Lease or 'Lend' something you don't own, hence the barrel stamp. Many weapons were also supplied by voluntary donation during the 'Send a Gun to Defend a British Home campaing. Many of these subsequently ended up in Home Gaurd units. Some however, mainly Winchester and some of the Mossbergs were fitted with scopes and moderators (Silencers), these were reputed to have been issued to The Home Gaurd Auxilary Units, as assasination weapons. One of the tasks of such groups , should an invasion have happned , was to assasinate , fiendly personal who knew of thier existence!!!! and colabarators!

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