Colour of 6pdr AT gun Ammo boxes in WW2

[LarryH57]

Does anyone know what colour of 6pdr AT gun Ammo boxes were in WW2.

Were they issued in colours to match vehicle colours the same way German kit started to be 'sand yellow' after Feb 1943, or were UK 6 pdr Ammo boxes just churned out of the factory in one colour throughout WW2.

We are all used to seeing gloss brown ammo boxes these days but I thought that was a post-war colour.

[Adrian Barrell]

Officially, they were painted 'service colour'. This was usually SCC2 service brown which is the same as the modern gloss brown but the matt level makes a huge difference to the shade. I have seen them in green however, not repaints but with original stencilling.

[79x100]

'Service colour' changed over time and pre-war ammunition containers (not 6 pdr of course) were bronze green. It might just be possible that some early boxes for the 6 pdr were in Khaki Green. SCC2 was discontinued in 1944 so it's quite likely that there was a year or so of wartime production in British Olive Drab.

[Adrian Barrell]

[LarryH57]

Adrian,

 

Is that box in SCC2 then - always hard to know in a photo

[Adrian Barrell]

SCC2 is brown. It might be SCC15, olive drab. It's not mine, sadly, pics came from eBay a few years ago.

[Packhow75]

I have had these in original paint and Brown over the years - might have a pic still - will have a rummage.

[LarryH57]

Were they ever gloss brown or green in WW2?

[Adrian Barrell]

I would doubt they were gloss during wartime.

[Whittingham warrior]

Does anyone know what would be the modern BS or even RAL codes for these colours, unless of course these codes are still current?

[armouredfarmer]

BSC381C - BS499 service brown. BS298 olive drab (this is a close aproximatiomn to SCC15 as I understand it) both these colours are readily available in Matt Satin and Gloss via the internet.

 

PT

[Whittingham warrior]

Many thanks for that.

[MarcHusk]

According to several WWII Royal Army Ordnance Corps Regulations pamphlets from the beginning of the war all Cartridge cylinders, Cases powder, B.L. cartridge boxes, Q.F. (gun, separate loading) cartridge boxes, Q.F. 6-pr. (except tank gun), and steel boxes for Q.F. fixed ammunition (except for smoke or target cartridges) were to be painted in service colour BS381C-224 Deep Bronze Green and from 17 June 1944 the standard service colour changed to BS381C-499 Service Brown, although some pamphlets mention Camouflage Brown which would be BS381C-436 or BS987C-2. In WWII there was no such thing as Olive Drab used on British ammunition boxes. The only other colours used were Light Brunswick Green BS381C-225 for smoke and target ammunition, Signal Red BS381C-537 for blank and paper shot (gunpowder and blank cartridges), Post Office Red or Cherry BS381C-538 for incendiary stores, and Dark Admiralty Grey BS381C-632 for chemical stores. Wooden boxes were wood stained either Royal Forest Green or Vandyke Brown Wood Stain.

BS381C = British Standard 381 Colour

[LarryH57]

This a very comprehensive answer! Out of interest did the BS381c 499 brown get carried over to modern times, as the colour of brown ammo boxes?

Edited May 30, 2021 by LarryH57

[Adrian Barrell]

Yes it did, just in a semi gloss finish. Service brown is one of those colours that looks very different in gloss and matt.