25 pounder Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I discovered some strange .50 cal casings today , never seen such bottom marks, I presume they're Canadian manufactury , but not sure about that some deep ejector traces on the base , caused by Aircraft machineguns ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 All of the M2 series eject the cases in the same way, by pushing it through the bolt slots with the next round. Are they Browning .50 cal, 12.7 x 99 or Vickers .50 cal 12.7 x 81 or even Vickers .50 HV, 12.7 x 120? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Having just has a quick nose around net. Suggests the cartridges may be of pre war manufactuer. There are a lot of specialist forums out there, good luck on finding out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Suslowicz Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Having just has a quick nose around net. Suggests the cartridges may be of pre war manufactuer. There are a lot of specialist forums out there, good luck on finding out. The MR is the factory code, the numbers 4 and 33 are probably April 1933. C is probably Cordite. The CN is another maker's code 36 is again the last two digits of the year and II is Mk.2 May be French (MR for Manurhin, CN for an unknown French manufacturer) according to a quick google. I'll try and find my cartridge guide. Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Having just has a quick nose around net. Suggests the cartridges may be of pre war manufactuer. There are a lot of specialist forums out there, good luck on finding out. The cartridges are pre war , that's for sure , all are marked 33 , 35 and 36. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 But what length are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Just a thought - are they .50 cal or 20mm?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Just a thought - are they .50 cal or 20mm?? definetly .50 cal ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 But what length are they? :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 But what length are they? :cry: Sorry , I'm at work now , cartridges are at home , you'll get the measurements this evening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Sorry , I'm at work now , cartridges are at home , you'll get the measurements this evening! :tup:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 This one's for Adrian , 12.7 X 99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 So definately .50 BMG then but with ejector marks..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 what do you think about the (very deep) ejector marks , I compared with some marks on 20 mm (aircraft) cartridges , and they're very similar , though smaller on the 20 mm catridges --- possible waste akircraft ammo ? still no idea about country of manufactury , major difference about the primerr insert with the well known "US style" (3 small triangles) -- double circle on the "unknown" catridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 had a look on some other rifle cartridges , found some French 8 mm Lebel , with the same marks , CN , dating from WW I , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The French did amke .50. It's on the net somwhere. Wasn't the idea originally that it would be an Anti Tank round? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Yes , I found out they made those rounds , info is very scarce on the subject, will try to find out more about the production plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 what do you think about the (very deep) ejector marks , I compared with some marks on 20 mm (aircraft) cartridges , and they're very similar , though smaller on the 20 mm catridges--- possible waste akircraft ammo ? Not from Browning .50 cal, they do not use an ejector as the cartriage stays within the bolt lips and is ejected downwards by the next round. I suspect some sort of AT rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Could they be 13.2mm as used in the Hotchkiss M1930 or is that a silly question:??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Suslowicz Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Could they be 13.2mm as used in the Hotchkiss M1930 or is that a silly question:??? I was thinking that, too, after some research on t'internet at lunchtime. I suppose what you really need is photographs of the various HMG breech faces and see which one is a good match for the case head? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hall Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 As mentioned they are 13.2mm Hotchkiss rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 As mentioned they are 13.2mm Hotchkiss rounds. will check that tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25 pounder Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 As mentioned they are 13.2mm Hotchkiss rounds. Correct , the cartridge neck is a litlle wider than the genuine .50 cal , but impossible to measure the diameter , because of the condition these cartridges are in ( coming from the scrap pile ) , but they caught my attention by the uncommon headstamps ---- mystery solved now , thanks to Degsy , Chris Hall and all other forum members.:blush::blush::blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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