AMMUNITION CARTONS
Cartridges can be either packed in Cartons, Clips
and Bandoleers and/or in Machine Gun Belts . Wherever there is a possibility
that cartridges may be jumbled together during transportation, they are packed
first in Cartons . Cartons are made of single, manila-lined chipboard . After
packing, the Carton is sealed by pasting a label over the top and sides. Some
types have tearing strips or strings, but generally a small semicircular recess
in the chipboard (at top of side) is left as a means for opening the Carton .
Carton, Caliber .30 (Rifle) Ammunition : this type of
chipboard Carton is designed to contain 20 cartridges . 75 Cartons are packed
to the standard wooden box .
Carton, Caliber .30 (Carbine) Ammunition : this type of chipboard Carton is designed to contain 50 Cartridges ,
16 Cartons are packed in the standard metal can, while 3 Cans are packed in a
wooden box .
Carton, Caliber .45 Ammunition : this type of
Carton is designed to contain 20 cartridges . 100 Cartons are packed per wooden
box .
Carton, Caliber .50 Ammunition : this type of
Carton contains 10 cartridges only; there are 35 Cartons per wooden box (previously only 30 Cartons) .
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5-rd Clip Caliber .30 Ball M1 Cartridges for M1903 Springfield Rifle
20 Caliber .30 Dummy M1906 Cartridges for M1903/M1 Rifle, packed in Carton (Frankford Arsenal)
50 Caliber .45 Ball M1911 Cartridges for M1911/M1911A1 Automatic Pistol, packed in Carton (Repacked Lot)
600 Caliber .30 Dummy M1921 Cartridges for M1/M1A1 Carbine, in Cartons, and packed in sealed Metal Container
20 + 20 Caliber .30 Dummy M1906 Cartridges for M1903/M1 Rifle, packed in Cartons (Frankford Arsenal)
50 Caliber .30 M1Cartridges for M1/M1A1 Carbine, packed in Carton (Kings Mills Ordnance Plant)
50 Caliber .45 Dummy M1921 Cartridges for M1911/M1911A1 Automatic Pistol, packed in Carton (Evansville Ordnance Plant)
20 Caliber .30 Ball M2 Alternative Cartridges for M1903 Rifle, packed in Carton (St. Louis Ordnance Plant)
5-rd Clip + 5-rd Caliber .30 Dummy M1906 Cartridges for M1903/M1 Rifle
50 Caliber .30 M1 Cartridges for M1/M1A1 Carbine, in Carton (Western Cartridge Company)
50 Caliber .45 Ball M1911 Cartridges for M1911/M1911A1 Automatic Pistol, in Carton (Evansville Ordnance Plant)
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Remarks : the number of Cartons (as well as the total number of
cartridges per wooden box) varies as per the specific type of caliber .30
ammunition ! (min. total cal .30 cartridges is 1,200 per box, while max. total
is 2,000; for cal .45 cartridges min. is 2,000 and max. is 5,760, and for
caliber .50 ammunition min. reads 300 while max. is 450) . During WWII, further
modifications and/or changes occured thereby influencing packing of subject
ammunition . For caliber .45 M1911 ball ammo following variations existed : 50
cartridges per carton, 18 cartons per waxed container, 2 waxed containers per
wooden ammo box i.e. total contents 1,800 cartridges – or – 50 cartridges per
carton, 12 cartons per metal can, 2 metal cans per wooden ammo box i.e. total
contents 1,200 cartridges – or – 50 cartridges per carton, 20 cartons per waxed
container, 2 waxed containers per wooden ammo box i.e. total contents 2,000
cartridges …
Please note additional data for cal .30, cal. 45 and cal
.50 cartridge cartons :
Cal .30 (rifle) ammo – 20
cartridges are packed per carton, and depending on the type of ammunition, the
number of cartons per box varies as follows; 62 x cartons of gallery practice
M1919 ammo per box, 75 x cartons of armor-piercing M2 ammo per box, 82 x
cartons of guard M1906 ammo per box, 84 x cartons of guard M1 ammo per box, 91
x cartons of dummy M1906 ammo per box, 100 x cartons of blank M1909 ammo per
box.
Cal .30 (carbine) ammo – 50
cartridges are packed per carton; i.e. 16 x cartons of ball M1 ammo/ tracer
M16/ dummy M1/auxiliary M7 ammo per sealed metal can, and 3 metal cans per
wooden box (i.e. 2,400 cartridges) . Other variations were metal cans
containing 800 x ball M1 cartridges packed in cartons .
Cal .45 ammo – 50 cartridges
are packed per carton; i.e. 24 x cartons of M1911 ball ammo per box, or 36 x
cartons of M1911 ball ammo per box, or 40 x cartons of M1911 ball ammo per
box . Another version was a metal can
containing 600 x ball M1911 cartridges packed in cartons .
Cal .50 ammo – 10 cartridges are packed per carton, except for some types of ammunition; 30 x cartons of
high-pressure M1 ammo per box, 35 x cartons of ball M2/armor-piercing M2 ammo per box, 45 x cartons of blank M1 ammo
per box. Metal cans containing 60 x armor-piercing M2 cartridges, packed in cartons also existed .
AMMUNITION CLIPS
Caliber .30 cartridges for general use in service Rifles
are held together in clips . They not only facilitate loading and use of ammunition in general, but also help protect
and hold together the cartridges . Clips are packed in Bandoleers, which are further packed in standard wooden packing boxes .
5-Round Ammo Clip : caliber .30 cartridges for use
in the M1903 (Springfield) and M1917 (Enfield) service Rifles, or for both
Rifle and Machine Gun use, are assembled and held in 5-round clips . The
5-round clip consists of a body and spring, both made of brass . Stop lugs on the exterior sides of the body seat
the clip in its slots in the rifle receiver . The top edges of the sides are
folded inward and form flanges which fit into the grooves in the cartridge case
heads, thus holding the cartridge in place . The spring is provided with narrow
tongues which, when the clip is filled, are pressed into the grooves of the
outside cartridges, holding them securely in the clip .
8-Round Ammo Clip : caliber .30 cartridges for use in the M1 (Garand) service
Rifle are assembled in 8-round clips . The 8-round clip consists only of a
steel case . It is indented near the base along the sides to form an inner rib
which engages the extractor groove in the cartridges . The sides are
sufficiently inclined to clamp the cartridges firmly in place . The cartridges
are held in 2 staggered rows of four . Experience in the field shows that it is
preferable to have the uppermost cartridge in the right side of the clip . The
sides are curved at the ends to hold all cartridges securely in the clip .
| Belt, Magazine for B.A.R., M-1937
(for 12 x cal..30 20-rd Magazines for B.A.R. M1918A2)
Belt, Cartridge, Cal..30 Dismounted, M-1923 (for 20 x cal..30 5-rd Springfield M1903 Clips or 10 x cal..30 8-rd Garand M1 Clips)
Bandoleer, M-1 (for either 12 x cal..30 5-rd Clips or 6 x cal..30 8-rd Clips protected by Cardboard Inserts)
Belt, Pistol or Revolver, M-1936
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from Top to Bottom :
Belt, Cartridge, Cal..30, Mounted, M-1923 (with provision for attachment of Magazine Pocket for
Pistol)
Belt, Cartridge, Cal..30, Mounted, M-1910 (w/o provision for extra Magazine Pocket for Pistol)
Belt, Cartridge, Cal..30, Dismounted, M-1923 (khaki colored Canvas)
Belt, Cartridge, Cal..30, Dismounted, M-1923 (olive drab colored Canvas)
Belt, Cartridge, Cal..30, Dismounted, M-1923 (white cotton, non-functional Pockets, for ceremonial purposes)
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Remarks : 5-rd clips are normally carried in the Belt, Cartridge,
Cal .30, Mounted, M1923 (capacity 2 x 5-rd clips per pocket i.e. a total of 18
clips or 90 cartridges), in the Belt, Cartridge, Cal .30, Dismounted, M1923
(capacity 2 x 5-rd clips per pocket i.e. a total of 20 clips or 100
cartridges); they can be further carried in a Bandoleer, M1906 (capacity 2 x
5-rd clips per pocket i.e. a total of 12 clips or 60 extra cartridges) . The
8-rd clips can be carried in the same Cartridge Belts and Bandoleers . The
capacity however is different; the Mounted Cartridge Belt holds a total
capacity of 9 x 8-rd clips or 72 cartridges; the Dismounted version 10 x 8-rd
clips or 80 cartridges, while the M1 Bandoleer contains 6 x 8-rd clips or 48
extra cartridges . During WWII no Bandoleers were used for the M1/M1A1 Carbine.
Throughout WWII a number of variations also occured in packing methods
and contents . For instance, cal .30 ball ammo 5-rd clips were packed 12 per bandoleer,
25 bandoleers per wooden ammo box i.e. total contents were 1,500 cartridges .
Following variations also existed for 8-rd ammo clips; cal .30
ball ammo and AP ammo clips were packed 6 per bandoleer, 28 bandoleers per
wooden ammo box i.e. total contents amounted to 1,344 cartridges – or – cal .30
ball ammo clips were packed 6 per bandoleer, 30 bandoleers per wooden ammo box
i.e. total contents reached 1,440 cartridges – or still – cal .30 tracer ammo
clips were packed 6 per bandoleer, 5 bandoleers per metal can, 2 metal cans per
wooden ammo box, i.e. with total contents of 480 cartridges …
