Appendix

'A'

Ammunition
Part 1: UK Intermediate Range Ammunition Statistics
As mentioned in the body of t h e t ext , t h e Ideal Calibre Panel initially set out by e x p l o r i n g two different solutions to t h e p r o b l e m of satisfying the s t r i n g e n t 1945 W a r Office specifications laid d o w n for Rifle and r o u n d . To avoid confusion, these w e r e labelled t h e .270 and t h e .280, although they both shared t h e c o m m o n calibre of . 2 7 6 " or 7 m m . Initial production as mentioned earlier was at Radway Green and K y n o c k . A n u m b e r of different specifications w e r e t r i e d , all w i t h basically either a 130 grain (early) or 140 grain bullet, the change c o m i n g in November 1948. Other differences include core t y p e , cone shape (sharp and blunt ogive), g i l d i n g metal and cupro-nickel envelopes, cylindrical and boat-tail base, and various e x p e r i m e n t a l filler materials (lead, plastic, and wood f i b r e ) . From t h e very b e g i n n i n g , light alloy was tried as a case m a t e r i a l , and is f o u n d either lacquered plain or b r i g h t orange. Various loads will be found w i t h alloy cases. The .270 project was d r o p p e d in A p r i l , 1948. Very few of these early rounds have survived to the present day. The change from the .280 calibre to .280/30 took place on December 9, 1949, to make the UK base compatible with that of the US T65. Working d r a w i n g s of that period show that the base had been constantly m o d i f i e d since t h e outset in November, 1947. T h e increase in velocity to 2,594 fps was inspired by US Aberdeen and Fort Benning t r i a l s results, which had complained of relative weakness and unacceptable m i d - r a n g e trajectory. This final round of t h e .280/30 series was sealed, using t h e flat-base 140- g r a i n FN S-12 bullet, in A u g u s t 1951 as the " C a r t r i d g e , S.A. 7 m m Ball M a r k 1 Z . " As an interesting aside, a small lot of .280/30 rounds was m a n u f a c t u r e d to these specifications in 1970 for new short rounds t r i a l s , and headstamped " R G 7 0 1 Z " (see f i g . 216). As the whole project became increasingly political, several m o d i f i e d c a r t r i d g e types were developed in an a t t e m p t both to woo the adamant A m e r i c a n s away f r o m their T65 r o u n d , and yet salvage some of t h e light assault Rifle characteristics w h i c h the British w a n t e d . T h e f o l l o w i n g c o m p e n d i u m lists these a t t e m p t s , most of w h i c h unfortunately came to nought in the face of t h e flat refusal of US Ordnance to consider any round less " e f f e c t i v e " than their .30 cal T65. Co-operation among the B r i t i s h , Canadians and FN on the development of these various " c o m p r o m i s e " rounds led to F N ' s f u r t h e r development and successful m a r k e t i n g of the 7 m m Second O p t i m u m as the " 7 m m L i v i a n o " in South A m e r i c a . Later developments at Canadian Arsenals Ltd saw a small n u m b e r of E M 2 - t y p e Rifles made up in the 7x51 C o m p romise calibre, although these Rifles are erroneously marked " 7 m m H . V . " . Data r e g a r d i n g the U K intermediate c a r t r i d g e developments used in this book, together w i t h the scaled d r a w i n g s and headstamps shown in figs 216-218, are g r a t e f u l l y acknowledged as being supplied by M r . A . O . E d w a r d s of M e r t o n Park, London. A great deal more detail on these and other Service calibres can be found in a new series of pamphlets w r i t t e n by M r . Edwards and others, published by t h e i r " C o l l e c t o r C a r t r i d g e s " of K i n g s t o n , Canterbury, Kent, England.

Fig. 216 The full range of the UK Intermediate Cartridge Development. From left to right: 1. A typical 7.92 mm Kurz the cartridge that started the whole Assault Rifle concept. Headstamp indicates manufacture by Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen, Sebaldushof, 1943. 2. The first of the Ideal Calibre Panel's attempts at an ideal military round: the .270 (7 x 46 mm). The "K 47" headstamp (Kynoch) is listed as "reported but not seen."

3. The second of the Ideal Calibre Panel's designs, the .280 (7 x 43 mm). The earliest lot of 1947 Radway Green experimental cases bore no headstamp. The later 1947 1,000-case production run was marked simply " R G " . The project was terminated in 1949. 4. .280/30 calibre, base compatible with US T65. Made in UK and Belgium. The FN 52 and RG 70 are the increased-velocity pattern sealed as "Cartridge, Ball, 7 mm M K 1 Z . "

5. The 7 mm High Velocity (7 x 49.5 mm). 6. The 7 mm Compromise (7 x 51 mm). This round also loaded by FN and Dominion Arsenals (Canada).

7. The 7 mm Second Optimum (7 x 49.15 mm). This joint Anglo-Canadian venture was in parallel with No. 6 (above). The round was continued and marketed by FN in Venezuela as late as 1957, as the "7 mm Liviano". In this form it was loaded as ball, AP and tracer. The FN 55 headstamp is a 7 mm Liviano loading. 8. 7.62 x 51 NATO representative early UK (Radway Green) loading. Actual-size drawings by A.O. Edwards, Merton Park, London.

238

Fig. 217 Left: "Case, cartridge, S.A. .280-inch D6(L) 6 1 5 / 9 1 " . Drawing dated 1/10/47 with revisions to 18/12/47. Right: .280-inch observation bullet, scale 1:1.

240

Appendix

'B'

Part 2:

UK 7.62mm NATO Ammunition Statistics

1.

Manufacturers Ammunition in

of 7.62 mm the UK

Ball Small Arms

2. RG K GB

Ball Ammunition

Production

dates

RG

Royal Ordnance Factory Radway Green Cheshire

1953 to date 1955 to 1970 1958 only.

Imperial Metal Industries ( K y n o c h ) Ltd Witton, Birmingham G r e e n w o o d & Batley Ltd Leeds 3. Designation L1A1 Type Grenade launcher blank Approx. UK 7.62 dates mm

GB

NATO

Cartridge

Types Identification R e a r part o f c a s e blackened Current Status

Manufacturer RG

1955 - 57

device, obsolete; l i m i t e d i s s u e , replaced by L1A2 Current service i s s u e ; different c h a r g e t o L1A1

L1A2

Grenade launcher blank

1957 on

RG, K

as above

L1A1

Drill R o u n d

1955 - 56

RG

U s u a l l y b r a s s c a s e This i s e x p e r i m e n t al "Round L1A1", with 3 flutes, as it h a s a b u l l e t . painted either w h i t e , r e d o r g r e y The G r e n a d e Launcher is "Cartridge L 1 A 1 " a s it is a blank. Chromed case, 3 flutes painted red Purple p.a. Current s e r v i c e issue. Early s e r v i c e i s s u e , cases usually H / S 7 . 6 2 A1

L1A2

Drill R o u n d

1957 on

RG

L2A1

Ball

1954 - 56

RG

241

Designation L2A2

Type

Approx.

dates

Manufacturer

Identification

Current

Status

Ball

1957 on

RG, K, G B

Current s e r v i c e i s s u e . Early c a s e s were H / S 7.62 A 2 , B u l l e t w t . 144 g m s t h e n L 2 A 2 . S i n c e Charge approx. 43 1976, no load grams designation in headstamp purple p.a. E x p e r i m e n t a l ; different propellant Limited Issue; A m e r i c a n ball powder; cases H / S L2A4 Current s e r v i c e issue

Purple p.a.

L2A3

Ball

late sixties

RG

L2A4

Ball

1969, 1972

RG

purple p.a.

L3A1

Inspectors Dummy

1956 on

RG

Silvered case, blind primer pocket Case coppered overall R e d tip, o ne cannelure on bullet above case

L4A1

Proof

1957 on

RG

Current s e r v i c e issue Early s e r v i c e i s s u e

L5A1

Tracer

1 9 5 7 - 61

L5A2

Tracer

V a r i o u s tip c o l o u r s P u r e l y e x p e r i m e n tal a s far a s is known R e d tip, o ne cannelure on bullet above case Current service issue

L5A3

Tracer

1961 on

K, R G

L5A4

Tracer

seventies

RG

P r e s u m e d R e d tip V e r y l i m i t e d i s s u e Believed to be bright ignition tracer for J u n g l e use P r e s u m e d R e d tip V e r y l i m i t e d i s s u e . Believed to be bright ignition tracer for J u n g l e use

L5A5

Tracer

seventies

RG

Designation L6 L7 L8 L9 L10A1

Type

Approx.

dates

Manufacturer

Identification

Current

Status

Not known probably allocated to experimental projects which were discontinued

E x t e n d e d crimp blank E x t e n d e d crimp blank Ball

1957 - 60

FN

E x t e n d e d neck crimp

Contract m a d e b y FN

L10A2

1961 - 1 9 7 1

RG

Red, clear or green Service; replaced by L13A1 lacquer on crimp Green p.a. "Off-shore" contract w i t h Rauffors, N o r w a y , for British Army in Germany. Limited service.

L11A1

1 9 7 0 - 71

Rauffors

XL12E1

R e d u c e d Ball

1969 approx.

RG

Short r o u n d - n o s e E x p e r i m e n t a l . Low power round loadbullet ed with .32 A C P b u l l e t for anti-riot use. Not adopted. R e d , o r g r e e n lacCurrent service quer on crimp i s s u e blank. Thinner case walls than L 1 0 A 2 for e c o n o m y

L13A1

Extended neck blank

1972 on

RG

243

Fig. 218 A representative sampling of 7.62 mm NATO headstamps. From top, left to right: 1. FN 1954. Earliest date seen in NATO loading by FN. Note the use of the NATO symbol. These rounds were tested in Britain. 2. Inspector's L3A1, Radway Green Manufacture. Chromed case with blind primer pocket. 3. Radway Green experimental drill round. Plain brass case with three flutes. No primer; anvil but no flash holes. Flutes and primer pocket painted grey. Also found with white paint difference is in weight. A specially made-up lot using the early ball round headstamp (see No. 8 below) with the " L 2 A 1 " ground off. 4. Early chromed drill round. No primer; anvil but no flash-holes. Three flutes on case, painted red. Radway Green production circa 1954. 5. Early 1953 Radway Green unheadstamped 7.62 ball. 6. Early 1954 Radway Green production, 7.62 ball. 7. Late 1954 production with " A 1 " added. (7.62 ball). 8. Full L2A1 designation, Radway Green 1955 production, 7.62 ball. 9. Grenade blank L1A1 case is blackened all over. 10. Early Canadian 7.62 production at Dominion Arsenals. 11. Canadian 7.62 ball, 1955 production. First use of NATO symbol. 12. Early Australian 7.62 ball loading. Could be first year of production.

244

Appendix 'B' Exploded View Plates

245