.50 cal Makers ID required

[hicky1300]

Hi all
Amongst my latest haul from the belgian markets some very nice WWII .50 rounds (fully inert but unfired).
Various headstamps that I know but a couple with one that has me stumped - M 42 & 43. I know that 42 & 43 are years but which maker is M?
Thanks in advance (got a wee personal bet with myself as to who I think will be the first with a reply!!).:tinysmile_hmm_t:

 

[raymeketa]

I'll bet that you're going to lose that bet.

Milwaukee Ordnance Plant (Wisconsin), manufactured Cal .50 ammunition during WW II. The headstamp was "M" with the date. Both '42 and '43 dates are known.

Ray

 

[hicky1300]

You are right Ray I did lose that bet - but you were in the running!!
I haven`t seen any M ones before now all the usual LC, SL & FA.
Are the M`s common?
Thanks by the way

 

[raymeketa]

Milwaukee O.P. manufactured 236 million rounds of Cal .50 in 1942 and 1943. That sounds like a big number but in the grand scheme of WW II production it's probably less than average. For example, Des Moines O.P. manufactured 1.5 billion rounds. I don't collect the Cal .50 but I think most guys who do, consider it one of the less common and more collectable.

More than 100 million rounds of M2 Ball were sent overseas under Lend-Lease. Maybe yours are part of them?

Ray

 

[Falcon]

Some other ones to look out for:

"KS". These were made by Kelly-Springfield Tyre Co of Cumberland, Maryland.

"U" These were mady by Utah Ordnance Plant of Salt Lake City, Utah.

These are alot less common than the usual SL, LC, TW and DM.