Greenwood & Batley 7.62 NATO

[smle2009]

Hi all,
Turned up this 7.62mm Nato ball round manufactured by Greenwood and Batley in 1957,I have seen this manufactures mark on .303" before but not on 7.62mm,is there a story behind these rounds? headstamp is GB 57 7.62 L2A2.

Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

GB

Greenwood & Batley had been a major supplier of small arms ammunition to the War Office for many years, and had made the .303 Rubins rounds for the 1888 Lee Metford Troop Trial rifles as they held the Rubin patent rights for the UK. They were also an important manufacturer of cartridge making machinery for governments all over the world.

They continued making .303" ammunition through the transitional period of introducing the 7.62mm round until about 1957, and in that year were given a small "educational" contract to make 7.62mm NATO. They only produced very limited quantities in 1957 and 1958, and the earlier date is the hardest to find.

Shortly after that they ceased to manufacture ammunition.

It is a nice find as they are quite scarce.

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Many thanks TonyE,
do you know why G&B stopped manufacturing ammunition after such a long history of doing so?
Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

G & b

I am not 100% sure when they stopped making ammo, but apart from the trial lot of 7.62mm the latest I have is a proof round for the Birmingham Proof House headstamped "GB 58 OSP" (which stands for "Over Sevice Pressure")

Since G & B did not make commercial ammunition I think this is the last lot they made along with the 1958 7.62mm.

Since there were no further 7.62mm contracts for the army I suspect they closed the ammo line down then.

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Hi TonyE,
one of these on SA with a 1953 date? is this possible or mistruck 8(1958)? also it is marked as L2A2,which I'm fairly sure that 1956 was the earliest date that this L No was used for 7.62mm, L2A1 and A1 before this date?

Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

SA

It will be a lightly struck "8", as GB were certainly not making 7.62mm Nato (or T65 as it was still then) in 1953. Radway was the only UK producer of the early trial rounds in 1953.

The earliest L2A2 is 1955. I have posted pictures of this and the RG 53 headstamp. Sorry if they are a bit hard to read.

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Hi TonyE,
Thought that may be the case(unintended pun),but have just won it so will go with the 1957 one I have.
I was going by the RG examples I have for the date of 1956 for the earliest L2A2;
unheadstamped?
RG 54 7.62 A1
RG 55 7.62 A1
RG 55 7.62 L2A1
RG 56 7.62 L2A1
RG 56 7.62 L2A2
RG 57 7.62 L2A2
RG 58 L2A2 (+)

Thought I had these fairly much 'sown up' but it looks like I have a '55 L2A2 to find:tinysmile_cry_t4:
Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

Missing

You also need these as well as the "RG 53" I showed above!:tinysmile_cry_t4:

...plus the 160 and 170 grain flat based bullets, the three piece bullet, the red tipped RG54 proof load, and of course the round tipped Rg 57 tracer incendiary.


Sorry:sad:

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Ouch!
Well I am getting there slowly!:wink:
Tony do you know why the L2A1 was also made in 1956 as well as the L2A2?(which I now know came out in 1955!)
Also I should have realised that the flat topped 3 used on headstamps can't really be mistaken for a mistruck 8!(why didn't I think of that? ohh I did!:tinysmile_eyebrow_t)
Cheers
Tony

 

[smle2009]

Just been looking at my unheadstamped 7.62 and it differs from the one in TonyE's photos by having three primer stakes,so is this something else and a back to the drawing board job?

Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

Unheadstamped 7.62mm

My guess on that is a clandestine load, probably for Rhodesia. It could be made by South Africa or possibly Potugal.

I have a similar round which I will photograph and post when I get back from Cuba. I don't have time now as we leave for Cuba this afternoon.

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Hi TonyE,
one thing I do know about this round is that it was part of a UK military disposal lot.
have a good one and don't smoke too many of 'those' cigars!

Tony