Korean War Bullet and Cartridge ID Help

[Corea]

I visited a small hill during the week and unexpectedly found some foxholes. I found a couple of bullets and cartridges but could do with some help with the ID.

Firstly, I have here a bullet that I really have no idea about:

It is the bullet on the left. Placed next to an American .30-06 AP bullet.
Diameter of 8.1mm (possibly due to corrosion).
Length of 37.15mm.
It also has 4 land and grooves with a right hand twist.

Secondly, I have a smaller, rounded bullet:

Diameter of 7.75mm.
Length of 22.4mm.
I believe it could be either a) 7.62x25 Tokarev for a Shpagin PPSh 41
or b) .30 Carbine bullet for M! Carbine.
Again 4 land and grooves with a right hand twist.

Third is a Korean cartridge ?:


Internal neck diameter of 5.75mm
Length of 44.65mm
Head stamp PS 7 -(?) : Poongsan Metal Manufacturing Company Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Fouth is an American cartridge:


Cartridge on left, pictured with .30-06 cartridge.
Internal neck diameter of 3.6mm.
Length of 66.75mm
Head stamp of LC 61: Lake City Ammunition Plant, Lake City, MO
Is it a blank?

Any help to ID these items would be greatly appreciated. The bullets are a real mystery.

 

[smle2009]

Hi Corea,
not much help to you I'm afraid other than to confirm that the last cartridge is indeed a blank

Tony

 

[TonyE]

I think the left hand bullet in the first picture is probably a Russian/Chinese 7.62 x 54mm, and if so is an API. Is there the remains of a tip colour? It could be a .303 British, but I don't think so.

Second picture is as you thought, an American M1 carbine bullet.

Third is a Korean made 5.56 x 45mm case made by Poongsan.

Fourth is a U.S. made 7.62 x 51mm NATO M82 Blank.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Corea]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate all the help.

The first bullet: I can't see any colour, it is just corrosion I believe.

The second bullet: I was hoping for it to be the Russian burp gun, but an M1 Carbine is great too.

The American casing is post-war, so I guess the US military must have done some exercises in the hills during the 60's.

A couple of questions:

1) What is the length of a .303 bullet? I have been searching as best I could, but can't seem to find the lengths of bullets in mm. Is there a site I am missing?

2) The Korean casing, would this be for hunting or military use?

3) The US cartridge, Could it also have been used in the M14?

Great to research these items, I have found some more today whilst out in the hills. It seems quite tricky trying to ID bullets!

Thanks again

 

[TonyE]

There is no site that I know of that provides bullet lengths. However, I am building a site for British military SAA and that will have bullet lengths, but it is some way from being in a state to go live!

The lengths of .303 inch bullets that you are likely to find in Korea are the Ball Mark 7 (flat based) 31.8 - 32.8mm, Tha Ball Mark 8z (boat-tailed) 34.5mm, Tracer G Mark 2z 35.3 - 37mm and the G Mark 8 37.3mm (although this is easily recognisable by the blunter bullet ogive).

The Korean case will be a military loading. Generally, if there is a date in the headstamp it is a military round, and yes, the calibre of the M14 rifle was 7.62mm and so the blank could have been fired in that.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Corea]

TonyE: So much information, I'm learning a lot. I was out yesterday at Imjin and found some boat tail bullet fragments. They have 5 left hand twits land and groove marks, so they must be the Mark 8 variety. I also found some cartridge casings that are stamped VII, but no cartridges with VIII yet.

I also found some 9mm parabellum rounds that I believed were used for the British Sten gun.

Great site and great advice. Cheers.