Frankford Armory Bandoleers

[Lemming]

Hello All- First post in this section. I purchased a garand and the seller threw in 2 bandoleers of ammunition. Have atteched a couple of photos. Headstamp is FA 39. Certainly corrosive. Wondering if it has any more (or less) value compared to more recent milsurp.

Thanks- Mike

[joem]

Maybe a collector might want it but IMHO it has nominal value. If it was mine I'd pull the bullets, save the powder and reload the components in my cases.

[raymeketa]

That ammo is Cal .30 M1. Loaded with the 173 grain BT FMJ. Powder is one of the older IMR, but you have no way of knowing which one. There is probably nothing at all wrong with the ammo, as is. It could be safely fired. It is corrosive so you have to do the normal cleaning, etc.

The collector value of the bandoleer is probably greater than the value of the components. Add in your time in breaking them down and reloading and it's questionable if doing all that work for 120 bullets and an unknown powder is worth it. But, it's your call.

[Rick the Librarian]

Personally, I think any ammunition made before WWII, especially Frankford Arsenal stuff, and in excellent condition with the cards and everything, is worth holding onto. If we lived within non-mailing distance, I'd certainly offer to take it off your hands!

Again, your call.

[Lemming]

Well thank you for the comments. So, let's see...these won't fund a move to the Bahamas, it's work to salvage the components and Rick won't drive to Texas to pick them up. Guess I'll hang onto them.

LOL, I feel much like Rick about them; they are pre-WW2 and in very good shape. Mainly wanted to be sure they weren't something highly unusual.

Thanks again- Mike

[Rick the Librarian]

I bought a bandoleer of FA 1928 ammunition for a very good price about three years ago. The guy said he had a whole case and had tried shooting them and they weren't accurate. That fact was NOT a problem with me - they looked almost brand-new and still had the card in the pockets. Wish I had bought more.

[PhillipM]

This site may give you an idea on value. I'd pick them up from you if you were closer.

http://www.cdvs.us/30-06-Ball-ammo-FA-30-or-40-headstamp-10-round-pack-P325.aspx

[Rick the Librarian]

This site may give you an idea on value. I'd pick them up from you if you were closer.

http://www.cdvs.us/30-06-Ball-ammo-F...pack-P325.aspx

Me, too!

[Lemming]

Took a couple of additional photos: one of the headstamp on the cartridges and another of the individual dividers in the cardboards. The latter is a detail I did not notice initially.
Yeah, I'm keeping them.


-Mike

[raymeketa]

Now, don't anyone go and get pi$$ed off at me but, the "cardboards" are called cartons, and the "dividers" are called separators. The dot in the headstamp is an ID indicating a change in the manufacturing process or a special lot of brass. Only Frankford Arsenal knew exactly what it meant. Ammunition Lot FA 2132 was the last lot of M1 made in 1939. The new M2 was in full scale production by then, and only a limited quantity of M1 was made in 1940 and 1941.

Ray

[Lemming]

raymekta-
I'm sure not upset. Far from it; am happy to have learned a lot from your post. This is one of the reasons I like forums like CSP. The proper nomenclature for the cartons and separators alone would have been great. But to find out that this was the last lot for the year and that the dot on the case meant a change, that is very interesting.
Many Thanks!

[raymeketa]

lemming

I didn't think you would get upset, but others will. Although, most of them have mellowed out lately, or have simply decided it was a waste of time to criticize me for making minor corrections to terminology, etc.

It's too bad that we don't have the records from Frankford Arsenal to tell exactly what the dot meant. They used a different number of dots, and also located on different places on the headstamp. They usually meant a minor change in the manufacturing process, such as eliminating one of the draw steps, adding a step, or trying a slightly different brass alloy. Things like that. The 1930s was a decade of experiments , including the testing of a new cartridge with the 150 grain bullet which became the M2.

BTW, I have no problem with calling the cartons by other names. Such as inserts, thingies, cardboards, etc. Just so we all know what we are talking about.

Ray

[Rick the Librarian]

I also don't mind corrections. For example, I usually referred to earlier M1903 stocks as having finger grooves - I was corrected that they are more properly called "grasping grooves" and I've used the term every since. Never hurts to learn something new!