.30 carbine ammo?

[gmg1183]

I picked up some loose .30 carb. ammo from a older gentleman the other day. With wcc43,44 wra52, LC52,& LC4 date codes on them. Can someone tell me what year the LC4 would be? Also there were a few LC56 and they look like steel casings, what years did they use the steel casings?
T.I.A.
Steve

[raymeketa]

LC4 is Lake City 1944. Steel cased ammunition was made as early as 1943 and was made, off and on, by different manufacturers until the late 1950s - and maybe longer. I can't speak to foreign made cartridges.

Ray

[gmg1183]

Thanks Ray, I was kind of thinking that LC4 might be 1944.

[joem]

If you plan to reload you may find some crimped primer pockets on WCC.

[gmg1183]

Joem
I noticed on the WRA 52 some extreme 4 point type crimps on it.
Thanks for the heads up.

[joem]

It's not a big problem as I have the Dillon swedge. Just one more step.

[Greg H. in Virginia]

A counter-sink bit chucked in a cordless screwdriver works very well also. A quick few turns and you're good to go.

[Tuna]

Out of all the companies making carbine ammo for the government during WW2 and through the Korean war, only Winchester (WRA) and Western (WCC) used a crimp on the primers.

[PhillipM]

I picked up some loose .30 carb. ammo from a older gentleman the other day. With wcc43,44 wra52, LC52,& LC4 date codes on them. Can someone tell me what year the LC4 would be? Also there were a few LC56 and they look like steel casings, what years did they use the steel casings?
T.I.A.
Steve

LC 52 may be chicom counterfeit ammo.

Chink on the left, it's berdan primed and corrosive.



Chinese 2nd from left with larger extractor groove.

[kcw]

Thanks Ray, I was kind of thinking that LC4 might be 1944.

As an war time expedient, ammo plant operators were allowed to make use of outdated tooling by grinding off one number.