British M2 Ball ammo.......

[Bob - The Beagle Master]

Just picked up a box of 20 rounds of M2 ball made in England. It looks just like American M2 ball, white label with red band through center. Box is marked:

20 Cartridges
BALL
Calibre .30 M2
Lot 4 10/54

Manufactured at the Kynoch Factories of
Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Metals Division
Witton, Birmingham, England

The headstamp is K 54. Is this actually military issue ammo and if so why was it made in England instead of the US?

Thanks

[kcw]

The CMP was selling Kynoch 30.06 of that vintage several years ago, including belted stuff for the 1919A1. M-2 ball was produced by a number of countries following WWII for us in U.S. supplied arms. I believe that the stuff sold by the CMP, including as the Greek HXP, was provided as substitute return material for ammo "loaned" by the U.S. decades ago.

[Twinson]

Be careful. The Kynoch has a bad reputation of blowing holes into the brass vertically at the base. I pulled all the components and reloaded them into HXP cases. They shoot great then.

[Bob - The Beagle Master]

Thanks for the info guys!