Bandoleer

Things a soldier would carry other than firearms, ammo, or uniforms. Meaning equipment such as ammo pouches, bayonets, holsters, oil cans, cleaning equipment, etc.

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Bandoleer

Post by Brass Rat » Sat Oct 22, 2011 4:41 pm

I can't remember if I have previously posted these so here goes.

This was apparently filled at Royal Labs in November of 1944 then reused in 1945. Does anyone know what plant WS stands for?
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The charger in the pic above is filled with these 1944 Mk VII rounds from Kynoch's K2 plant.
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I also have a single round of 1945 Radway Green Mk VII.
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A few years ago I picked up 4 or 5 bandoleers of .303 at a local gun shop that were mostly 1949 & 1950 RG & GB but I found 5 WWII vintage rounds in the lot.

Modern commercial ammo and hand loads are fine but every now and then I like to fire a few rounds of what my rifles were meant to shoot.

I also have 500 or so rounds of South African and 500 plus rounds of HXP. Some of the HXP is in original bando's.
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Re: Bandoleer

Post by Dave 101 » Sun Oct 23, 2011 2:56 am

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Re: Bandoleer

Post by DuncaninFrance » Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:50 am

Well, Skennerton does not list a 'WS' cartridge code. The nearest references are;

W 1914 - 1917
WRA 1940 - 1943
WCC, all Winchester. 1940 - 1943

Royal Labs shown as:
R^L Woolwich 1888 - 1954
R^L .(date). Cartridge Factory 3, Woolwich 1917 - 1918
R(date)L Cartridge Factory 5, Woolwich 1915 - 1918

Kynoch K2 was the plant at Standish, Lancashire. 1939 - 1945

These might be of interest.

http://home.scarlet.be/p.colmant/303.htm
http://enfieldking.tripod.com/enfieldking/id12.html
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Re: Bandoleer

Post by joseyclosey » Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:57 pm

WS 3 ..... Workshop 3?

Just thinking out loud here,

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Re: Bandoleer

Post by DuncaninFrance » Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:13 am

joseyclosey wrote:WS 3 ..... Workshop 3?

Just thinking out loud here,

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Re: Bandoleer

Post by joseyclosey » Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:30 pm

I only have one packed bandolier, its stamped Express AG 1956, a South African manufacture.

Image

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Lot 1 1961.

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Rounds are all stamped U61 MK 7. Manufactured by South African Mint, Pretoria, South Africa. The U code was used from 1939 - 1961 then changed to SAM 1962 onwards.

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Re: Bandoleer

Post by Niner » Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:11 pm

I've kept a couple. I've tossed out a good many in years past. I still have a surplus 303 ammo crate out in my garage. Think all it had were boxes of ammo inside and no bandoleers.
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Re: Bandoleer

Post by Brass Rat » Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:54 pm

Joe, I have 450+ rounds of RSA R1M3Z rounds in 50 round boxes.
They are marked A80 being made at PMP and look like they could have been made last week.
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Re: Bandoleer

Post by joseyclosey » Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:50 pm

Is that stuff you have just picked up Curtis or did you come across it in your stash?

Looks factory fresh. :D

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Re: Bandoleer

Post by Brass Rat » Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:03 pm

I bought 600 rounds of it 5 or 6 years ago. I only really use it on those occasions that I don't want to have to try and recover the brass. I shoot mostly handloads.

Bob and I usually take our #5's to our annual scout shooting trip and I don't feel comfortable having the scouts shooting handloads so we bring the SA.

Some of the boys like to shoot whatever makes the biggest bang and most recoil. The #5's are pretty popular but they won't normally shoot more then 5 or 6 rounds at a time.

For the really brave ones I bring a M38 and Hungarian yellow tip.
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