Great War Ammo Box?

[ph0ebus]

Good day all,

Someone locally is selling this box.  Seller states it’s a Great War ammo box.  Can anyone confirm if this is the case?  The handle is a reproduction and the screws on the top look a little too shiny to be original but wanted people’s thoughts as I am interested in it but not if it is not a Great War item.  It’s far outside my limited knowledge base so thought I would ask the experts.

Thanks!

Daniel

[mancpal]

I’m afraid I can’t help with the authenticity of the box. However, if you end up buying the item I’m sure I’ll have more appropriate screws to replace the bright ones. My late father never parted with the odd screw plus those he bought over very many years . If you do need them PM me the details and I’ll have a root round next time I’m at my mothers.

Simon

Edited 20 April by mancpal
Spelling error

[Andrew Upton]

Quick reply - it's a US M1917 machine gun ammunition box, typically used with the Browning but various others as well. The Phillips headed screws are certainly much later replacements (as is the handle as already mentioned) but it otherwise looks correct and the typical WW1-era style production.

[ph0ebus]

2 hours ago, Andrew Upton said:

Quick reply - it's a US M1917 machine gun ammunition box, typically used with the Browning but various others as well. The Phillips headed screws are certainly much later replacements (as is the handle as already mentioned) but it otherwise looks correct and the typical WW1-era style production.

Thank you Andrew, this is very helpful.

Best wishes,

Daniel

[Andrew Upton]

3 hours ago, ph0ebus said:

Thank you Andrew, this is very helpful.

Best wishes,

Daniel

This is the link I was looking for - it's primarily about restoring these boxes, but it does have a handy guide near the top on how to identify typical WW1 era production against typical WW2 era production:

http://www.90thidpg.us/Equipment/Projects/1917Boxes/index.html

[new3.2]

The box the US used in WW1 by those units that had the contract Colt-Vickers MG, was a little longer than the Browning box.  I have my 1917 MG cart displayed with  C-V boxes, as used by the 33rd Division, in which a great uncle of mine served,

new3.2