Garron Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Hey Pals I won 6 30-06 ww1 cases (fired primer and holes drilled in the cases so cant be reused), I was wondering what would be the correct bullet to put in them (stickler for details me ), as my knowledge of 30-06 is pretty much non-existant, any pals have an idea? thanks Gaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Huh? 30-06 is alive and well in the US ... Still lots of military surplus. Remember this is the same cartrige of the M1 Garrand of WWII, M-14 from Korea and early Vietnam and loads of sporting arms ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garron Posted 7 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2007 I am aware of the status of 30-06 in the US, I am usually on american firearms forum (rg gunboards.com). I know about firearms just not the rounds history. I was wondering what bullet was used in ww1, I know it used many differnt types eg. m1 ball, m2 ball and a few more. BTW the M14 was 7.62 Nato. Gaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 The correct bullet for WWI period .30-06 ball rounds would be the 150 Grain M1906 bullet, As these will no longer be available, the WW2 M2 bullet was just a re-work of the M1906 and weighed the same. The only problem is that the original bullets would have been cupro-nickel jacketed (silver colour) and the later M2 bullet gilding metal or GMCS (copper coloured). The very early lots of M2 had the bullets tinned to distinguish them from the heavier M1 bullet. I don't think you will be able to find any CN jacketed 150grn 30-06 bullets unless you break down other original rounds and what is the point of that? What are the headstamps of your cases? Did you know that in 1918 we loaded and filled several million .30-06 rounds at RL Woolwich for the US and both Kynoch and Greenwood & Batley had contracts to manufacture 30-06 for the US had the war continued into 1919. I have ball, tracer, incendiary and AP .30-06 all loaded at Woolwich with British bullets in cases supplied from the US. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garron Posted 7 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Thanks TonyE, The headstamp is 18 U.S.C.CO. , which I think is United States Cartridge Company (i could be wrong) I might leave them as the cases, if I am going to have trouble finding the m1906 bullets, I shall see what happens. Gaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 I'd think one of the nearest modern bullets would be Speer's 150 grain FMJBT ball, though I don't know if the original was boat-tailed. But AFAIK it has the same ogive profile, for the considerable US market using old surplus actions and magazines. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Yes, USC Co is United States Cartridge Company of Lowell, Mass. If your cases are 1918 they will probably have the deep groove around the primer with or without the three stake crimps. These were made for use in the Marlin aircraft machine gun (a gas operated version of the old Potato Digger gun) and the groove was to prevent primer blow out. Mik - the original bullet was flat based (actually a copy of the German S bullet), and again you will have the problem that the Speer bullets will have GM envelopes. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garron Posted 7 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Yes TonyE the head is as you described. Didn't the french lebel round have the same grove for MG rounds? It would probably be eaiser to get a complete charger of 30-06 instead of trying to finish my own. Thanks for all your help guys. Gaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 The Lebel had the same type of groove but it was for a different reason. The Lebel had a tubular magazine and that was fine with the original round nosed bullets, but when the pointed Balle D was introduced it meant that the point of one bullet was resting on the primer of the one in front. Not a particularly good idea when the recoil was imparting a sharp jerk to the rounds. The groove was introduced so that the point of the bullet then rested in the groove of the one ahead of it Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garron Posted 13 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 13 May , 2007 I had a small idea, As TonyE was spot on once about the lack of m1906 bullets, I had to search for alternatives, I realised there was a litte difference dimentiaonly between 7.7mm (.303) and 7.62mm (.30) and low and behold the mk7 CN rounds fit into the fired ww2 .30 cases I have, and with a little jigging should look the part (they are way to long but once in the case they look OK), I am just waiting for my spent cases to arrive (damned post ) heres a comparison, 1 Relic .30-06 round (headstamp FA 42) against the fired (TW 43) with the.303 inserted. [it needs to be moved about abit to look correct] excuse the photo quality, used my webcam What do you pals think? Gaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 13 May , 2007 Share Posted 13 May , 2007 A .303 bullet is a workable substitute, but the ogive is a little too "fat" to be a true replacement. However, I agree it is better than a modern gilding metal clad bullet in a WWI case. For the WW2 cases you show, a GM bullet would be fine. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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