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Current British L numbers

TonyE

TonyE

HONOURED MEMBER RIP
Trying to keep up with the current proliferation of "L" numbers for 5.56 and 7.72mm ammunition in British service is a full time job. Now that we buy so many complete rounds and components from abroad it seems a new L number is allocated to every change of powder or primer supplier.

I have the following, and would be interested if anyone has any other types. I have only listed ball, tracer and blank.

5.56mm Ball

L2A1 RG
L2A2 RG
L7A1 HP (not heastamped with L number)
L15A1 RG
L17A1 RG (I only have fired case, need a complete round)
L17A2 RG
L21A1 RUAG

5.56mm Tracer

L1A1 RG
L1A2 RG

5.56mm blank

L1A1 RG
L1A2 RG
L1A3 RG
L8A1 DAG (not heastamped with L number)
L18A1 RG
L? RUAG

7.62mm Ball

L2A1 RG
L2A2 RG, K, GB
L2A4 RG
L11A1 Raufoss
L16A1 Raufoss (not heastamped with L number)
L37A1 FNM
L38A1 RG
L42A1 RG
L42A3 RG
L44A1 RG
L46A1 CBC

7.62mm Tracer

L5A1 K
L5A3 RG, K


7.62mm Blank

L10A1 FN
L10A2 RG
L13A1 RG
L13A2 RG
L13A4 RG
L14A1 MEN (not heastamped with L number)
L31A1 HP
L43A1 RG

In addition to these I have two new .50 BMG rounds (thanks Tony)

Ball L8A1 CBC
Tracer L9A1 CBC

If anyone has any other types I would be interested to know about them.

Regards
TonyE
 
Hi TonyE,
5.56mm Tracer RG L16A1 05 +, whoops if I'd known you could have took it back with you yesterday:tinysmile_cry_t4:
Cheers
Tony
 
I will put them on the bookcase for you,got an excuse for another beer again!
All the best
Tony
 
Last week a contact at BAE promised to send me a list of current SAA L numbers, so I might be able to add something soon...
 
There is also the L40A1 RG ball machine gun ctg it has a bi-metal core, steel tip lead base, bild like the SS109 in 5.56.
The L41A1 should be a linked drill round for chain gun. Made of one piece of non magnetic metal made by S.D.E. (systems desing+ evaluation) There is no headstamp on the ctg. Info came from a Britisch gentleman together with the ctg. Wishes N.
 
These are the L numbers as currently being supplied by Radway Green:

L17A2 5.56mm Ball (tubular propellant)
L15A2 5.56mm Ball (ball powder propellant)
L16A1 5.56mm Tracer
L18A1 5.56mm Blank

L44A1 7.62mm Ball
L45A1 7.62mm Tracer
L42A3 7.62mm Sniper
L43A1 7.62mm Blank

I'd love to get hold of a complete "history" list detailing exactly which numbers have been used during which dates and what the number changes signified, but I suspect that could be difficult, although TonyE has made a big contribution.
 
Hi Tony,
have you any ideas about the L17A1 5.56mm ball,ran at the same time as the L17A2 in 2005,seem quite scarce, I do have a box and a few empty case's.
Cheers
Tony
 
Hi TonyE
Just turned up a 7.62mm, RG 63 L1A2, grenade blank,short crimped neck half blackened case,can post a photo when it arrives

Cheers
Tony
 
L1a2

Hi Tony

Thanks. I have both the L1A1 and the L1A2 grenade launching blanks. The early one is quite difficult to find these days.

Regards
TonyE
 
50 cal update

Hi TonyE,
Some info has come to light re: the CBC .50",I am quiet sure that,from first hand experience the other day,that the CBC L9A1 is in fact an A/P and not a tracer.
On the head of this case(in the photo) there are two dabs of black paint and the retreived projectiles are certainly A/P(see photo's).
Only ball,L8A1 with no paint on the head, and A/P were used on this day.
I am sorry if this has 'messed' with your records,but does show that we cannot rely on what we get from a second party(dealer!).
Also for your records we are getting 14.5x51mm Field artillery spotting/practice ammo from germany,headstamped DAG08 L2A1(see photo)
Hope this makes up a little for the earlier 'cock up'

Cheers
Tony
 

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Just looked up some current MOD .50 listings.
(They tend to use 12.7mm these days)
.50 Observing L13A1 (Long Range)
12.7mm link 4B/1T L6A1/L7A1 ... also found in 1B/1T link
12.7mm link 4B/1T L8A1/L9A1 (CBC) ....also found in 1B/1T link
Rounds 12.7mm Tcr L7A1
Rounds 12.7mm API L4A1
Rounds 12.7mm Multipurpose Tcr L3A1
Rounds 12.7mm Multipurpose L1A1
Rounds 12.7mm linked MP/MPT/API
Rounds 12.7mm linked 4MP/1T L1A1/M17 (SNC Tcr)
12.7mm Ball match Sniper Elite
12.7mm Spotter Ball Sniper Elite
12.7mm API Match Sniper Elite
12.7mm AP Match Sniper Elite

Hope this may be of use
 
Thats intresting,
I wonder if they have done the same thing as they did with the L18A1 5.56mm blank and the L18A1 9mm ball,were the whole discription is used to identify instead of just the L No.?.

Cheers
Tony
 
exat808 said:
Just looked up some current MOD .50 listings.
(They tend to use 12.7mm these days)
.50 Observing L13A1 (Long Range)
Click to expand...

I wonder why they would still list this? It was developed for the ranging MG used in the Cheiftain tank. I hadn't heard that it was being put to any current use.
 
There are scores of what would appear to be obsolete natures listed currently by MOD. It may just be a matter of poor housekeeping on their lists. There may be small amounts of some of these things knocking around but I would imagine that after all the consolidation of stocks following the scaledown in Germany etc our depots hold nothing but current items.
 
A bit more info about the 5.56mm L21A1 from RUAG: the company supplied no less than 100 million rounds of this to the British Army, to tide them over while Radway Green was being rebuilt. That job is now finished, which if all went well has moved ammo production technology from mid-20th century to the 21st.
 
Tony Williams said:
A bit more info about the 5.56mm L21A1 from RUAG: the company supplied no less than 100 million rounds of this to the British Army, to tide them over while Radway Green was being rebuilt. That job is now finished, which if all went well has moved ammo production technology from mid-20th century to the 21st.
Click to expand...

We now have moved on to the 5.56mm L22A1 from RUAG Tony,still no 'late' dated RG 5.56mm ball at my end yet although the RG L18A1 5.56mm blank seems to have had a continuous production run and 7.62mm RG seem to be making a 'come back' over the CBC 7.62mm.

Tony
 
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