headstamp on browning .50 case..K57..

[Nismosonic]

can anyone help with ID on this case ? K57 .50 G 6Z.
I understand K57 being the maker .50 being calibre, have no idea what G 6Z is!.

Any help would be appreciated. :tinysmile_twink_t:

 

[ammocat]

.50 Cal Headstamp

According to the Canadian publication I have for .50 Cal ammunition, the cartridge head stamp should have manufacturers initials, year of manufacture (last two digits) and calibre and mark.

So my interpretation of the headstamp is
K - manufacture - ICI Ltd and IMI (Kynock) Ltd, UK
57 - date of manufacture - 1957
.50 - calibre
G 6Z - the mark (model number) of the cartridge

 

[ammocat]

.50 Cal Headstamp

I just found my copy of the British pamphlet on Small Arms Ammunition and it lists the model number as Mk 6Z. I am not sure what the G indicates.

 

[TimG]

Z - Nitrocellulose propellant
G - Tracer

Regards

TimG

 

[TonyE]

G6z

The .50 Tracer G Mark 6z was the issue tracer in British service at that time and had a 685 grain bullet with a mild steel core recessed for the tracer compound. The trace was dark ignition to 80 metres and then bright to 2,000 metres.

The main use of .50 Browning in British service through to the 1970s was as a ranging gun for the main armament on Chieftain tanks and there was little use elsewhere. These weapons used the L11A1, L11A2 and the L13A1 observing rounds but despite this the vocabulary included Ball Mark 3z, Tracer G Mark 6z and API mark 1z. These rounds were all made by Kynoch but not in huge numbers.

By the 1980s there was very little ammo in store and when the Falklands expeditionary force was being put together the .50 Browning guns in store were hurredly got ready as anti-helicopter armament and the MoD tried to buy several million .50 ball and tracer on the world market. In the end, they got it from the US government.

Now of course, the .50 Br. is used extensively in Afghanistan as both an infantry and a vehicle gun, fitted with fancy sights and we once again have new ammo being procured.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Kynoch .50 D.I.Tracer G 6Z

My understanding of this round is as Tony states and I believe it was used for experiments in jet aircraft converted to fire .50 cal and these rounds were used for night firings as they would not "blind" the firer with the bright Tracer flare on firing the armament but would brighten up down range when you needed to be able to spot the rounds trajectory.

 

[TonyE]

G6z

With respect Chris, I think by 1957 the RAF had long gone past the point where the .50 Br, was considered adequate for air service. All the aircraft of the period, Hunter, Swift etc, were armed with 4 x 30mm ADEN cannon and the Lightning (then the P.1) had been described as "the last manned fighter of the RAF", prior to the age of missiles. Of course it did not work out like that!

Whilst what you say about blinding air gunners was true about the dark ignition .303 tracers of WW2, I think in the case of the later rounds it was more a case of concealing the point from which the rounds had been fired.

I will try to see if I can check whether the G6z was listed as a /L or a /A store.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Rightly Correct Tony!

Thank you Tony for being so diplomatic, you are of course absolutely correct !

Will email you.
Best regards
Chris

 

[Nismosonic]

What a great wealth of information you lot are, thank you all very much. :wink: