Falcon
Well-Known Member
I won these on ebay on Sunday. I probably paid alot more than they are actually worth, but it was the markings that interested me.
They appear to have been both reloaded in the build up to WW2 with 1937 primers. Both primers were reapired by "W." in 1937 and are from the same lot (Lot 624). As both primers are exatly the same it makes me doubt that these are the wrong primers for the cases. They also show no marks suggesting they have been removed from another case.
The stamps on the first one are:
18 PR II* 291 [R.L] A1 <A> <S> LOT 318 /|\, [/|\ over K], [/|\ over U] 1916 [L in Circle] /|\ CF ALCO. There is a symbol under "ALCO" that I cannot reproduce here.
Primer: No1 II RL 10/21 /|\ AB4 [AY over struck through 39] 624 W.8-37
The second one:
18PR II * [RL] 43 B1 <A> Lot 48 [\|/ over 6] 1917 C/|\[Struck through F] [/|\ over WF] F B (Maker's Mark]
Primer: No1 II RL 10/21 /|\ AF 16 [Struck through] [AY over struck through 60] 624 W.8-37
Can anyone tell me what any of these markings mean? Doesn't "A" in a diamond mean the case has had a second anneal? I would also like to know who the maker that used the marking "B" is.
It appears that what makes a Mark II into a II* is that the inside of the neck has been turned down to about 3" below the top of the case. On most of my WW1 18 Pounders there is only about 1/2" of turning on the neck if any at all.
I have attached some photos of the markings if this helps.
Thanks for any info.
They appear to have been both reloaded in the build up to WW2 with 1937 primers. Both primers were reapired by "W." in 1937 and are from the same lot (Lot 624). As both primers are exatly the same it makes me doubt that these are the wrong primers for the cases. They also show no marks suggesting they have been removed from another case.
The stamps on the first one are:
18 PR II* 291 [R.L] A1 <A> <S> LOT 318 /|\, [/|\ over K], [/|\ over U] 1916 [L in Circle] /|\ CF ALCO. There is a symbol under "ALCO" that I cannot reproduce here.
Primer: No1 II RL 10/21 /|\ AB4 [AY over struck through 39] 624 W.8-37
The second one:
18PR II * [RL] 43 B1 <A> Lot 48 [\|/ over 6] 1917 C/|\[Struck through F] [/|\ over WF] F B (Maker's Mark]
Primer: No1 II RL 10/21 /|\ AF 16 [Struck through] [AY over struck through 60] 624 W.8-37
Can anyone tell me what any of these markings mean? Doesn't "A" in a diamond mean the case has had a second anneal? I would also like to know who the maker that used the marking "B" is.
It appears that what makes a Mark II into a II* is that the inside of the neck has been turned down to about 3" below the top of the case. On most of my WW1 18 Pounders there is only about 1/2" of turning on the neck if any at all.
I have attached some photos of the markings if this helps.
Thanks for any info.
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