British Ordnance Collectors Network
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Question About Dates
- Thread starter Darren
- Start date
poltewerke
HONOURED MEMBER RIP
Hi, the answer to your question is: More often or not they never all match the same date. Regards, RonB.
Darren
Well-Known Member
Thanks RonB,
I was pretty sure that would be the case but just wanted to make sure.
Thanks again,
Darren
Due to the country's organization for manufacturing, the primers might be made at one location, and the cases at another, etc. All the components come together into a warehouse and then go to the assembly machines. If large stocks exist for one component, then the assembly line doesn't get as new a date for that part as other components which might have been made a few days before at a different factory, so sometimes you might see primers a few years older than the case they are in.
Dates really got mixed up when cases were reloaded particularly in WWI. We have seen cases here on BOCN that have been reloaded 3 or 4 times, and then they might have carried over from WWI to WWII for training etc.
Dates really got mixed up when cases were reloaded particularly in WWI. We have seen cases here on BOCN that have been reloaded 3 or 4 times, and then they might have carried over from WWI to WWII for training etc.
Lot numbers are assigned to all components and to the subassemblies and final assemblies. Changes in a primer for instance from one model to another might cause the upper assembly to change from an XXX to an XXXA1, at least in the U.S. In more recent times, especially noticeable in mortar ammunition, two mortar bodies with the same part number, but assembled with different fuze types, will be given entirely different cartridge numbers. In recent years, lot numbers have included the date of manufacture of the upper level assembly (Cartridge).
Ammunition is assembled for various reasons. In wartime, normal efficient bookkeeping is relaxed somewhat, and things are assembled ASAP. On the other hand, during testing, particular care is taken to try to use the same lot numbers of components, so that consistency is maintained. Special lots of ammo will be made up for the tests. Special inert fuzes are used, inert submunitions are loaded to determine the landing patterns on the ground, etc. There will also be inert rounds loaded up for troop training purposes and for EOD training.
So, yes a lot numbered upper level assembly could contain multi year or multi decade old components taken from inventory, and components that were made the previous week.
In the lastest Gulf war, WWII 50 cal ammo was pulled from storage and relinked and sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. The newly assembled ammo would have a new lot number, but the rounds were 3 times older than the guys shooting them.
Ammunition is assembled for various reasons. In wartime, normal efficient bookkeeping is relaxed somewhat, and things are assembled ASAP. On the other hand, during testing, particular care is taken to try to use the same lot numbers of components, so that consistency is maintained. Special lots of ammo will be made up for the tests. Special inert fuzes are used, inert submunitions are loaded to determine the landing patterns on the ground, etc. There will also be inert rounds loaded up for troop training purposes and for EOD training.
So, yes a lot numbered upper level assembly could contain multi year or multi decade old components taken from inventory, and components that were made the previous week.
In the lastest Gulf war, WWII 50 cal ammo was pulled from storage and relinked and sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. The newly assembled ammo would have a new lot number, but the rounds were 3 times older than the guys shooting them.
V40
Well-Known Member
Ravenna Arsenal...
I live near one of the USofA's largest munitions plant. They produced everything from mortars to artillery. Here they did it all in an assembly line. According to them, parts (Casings) may come in later that usual and the projos may have to sit for a day or to. Thus therby screwing with dates of manufacturer wherby the fuse date will be one and the casing maybe dated two days later.
The arsenal was opened in WWII and continued throughtout the Vietnam War. Here is a little history about the plant:
http://www.rvaap.org/RVAAPindex.asp
I live near one of the USofA's largest munitions plant. They produced everything from mortars to artillery. Here they did it all in an assembly line. According to them, parts (Casings) may come in later that usual and the projos may have to sit for a day or to. Thus therby screwing with dates of manufacturer wherby the fuse date will be one and the casing maybe dated two days later.
The arsenal was opened in WWII and continued throughtout the Vietnam War. Here is a little history about the plant:
http://www.rvaap.org/RVAAPindex.asp
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