Wooden Bullet?

[Pea Shooter]

A friend gave me this round, and told me it was Japanese. Used to launch rifle grenades. I know the Japanese didn't head stamp their shells and I am sure it is not Japanese. Is the round real, or a fantasy piece? Thanks, Vaughn

 

[EOD]

Well, it is a British made 7.92x57 which after the war was first reloaded and then converted into a dummy by Denmark.

 

[Pea Shooter]

Thanks again EOD! Vaughn

 

[TonyE]

When you have an unknown cartridge there is quite a lot you can do yourself to help identify it apart from just posting a question on the forum. First of course is to measure it to try to deduce the calibre. In the case of this round the case length of 57mm would narrow it down and eliminate the Japanese 7.7x58 and 7.7x58SR rounds.

The International Ammunition Association site has a very good headstamp guide (http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes) and from this you can see that the K5 headstamp indicates manufacture by Kynoch at the Kidderminster plant. Although it would not tell you that it had been made into a drill round by the Danes it would have at least confirmed that it was not Japanese.

Half the fun of collecting is tracking down information. Also, get yourself a set of vernier calipers (they are not expensive) and when you do post questions give as much information as possible on dimensions, headstamps, colour codes etc.

Incidentally there were plain white wood bulleted blanks in both Japanese 7.7mm semi-rimmed and rimless, but they were training blanks and not grenade discharging blanks.

Regards
TonyE

 

[E-tech]

From what I've read, the wooden rounds weren't used to launch grenades- they were used as close-assault round when Japanese soldiers attacked defensive positions from more than one side at a time. A limited range bullet to prevent friendly fire incidents. When they were first found using them, it was used as a morale-booster for the U.S.; "our enemy is using wooden bullets, we've got him on the run!" It was after the tunnel system was found on Iwo Jima, that the tactical use was discovered.

 

[Pea Shooter]

Hello E-tech;
I have to disagree with you. The Japanese did use wooden bullets to launch rifle grenades. The secret technology was a transfer to Japan of German hollow charge technology by Captain Walter Merkel and Lieutenant Colonel Niemoller in April & June of 1942. This is in Imperial Japanese Grenade Rifles and Launchers, by Gregory Babich and Thomas Keep. Below are a few pictures from the book.
I am not saying they didn't shoot wooden bullets on Iwo Jima, anything in war is possible, but maybe it was because the were short on ammo.Vaughn

 

[Falcon]

Another variation of that story that gets repeated often is that wood bulleted blanks with coloured bullets are coated with poison.

They are often said to be "designed to fire poisoned wood splinters for close-range combat".

I have seen variations of the story where they are either Japanese or German "poison bullets".

Cartridges with actual poison carrying bullets do exist, but were never widely used in combat.

 

[raymeketa]

There were wood-bullet Grenade Cartridges in the U.S. that were used in a Viven-Bessieres type Grenade Launcher, Circa 1920s. They were eventually withdrawn from service due to accidents. Things like mixing Ball and the VB cartridges. And mixing the VB cartridges with noise blanks.