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Odd 9mm

mark moose

Active Member
Does anyone know what this is from, 9mm diameter, jacketed front, lead rear with tracer
 

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Projectile from a 9 x 51 SMAW Spotter Cartridge, for the 9mm spotting rifle (develop by Enfield) employed with the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon, 83mm (SMAW).

The spotting cartridge consists of a 7.62x51mm NATO case with the neck resized to 9mm. The base of the case is milled out to accept a cut down .22 Winchester Hornet blank cartridge case. The design provides a high-low pressure system which results in consistent muzzle velocity when fired and mimics the trajectory of the 83mm projectile.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder-launched_Multipurpose_Assault_Weapon

Cartridge variations: http://iaaforum.org/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9312

Brian
 
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I would like to point out that on some of the id's on these links are wrong....the 9mm red tipped versions are only tracer rounds,the orange tipped ones mentioned in the IAA are US versions as their colour code for tracer over there is orange.....the spotting round is coloured with a yellow over red tip and has a tracer element as well as a impact device which gives off a flash and small amount of smoke on impact,the 'true' spotting round can also be identified by the 5 small dimples on the projectile just above the 'lead drive band' (the tracer version does not have these).....the one in the original post is a spotting round as the 'dimples' can be seen.

Tony
 
There was also a chromed variant for the LAW 80 (I understand this was the top one in the magazine). I have a fired case with the headstamp RG 87. I'll post a couple of photos when I can.
 
There was also a chromed variant for the LAW 80 (I understand this was the top one in the magazine). I have a fired case with the headstamp RG 87. I'll post a couple of photos when I can.

As the first round had to sit in the spotting rifle chamber for an indeterminate period of time before use it was chromed to stop corrosion and ensure the case extracted when fired.
 
I’ve done a bit more digging and looking at the info I have to hand the chrome version was designated the Rd 9 mm Spotter Tracer L4 and used only in the operational weapon ( in the UK this was the Rocket 94mm LAW commonly known as LAW 80). The L3 version was brass and outdoor trainer and found in both the operational and outdoor trainer.


9mm Spotter 1.jpg 9mm Spotter Hd Stamp.jpg
 
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