Double cannelure .308 RA 59

[917601]

I have received no definitive answer as to why a double cannelure was used on this head stamped "RA 59" .308 NATO ( cross in circle) round. It is magnetic. The cannelures are knurled. I purchased a lot of interesting WW1 dated .30 cal 1906 at auction, 18 of these were included. I am puzzled as two US militaria forums I posted did not know. Your thoughts appreciated...( if nothing special, I will use it up at the range).

 

[kiwieod]

extra cannelures are usually used to identify a different type,weight,etc of projectile

 

[smle2009]

photos of the headstamps would be useful, especially the 30-06 as dots ect included in the headstamp were used as codes for different manufacturing processes ect.

 

[Jimiles]

Remington only began manufacturing the 7.62mm M80 Ball cartridge in 1959 and their very early production (of which this is one) had two cannelures around the bullet. Winchester & Western cartridge Co. also apparently produced some very early M80 bullets with the same two cannelures. By the end of 1959 all the plants were producing bullets with just the one cannelure.
HWS vol.3 page 179 explains all!
Please don't send rounds like this down the range.......

 

[bdgreen]

917601,

Your ".308" NATO cartridge is not a .308 Winchester cartridge, in addition to be designated a NATO cartridge the headstamp should include the NATO symbol " ⨁ ". So the correct designation is NATO 7.62x51mm, M80 Ball. Since this is a Remington Arms early production, if it where mine I would not send it down range.

For the .30 Caliber M1906 cartridges with WW1 dated headstamps: FA =Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ; DAC = Dominion Arsenal, Québec, Canada; RA = Remington Arms Co., Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA & USCCo = United States Cartridge Co., Lowell, Massachusetts, USA.

In addition to BOCN, there is another forum website that may be of interest to you: http://iaaforum.org/forum3/index.php

Hope this helps.

Brian

 

[raymeketa]

When the M80 was first manufactured, the original Ball round (M59) was still in production at some of the Ordnance Plants. Also, both GM and GMCS jackets were being used at the discretion of the manufacturer. The outward appearance of all 4 cartridges was virtually the same, So, the extra cannelure was an in-house identification.

The correct designation of the U.S. cartridge is 7.62mm NATO. In Europe it is 7.62x51. In Great Britan it is simply 7.62mm.

Ray