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18pr headstamp

Brew_Up

Active Member
Can anyone cast some light on the headstamp on this case?
70d89406d76a57969ad9802e13eb19a6.jpg


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It is a bit difficult to see all the marks clearly. Could you rub some chalk or talc into them so that they show up better, please?

R.
 
Scovill Arms Co subcontracted by Bethlehem Steel Co. The sub-contractor maybe incorrect, I don't have access to my lists at the moment. This has been barred out and 'WSL' (no idea) have apparently done something to the case.

TimG
 
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Some of the stamps are
CF - crossed out
F
BSC - crossed out
WSL
S in an square

The 10/15 date stamp looks unusual to me, Ive only seen dates stamped as the year.

There are lots of stamps on the primer
MSS
2/18 which I guess is a date
13N
15 in a circle
 
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Scovill Arms Co subcontracted by Bethlehem Steel Co. The sub-contractor maybe incorrect, I don't have access to my lists at the moment. This has been barred out and 'WSL' (no idea) have apparently done something to the case.

TimG


Thanks for the reply Tim.
 
Hello,
Brew_Up,
On cases of 18Pr, the manufacturer BSC wih a S in square crossed out is sometimes encountered. To my knowledge, it is the only one so. I have some examples and on one of them, the maker of the primer EWBC is also crossed out. I don't know the reason of that.
I think that WSL is the station which has repaired the case after the first firing before a reloading. For the date month and year with the last two digits, it is the norm for the US manufactures. There are few exceptions. I have ALCO with a stylised N ( if my memory is good, Tim G has identified it as New York Air Brakes, subcontractor for ALCO) with the years 1915 and 1916. Last year, I found a case from EWBC with the date 1916 and no lot number.
On your primer, 13N is not correct, you have read in the wrong way, it is N°I with III underneath. The 15 in a circle is in fact F5. It is the establishment witch has filled the primer. (information I have learnt in a reply from Tim G. Thanks again to him).
Regards,
Dandebur.1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg4.jpg
 
Correction - It should be The Scovill Manufacturing Co., USA.

Dandebur,

WSL may well be a repair facility - but I have no listing for them. With respect to the 'barring out' you'll note that even the case history has been barred out. I suspect an over zealous worker. On a case, normally the only mark to be barred out is a previous repair station, on a primer the previous filler.

On your first case, on the primer you'll see an encircled 'U.S' this is the mark of the United States Cartridge Company. They were subcontractors to ALCO and BSC but in this instance, as it prefixes EWB, I take it to signify they filled the primer.

TimG
 
Hello,
TimG,
Thanks for your explanations. Your idea about an over zealous worker is very certainly a possibility.
Regards,
Dandebur.
 
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