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U.S. Grenade spoon stampings

dano1917

dano1917

RIP
I would like to know if anyone knows when the U.S. changed over from the debossed stampings on their grenade spoons to the ink stamped spoon as shown in photo. Was there a change-over date or was it different in various applications?? This is really important to a project I have taken on and would appreciate any input I may get. The picture shows my 1965 dated ink stamped M205A2 (came on an M30/62 practice RFX lemon) spoon so that tells me the change was before 1965. I have some spoons with the debossed stamp that are dated in the 1950's, so the change-over would have to been somewhere in the 1950's or 1960's.........Dano
 

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Dano, I have a M205A1 spoon stamped 8-53, and an M205A2 that is embossed with a date of 4-56. I don't know if this helps, but I hope so.
 
Yes hink, Thanks as that helps a whole bunch. am waiting on an email from out east to get further detailed information. Would really appreciate if you could show a picture of those two spoons.........Thanx again....Dano
 
Dano, here is the picture of the spoons. :tinysmile_grin_t:
 

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hink441 said:
Dano, here is the picture of the spoons. :tinysmile_grin_t:
Click to expand...
Greatly appreciated hink, That tells me that the changeover (again unless it was different for various applications) occured between august 1953 and April 1956. Awesome man....Dano
 
Dano,

It could be you ask a question that has no real answer. I do not have the documents to prove or disprove it, but I'm not sure there is an actual date when a change was made. In some cases the specifications for ammunition only require that a lot number, date, etc., be placed on the ordnance, but it does not specify how to do it. The application is left to the manufacturer. In the case of grenade fuzes I suspect that most early manufacturers embossed the information because in those days it was cheap to do. Later on the cost of doing that was more than a simple ink stamping and the specs allowed a stamp to be used by not specifically requiring embossing. If left to the manufacturer you would find a mixture of embossing and stamps ranging all over the date spectrum.

Bob
 
Hi Bob, Thanks and I was afraid of that, either what you said or that it might have been different changeover dates for different fuze applications. "Generally" it does seem that the ink stamped ones are newer and the embossed older. Was considering using it as a tool for my RFX dating project but it may be an angle that won't have effect on the outcome. I will concentrate on spoons from the '53 to '56 area and the more input I get will be helpful. Still waiting word from another collector/dealer who has about 30 fuzed RFX M21's in stock.....Dano
 
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Thanks Fragman, 2-53 is the earliest M205A1 spoon i've seen so far. The ink stamp on the M204A1 with the 52 date kind of blows my theory out o the water but I enjoy seeing it just the same. Back to the drawing board so to speak....Dano
 
dano1917 said:
Thanks Fragman, 2-53 is the earliest M205A1 spoon i've seen so far. The ink stamp on the M204A1 with the 52 date kind of blows my theory out o the water but I enjoy seeing it just the same. Back to the drawing board so to speak....Dano
Click to expand...

Hahaha, shit happens Dan, you know. :tinysmile_twink_t2:
 
Yes sirree Miguel, It sure does. If I was right as much as I am wrong then i'd have something. Anyways I do enjoy seeing the various spoon markings so it was not a total loss. I still stand by my conclusion that the "M21" RFX grenades first appeared in the early 1950's and went out with the demise of the pineapple grenade. I just have not seen any evidence that an RFX M21 existed before the early 1950's. The jury is still out on the existance of earlier RFX pineapple "HE" grenades. Have seen spotty evidence to their existance but nothing even close to conclusive. I am just going to have to try a different angle. One thing is for sure that I have learned a thing or two while persuing this. Regards......Dano
 
dano1917 said:
Yes sirree Miguel, It sure does. If I was right as much as I am wrong then i'd have something. Anyways I do enjoy seeing the various spoon markings so it was not a total loss. I still stand by my conclusion that the "M21" RFX grenades first appeared in the early 1950's and went out with the demise of the pineapple grenade. I just have not seen any evidence that an RFX M21 existed before the early 1950's. The jury is still out on the existance of earlier RFX pineapple "HE" grenades. Have seen spotty evidence to their existance but nothing even close to conclusive. I am just going to have to try a different angle. One thing is for sure that I have learned a thing or two while persuing this. Regards......Dano
Click to expand...

Amen, and totally agree.
 
I think Bob is right about the manufacturers using whichever method of marking the fuzes, take into consideration WWII fuzes like the M6A4C that had the inked/painted markings. You might do to also include the manufacturers in the mix to see if there is a date that a particular manufacturer switched over...
 
dano1917 said:
I would like to know if anyone knows when the U.S. changed over from the debossed stampings on their grenade spoons to the ink stamped spoon as shown in photo. Was there a change-over date or was it different in various applications?? This is really important to a project I have taken on and would appreciate any input I may get. The picture shows my 1965 dated ink stamped M205A2 (came on an M30/62 practice RFX lemon) spoon so that tells me the change was before 1965. I have some spoons with the debossed stamp that are dated in the 1950's, so the change-over would have to been somewhere in the 1950's or 1960's.........Dano
Click to expand...


dano1917 said:
the 52 date kind of blows my theory out o the water but I enjoy seeing it just the same. Back to the drawing board so to speak....Dano
Click to expand...


Uhh ohh Dano........now your starting in with the "Theory" posts :D
I know this drawing board you mention, I've been back there also
 
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