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CARTRIDGE HEADSTAMP GUIDE - United States of America

Code Letters Manufacturer
A On some batches of .30-06 steel cases. Frankford Arsenal,Philadelphia, USA
AACo American Ammunition Co., Oak Park, Ill., USA
ABC Co American Buckle and Cartridge Co.,West Haven, Conn., USA
ACCo Austin Cartridge Co., Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ACN Amron Corporation, Antigo Plant, Antigo, Wis., USA 20 - 30 mm carts, post 1950
AJD Aerojet Ordnance Manufacturing Co., Downey, Calif., USA, post 1950
ALAT US Naval Air Station, Alameda, Calif., USA, solid steel dummy .50 carts
AMRON Amron Corporation div of Nasco International Inc.,Waukesha, Wis., USA
AMU Army Marksmanship Unit, US Army
AN Unknown American possibly CIA manufactured, .30-06 with 1940s dates
AO Allegheny Ordnance Plant, Cumberland, Md., USA
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APC Austin Powder Co., McArthur, Ohio, USA
APW Austin Powder Co., McArthur, Ohio, USA
ASC Unknown American Military usually on 20 mm Oerlikon ammunition with 1940s dates
<B> Bridgeport Brass Co., Bridgeport, Conn., USA. Found on .50 Browning high velocity cases made 1943-45 and 20mm Oerlikon. The B is enclosed in a
diamond
B Found on US .30-06 made at Frankford Arsenal (FA) in conjunction with a number. It indicates the use of a Berdan primer, the number signifying the
primer mixture
BBC Bridgeport Brass Co., Bridgeport, Conn., USA, on .50 Browning High Velocity experimental and 20mm Hispano-Suiza carts
BDB Bridgeport Brass Co., division of National Distillers Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., USA, post 1970
BE Benson & Engstrom Cartridge Co.,Minneapolis, Minn., USA
BFL Bristol Flare Corp., Bristol, Pa., USA
CB Unknown American Military, found on 20mm Hispano dated 1942
CCI Cascade Cartridge Co, Lewiston, Idaho, USA
CMO Clymer Machine Corp., Trumbauersville, Pa., USA, post 1950
CN Unknown US Military, may be CIA manufactured
CNI National Conduit and Cable Co., Hastings on Hudson, NY., USA, on .30-06 carts
CRG 'Chemical Rifle Grenade': found on US .30-06 blank with FA marking
CSY Avco Ordnance Division, Richmond, Ind., USA, post 1950
CTP Connecticut Cartridge Corp., Plainville, Conn., USA, post 1950
USACartHeadstamps http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/USACartHeadstamps.htm
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CW When found with Lake City (LC) headstamp indicates the use of cold worked metal for case manufacture
CWG 'Chemical Warfare Grenade': found on US .30-06 blank with FA headstamps
DEI Dela Enterprises Inc., Coolidge, Ariz., USA
DEN Denver Ordnance Plant, Denver, Colo., USA. Operated by Remington Arms Co from Oct 1941 to Jul 1944 producing .30-06 carts
DM Des Moines Ordnance Plant, Des Moines, Iowa, USA Operated by US Rubber Co from Jan 42 to July 1945, .30-06 and .50 carts
DPS Unknown American, on 20 mm Hispano with wartime dates
DURA Dura Division of Detroit Harvester Corp., Toledo, Ohio, USA, on 20mm Oerlikon and Hispano 1942-44
EC Evansville-Chrysler Ordnance Plant, Evansville, Ind., USA. Operated by Chrysler Corporation from June 1942 to April 1944 producing .30 carbine and
.45 ACP carts
EC Eau Claire Ordnance Plant, Eau Claire, Wis., USA. Operated by US Rubber Co using EC headstamp in August and September 1942 covering .30
carbine and .45 ACP carts
ECS Evansville Ordnance Plant ( Sunbeam Refrigerator Co.), Evansville, Ind., USA. Operated 1942-44, principal product was steel .45 acp
EK Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY., USA. On 20mm Oerlikon 1944 - 45
EW Eau Claire Ordnance Plant, Eau Claire, Wis, USA. Operated by US Rubber Co from August 1942 to December 1943
EX On Frankford Arsenal (FA) .30-06 cases indicating Extruded Case
EXP NCP On Frankford Arsenal (FA) .30-06 cases indicates Non Corrosive Primer, Experimental
F Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., USA. On experimental steel cases 1942-44
F Federal Cartridge Co., Anoka, Minn., USA
FA Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., USA
USACartHeadstamps http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/USACartHeadstamps.htm
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FAHP Frankford Arsenal, High Pressure - US proof carts
FAL Frankford Arsenal Laboratory, found on experimental ammunition notably steel cased .30-06 with 1942-43 dates
FANM Frankford Arsenal , National Match competition grade ammunition in .30-06
FAPS Frankford Arsenal Pyrotechnic Signal. Found on .30-06 crimped blank carts
FC Federal Cartridge Co., Anoka, Minn., USA
FCA Federal Cartridge Co., Anoka, Minn., USA, post 1950
FCK Federal Cartridge Co., Anoka, Minn., USA
F Co Frost & Co, Kenosha, Wis., USA
FDCo Frank Draper & Co., USA
FND Susquehanna Corp., Ordnance Division ( formerly the US Flare Co.), Saugus, Calif., USA
GCCo Graphite Cartridge Co., Washington, DC, USA, on .30-06 carts
GE General Electric Co of America, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. On experimental .30-06 steel and brass cases with 1942 - 45 dates
GMC Globe Manufacturing Co., USA
HA Harvey Aluminium Corp, Torrance, Calif., USA. On 20mm with 1960s dates
HMC Harcord Mfg Co. Inc., Jersey City, NJ., USA, post 1970
IFS International Flare & Signal Co., Tippecanoe City, Ohio, USA, on signal carts 1941 - 45
IIA Explosive Devices Inc., Picayune, Miss., USA
ILL..G On .30-06 blank with FA headstamp indicates discharger cart for illuminating grenade 1917 - 1918
USACartHeadstamps http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/USACartHeadstamps.htm
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KBW Kathodion Bronze Works, Nyack, NY., USA, on .30-06 and 7mm Serbian Mauser
KO Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp, Winchester Western Diviision, La Porte, Ind., USA. On 20mm and above
KS Allegheny Ordnance Plant, Cumberland, Md., USA. Operated by Kelly Springfield Tire Co from Nov 1942 to Sept 1943, made .50 Browning carts
L Lowell Cartridge Co., Lowell, Mass., USA
LC Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Independance, Mo., USA.Operated under contract by Remington as Lake City Ordnance Plant from Sept 1941 to
August 1945, on .30-06, .30 carbine and .50 carts
LDF Liberty Display Fireworks Co., Danville, Ill., USA on US service pyrotechnic carts 1941 - 45
LM Lowell Ordnance Plant, Lowell, Mass.,USA. Operated by Remington under contract from Nov 1942 to Dec 1943, on .50 brass and steel carts
M Milwaukee Ordnance Plant, Milwaulkee, Wis., USA. Operated by US Rubber Co from August 1942 to December 1943, on .50 carts
MHR Honeywell Inc., Hopkins, Minn., USA, on 30mm
MS Metal Speciality Co., USA. On 20mm Oerlikon, 1942 - 50
MSA Mine Safety Appliances Ltd., Pittsburgh, Pa., USA
NOEN Naval Ordnance Engineeering Laboratory,Dahlgren, Md., USA. On 20mm experimental carts from 1940s/50s period
O Cascade Cartridge Co. (Omark Industries), Lewiston, Idaho, USA
OM Olin Matheson Chemical Corp., Bridgeport, Conn., USA, on experimental cases
PC Kings Mills Ordnance Plant, Kings Mills, Ohio, USA. Operated by the Peters Cartridge Co., from June 1942 to March 1944, on .45 acp and .30 carbine
RA Remington Arms Co Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., USA, 1914 - 1918 and 1939 - 1945
REM-UMC Remington Arms - Union Metalic Cartridge Co., Bridgeport, Conn., USA
RF Rockland Fireworks Co., Boston, Mass., USA. On US Army Pyrotechnic carts, 1941 - 45
USACartHeadstamps http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/USACartHeadstamps.htm
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R-M Riverside Metal Products Co., Oakville, Conn., USA
SACorp Savage Arms Corporation, Chicopee Falls, Mass., USA
SCC Standard Cartridge Co., Pasadena, Calif., USA, 1946 - 1950
SD Sparklet Devices Inc., Dover Division, Dover, Ohio, USA, on .50 steel cases in 1942 - 43, also made .30-06 but these not headstamped
SL St Louis Ordnance Plant, St Louis, Mo., USA. Operated by US Cartridge Co from Nov 1941 to June 1945, on .30, .50 and .60 cases
SL* Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., USA. Using tools removed from St Louis Ordnance Plant
SMC Symington Machine Corp, Rochester, NY., USA
SMCo Stant Manufacturing Co, Connersville, Ind., USA. .50 steel cases in 1945
STANT Stant Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, on .60 experimental steel and brass cases with a 44 mark
SWP Smith & Wesson Pyrotechnics Inc., Jefferson, Ohio, USA
TC Twin Cities Ordnance Plant, Minneapolis, Minn., USA, on .30-06 carts in early 1942
TEI Triumph Explosives Inc., Elkton, Md., USA. On US military pyrotechnic carts 1941 - 45
TW Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant , Minneapolis, Minn., USA. Operated under contract to Federal Cartridge Co from Feb 1942 to August 1945, on
.30-06 and .50 carts, closed down in 1945 but reopened in early 50s and still in operation
U Utah Ordnance Plant, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Operated by Remington Arms from March 1942 - Dec 1943, on .30 and .50 carts
UF United Fireworks Mfg Co., Dayton, Ohio, USA. On US military pyrotechnic carts, 1941 - 45
US United States Cartridge Co., Lowell, Mass., USA
USCCo United States Cartridge Co., Lowell, Mass., USA
USF Susquehanna Corp, Ordnance Div, Saugus, Calif., USA
USACartHeadstamps http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/USACartHeadstamps.htm
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UT Utah Ordnance Plant, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Operated by Remington Arms from March 1942 to Dec 1943
VFM Vitale Fireworks Mfg Co., New Castle, Pa., USA. Made US military pyrotechnic carts 1941 - 42
W Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven, Conn., USA
WCC Western Cartridge Co., East Alton, Ill., USA
WRA Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven, Conn., USA
WRACo Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven, Conn.,USA
WSMCo Worcester Stamped Metal Co., Worcester, Mass., USA, on experimental .60 cases made 1940 - 44
X Delaware Cartridge Co. Wilmington, Del., USA

UNITED STATES BULLET TIP CODE
Red Tip - Tracer
Red Tip over silver ring - Armour piercing/incendiary/tracer
Yellow tip over red ring - Observation/tracer
Green tip with white ring - Frangible ball
Brown tip - Tracer
Light blue tip - Incendiary
Light blue tip over dark blue ring - Incendiary
Black tip - Armour piercing
USACartHeadstamps http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/USACartHeadstamps.htm
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Silver tip - Armour piercing/ incendiary
Yellow tip - Observation
Orange tip - Dark ignition tracer
Red/black tip - Experimental armour piercing
Black/white tip - Experimental armour piercing
Silver/black tip - Experimental armour piercing
Blue/black tip - Armour piercing/ incendiary
Green tip - Explosive
Yellow/blue tip - Explosive
Ivory tip - Experimental tracer
Green/black tip - Experimental armour piercing/ lachrymatory
Red/white tip - Experimental frangible tracer
Red/tan tip - Experimental frangible tracer
Light green tip - High Explosive
Purple tip - Incendiary

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