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Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Newton, KS
Posts: 64
| Steel Case .45 military?
Cleaning a batch of military surplus brass and ran across a few oddballs. They are steel cases for .45acp. Headstamps are TW54 TW56 and TW5? (Maybe 51). Anybody know the history of these? Thanks. DAve |
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Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,080
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The ONLY case material I have ever seen used in US military ammo, regardless of caliber, is brass. That ammo must either be pretty rare, or not US made milsurp.......
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![]() | #3 |
Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 724
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Steel cased .45 ACP ammo was intended for use in the M3 "Grease Guns" but was also approved for the Thompsons. It wasn't approved for use in 1911 pistols, though some of it surely found its way into the guns. It largely came about as an expedient response to shortages of brass that was needed for higher pressure rifle ammunition and such...about the same time that the government started issuing steel pennies to conserve copper. Although it can be reloaded, it's not really meant to be, and due to the lack of springback after pressure levels dropped...tended to be a little hard on pistol extractors. It also gets brittle and splits on about the 3rd loading. Yeah. Ask me how I'd know about that. All that I've seen was headstamped '41-'43. Yours...loaded in the 50s...is the most recent that I've ever heard tell of. I suppose some of the drawn cases were still in the pipeline following WW2, and not stamped. Interesting. Last edited by JohnnyT; 07-14-2011 at 03:01 PM. |
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Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,080
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Johnny, you sure do get around bro....
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![]() | #5 |
Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,801
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As I recall, the steel cased .45 ammo was produced at Twin Cities, thus, the TW stamp.
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Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 724
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TW is the only headstamp I've seen, but I'm pretty sure that Evans Chrysler (EC) also contracted for some of it in 1944. No production figures on any of it, but the majority was produced by Twin Cities Arsenal. I've heard of some that came from Saint Louis, but have never seen any documentation. Correction. Fingers in gear while brain in neutral. TWA wasn't connected to Twin Cities Arsenal. Gotta slow down and stop watchin' TV while I surf the boards. Last edited by JohnnyT; 07-14-2011 at 07:05 PM. |
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Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,080
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Between dfariswheel and JohnnyT there ain't too much that ain't known.....
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Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 724
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Dunno about that , Joe. I still ain't gotta clue what makes Wild Bill tick...
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Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,080
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![]() | #10 |
Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,801
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I could swear that many years ago I had a few BRASS EC marked .45ACP cases.
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