@militaryhistori spoke of the humble WW2 German 7.92mm ammo box yesterday. Heer’s a thread;

The ‘Patronenkasten 88’ came in 2 types.

Zinc lined with metal fittings & a simplified version with leather fittings & webbing handles.

1)

Both contained 1.5k rounds in 5 cardboard boxes.

Each cardboard box had a fabric strap for use as an emergency ammo box (see pic) & contained 300 rounds in x20, 15 cartridge cartons.

This further illustrates the importance of the Gruppe lmg by this joined up thinking.

2)

The 15 cartridge cartons were packed in 5’s & attached to a ‘stripper clip’ for quick loading of the K98 or G41/43

x4 such cartons completed an infantryman’s ammunition complement in his K98 rifle pouches.

3)

Labelling was varied. Standard ‘ball’ ammo had white labels & yellow/buff for tracer.

Projectile rounds such as ‘SmK’ were generally printed in red.

The majority were printed in black, with batch detail info etc.

Steel cases had a vertical blue stripe on the label.

4)

Common 7.92 ammo were;

1. Patr. SmK. Leuchtspur (tracer)

Often loaded to MG belts on 1 in 5 ratio. The burn would disappear after c.900m. Several colours were used & rounds had a black bullet tip & red primer annulus.

5)

2. Patr. SmE. Spitzgeschoss mit Eisernkern (pointed with iron core)

By 1942 efforts to economise on lead meant this round had a steel core wrapped in galvanised zinc.

Marked with blue primer annulus.

6)

3. Patr. SmK. Spitzgeschoss mit Kern (pointed bullet with hardened core)

Standard armour piercing round with steel core in plated steel jacket. Capable of penetrating 12mm of mild steel plate at 100m. Primer annulus was red.

7)

4. Patr. SmK. Glimmspur (Reduced tracer)

Reduced intensity tracer to protect night vision of firer.

Red annulus primer with smaller black painted (5mm instead of 11mm).

8)

Pic 1 - loading simplified Patronenkasten 88s.

Pic 2 - loading mg belts from a simplified ‘88’.

Pic 3 - using simplified ‘88s’ as seats.

End)