Identify This Military Ammo and Gun

[Ductape]

I'll start with the ammo:

I inherited a bunch of these belts when my father passed away. The cans are stenciled as shown. I took a pic of one of these standing next to one of my 30 - 30 rounds for reference. It appears to be about 71mm overall, from the primer to the tip.

The only marking on the brass is W C C 66. Looks like Western Cartridge Company, manufactured in 66.

.308???

Also...... every so many rounds have a colored mark on them. Can anyone tell me what colors indicate what? Tracer, armor piercing, etc?

Though my father was a WWII and Korean War vet, I have no idea how he acquired these..... which apper to be Vietnam era. He certainly never owned any machine guns.

Thanks

 

[studor]

It appears to be M80 ball for a M60 machine gun (7.62 Nato -- .308) -- every fifth round should be a tracer -- M62.
regards

 

[gotrocks]

There are three things I can't remember;
Names;
Faces;
;
;
;
;
;

But I do remember tracers had red tip and armor piercing had a black tip.

Then the other guy said there are three things I can't remember..................................

Well I guess it's four.

 

[DieselPower]

Nope, not armor piercing. This is standard link belt ammo for a M60 but loaded as 1 M62 tracer and 4 M80 ball cartridge. 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge are not identical to the commercial .308 Winchester though they are safely interchangeable. So if you have a .308 Winchester they can be fired in it. Military brass has a much thicker case wall than standard .308, usually has magnum primers to decrease the chance of a magazine well misfire due to shock and are sealed against the weather.

 

[RonMar]

Yep, 1 tracer, 4 ball, repeat... If it has been stored in reasonable conditions, that stuff should still be fine to shoot.

 

[DieselPower]

I agree, it should still be fine to shoot as long as it has been stored in reasonable conditions. I recently got 5 cans of 1956 vintage 30 M1 Carbine ammo and have shot about 1 1/2 cans so far. Not a dud or a fizzle yet. The nice thing about most military ammunition is that it has been weather proofed. Primers are crimped and sealed and the bullet's have a tar substance applied to them to seal them to the case.

 

[Ductape]

Yeah, by looking at the condition, I wouldn't worry about shooting it. I've always wanted a 308, or 30-06....... maybe this will give me some incentive. My pop had a 308 but sold it to one of the guys he used to fish with all the time a year or so before he passed. I'd have been happy to buy it, but had no idea he wanted to sell it.

 

[DieselPower]

Look on the bright side, now you have a reason to buy one. Can't have all that ammo setting around going to waste.

If you do get around to shooting it just be careful with the tracer rounds. They are great for starting fires in dry grass.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, by looking at the condition, I wouldn't worry about shooting it. I've always wanted a 308, or 30-06....... maybe this will give me some incentive. My pop had a 308 but sold it to one of the guys he used to fish with all the time a year or so before he passed. I'd have been happy to buy it, but had no idea he wanted to sell it.

You know, sometimes people don't have sentimental feelings about the same things their kids do. My dad was dying from cancer and he sold a bunch of his stuff as well as my late mother's stuff without telling any of his kids. He thought is was just stuff while we had fond memories of it growing up and would have gladly purchased it from him if he needed the money (which he didn't).

Note to parents... ask your kids if they want something before you sell it. They may have sentimental feelings regarding you and the object!

 

[Ductape]

You know, sometimes people don't have sentimental feelings about the same things their kids do. My dad was dying from cancer and he sold a bunch of his stuff as well as my late mother's stuff without telling any of his kids. He thought is was just stuff while we had fond memories of it growing up and would have gladly purchased it from him if he needed the money (which he didn't).

Note to parents... ask your kids if they want something before you sell it. They may have sentimental feelings regarding you and the object!

Yeah, my dad died of cancer too. I feel fortunate that my brother and I got to divvy up the rest of his guns....... I'll keep them forever.

Theres five of us....... three sisters. Funny thing about the sentimental stuff.......... growing up my pop was pretty strict. He had a leather stap with a four slits on one end that was used as a discipline tool.......... I think it was one of those straps barbers use on their razors(??). I never actually got it.... just threatened with it, but i guess a few of the older kids got it. Somewhere along the way that strap got the name " Mr. Five Finger "........... we all searched every inch of that basement looking for Mr Five Finger, never found it. I think thats the one item we all would have fought to get. Funny how the punishment tool brings back fond memories !!