Jump to content

M1 helmet lot numbers ww2-vietnam


WW2JAKE
 Share

Recommended Posts

This photo was taken after removing the original paper packaging that had been placed on top of each stack when they were originally packaged in this box. The original waffle padding was still sandwiched between each helmet. Each helmet had the post Vietnam chinstrap made of nylon / cotton cup attached and a Styrofoam padding covered the bales on each set as shown in the second photo below.

post-2910-0-63648000-1449943200.jpg

post-2910-0-44250800-1449943412.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
alberto1361

Three digit heat stamps on rear seam M-1 helmets that begin with 4, 5, 6 or 7 indicate the manufacturer as R.J. Stampings of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. These helmets are typically fitted with the post Vietnam cotton / nylon chinstrap that has a chin cup and attaches to the bales with removable clips. These are the only helmets that were shipped with combination duct tape / Styrofoam padding located near the bales (see photo). If you have an M-1 helmet with a 3 digit heat stamp and a white residue located near each bail, you have an R.J. Stampings helmet. Actual heat stamps found on R.J. Stampings helmets include 404, 501, 502, 503, 504, 507, 531, 541, 601, 602, 603, 608, 609, 623, 626, 629, 608, 609, 632, 635, 692, 693, 701, 702, 723, 734

 

 

Is there any reference to date the RJ as for Mc Cord?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there any reference to date the RJ as for Mc Cord?

if you are wanting a dating chart like the one found in helmets of the ETO, then no there is not.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

McCord - The only known contract award winner currently of M-1 shells during 1951-1958. Unknown exact quantities produced, but Reynosa's book shows two contracts in June 1958 with 400,000 being made. Color - Olive Drab #319. Marked as such "M-123A".

 

McCord was also issued a small contract on April 30, 1965 for 325,000 shells. Color - Olive Drab #319. Unknown at this time for sure on the markings, but I have one with the early 1960's chinstrap hardware that's marked the same as above. This one is still a little up in the air.

 

 

Motor Wheel Corporation - A later discovered producer of the M-1 shell during the Koran War period of 1951-1953 after research and documents. With only documents to date indicating McCord received contracts during this period, it seems Motor Wheel was a sub-contractor who's total production quantity is currently unknown, but thought to only have been produced during the Korean War and ending in 1953. They were produced the same as the McCord's in the Olive Drab #319. Marked with a "MW" lettering code and lot number as such "MWA60"

 

 

Ingersoll Products - Produced a total of 3,174,296 shells between 1965-1968. Early examples can be found in Olive Drab #319 and later in the lighter olive color of Munsell 10Y 3/3 officially adopted in early 1968 (but seen earlier). They are marked as such "I-1234". On some of the shells the first character appears to be a number "1" as well, marked as such "1-1234". The center dash is sometimes not seen for each variation.

 

 

Parish Division of the Dana Corporation - Produced a total of 1,862,180 shells between 1968-1970. Color - Munsell 10Y 3/3. They are marked with four small numbers only as such "1234", and can be found from the front visor area to high in the crown.

 

 

RJ Stampings (Canada) - The final producer of the M-1 shell. Produced a total of 1,825,120 shells between 1970-1977. Color - Munsell 10Y 3/3. They are marked with four large numbers (about WWII size) only as such "1234" normally in the front visor area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So it's impossible to date them?

all you can go by is dates which the company made helmets. It's not quite as important for vietnam era helmets to be dated as it is for ww2 helmets... Though you can base rj stampings numbers on stamp type. The earlier stamps had 4 numbers and the later had 3 as shown previously. Other than that use what I have posted and what Justin has just posted to get an idea of production dates
Link to comment
Share on other sites

McCord - The only known contract award winner currently of M-1 shells during 1951-1958. Unknown exact quantities produced, but Reynosa's book shows two contracts in June 1958 with 400,000 being made. Color - Olive Drab #319. Marked as such "M-123A".

McCord was also issued a small contract on April 30, 1965 for 325,000 shells. Color - Olive Drab #319. Unknown at this time for sure on the markings, but I have one with the early 1960's chinstrap hardware that's marked the same as above. This one is still a little up in the air.

Motor Wheel Corporation - A later discovered producer of the M-1 shell during the Koran War period of 1951-1953 after research and documents. With only documents to date indicating McCord received contracts during this period, it seems Motor Wheel was a sub-contractor who's total production quantity is currently unknown, but thought to only have been produced during the Korean War and ending in 1953. They were produced the same as the McCord's in the Olive Drab #319. Marked with a "MW" lettering code and lot number as such "MWA60"

Ingersoll Products - Produced a total of 3,174,296 shells between 1965-1968. Early examples can be found in Olive Drab #319 and later in the lighter olive color of Munsell 10Y 3/3 officially adopted in early 1968 (but seen earlier). They are marked as such "I-1234". On some of the shells the first character appears to be a number "1" as well, marked as such "1-1234". The center dash is sometimes not seen for each variation.

Parish Division of the Dana Corporation - Produced a total of 1,862,180 shells between 1968-1970. Color - Munsell 10Y 3/3. They are marked with four small numbers only as such "1234", and can be found from the front visor area to high in the crown.

RJ Stampings (Canada) - The final producer of the M-1 shell. Produced a total of 1,825,120 shells between 1970-1977. Color - Munsell 10Y 3/3. They are marked with four large numbers (about WWII size) only as such "1234" normally in the front visor area.

don't forget rj stampings 3 number stamps
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have printed out this thread to keep it handy as a reference while I am sorting through my M1 helmets.

 

I have, in my own collection, noticed several shells painted in the light apple green (1960s-70s) that have no stampings anywhere on the interior. These are shells in good condition, and they have never been repainted, so it is unlikely that the numbers are hidden under paint. Likewise, I have a fresh box/crate of 20 Dana shells (contract dated about 1970 I think), and the four shells at the top of the box have no numbers inside the shells. Has anyone else found these types of shells to be free of lot numbers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Screamingeagles101

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I believe the highest ww2 lot number is 1300

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Correct me if I'm wrong. I believe the highest ww2 lot number is 1300Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is generally accepted that a helmet with a number above 1300 wouldn't have been used during WW2 but this list is referring to the WW2 production runs

 

And that only applies to McCord helmets and not Schlueter whose numbers didn't get out of the 500s I believe (grant will correct me if that's wrong cause I can't remember if it's 500s or 800s)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have printed out this thread to keep it handy as a reference while I am sorting through my M1 helmets.

 

I have, in my own collection, noticed several shells painted in the light apple green (1960s-70s) that have no stampings anywhere on the interior. These are shells in good condition, and they have never been repainted, so it is unlikely that the numbers are hidden under paint. Likewise, I have a fresh box/crate of 20 Dana shells (contract dated about 1970 I think), and the four shells at the top of the box have no numbers inside the shells. Has anyone else found these types of shells to be free of lot numbers?

do they have a blue ink stamp by chance?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

it is possible that the sheets were stamped upside down and the lot number would then be on the outside of the shell which did happen (there are some examples on the forum)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have, in my own collection, noticed several shells painted in the light apple green (1960s-70s) that have no stampings anywhere on the interior. These are shells in good condition, and they have never been repainted, so it is unlikely that the numbers are hidden under paint. Likewise, I have a fresh box/crate of 20 Dana shells (contract dated about 1970 I think), and the four shells at the top of the box have no numbers inside the shells. Has anyone else found these types of shells to be free of lot numbers?

I have three boxes of NOS M-1 helmets that were manufactured by the Parish Division of the Dana Corporation under contract DSA 100-70-C-0252. The original shipping label, which is still on the box, indicates that this group was shipped directly from the DSA facility in Richmond, VA to Marine Corps Supply Center Barstow, CA. I can assure you that I was the first to break the original seal on these boxes. I created an inventory of the heat stamps in all 3 boxes, mapped by their location in each box, as I removed them from each box. The boxes consisted of 4 columns of 5 shells with a waffle pad sandwiched between each shell. There were 4 unstamped shells in this lot.

 

Box 1: There were two unstamped shells, stacked together, at the top of one column.

Box 2: All shells were stamped.

Box 3: There were two unstamped shells, again, stacked together, at the top of one column.

 

So, the answer to your question is YES. The Parish Division of the Dana Corporation did, in fact, manufacture M-1 helmets, with no heat stamps, that were packaged and shipped to DSA supply centers for distribution to military installations and were issued to military personnel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holly Jesus...I always thought that VN era helmets were all stamped with heat numbers. So today I learned something new. That it could be unstamped. It is very interesting fact, that should be documented and this thread should be pinned for future collectors generations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Hi boys...and shell number 9271 on the shell vietnam? Is a r.j. stampings Company shell. Period of production? Tnk you : )

 

Inviato dal mio GT-N7100 utilizzando Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I have a helmet from the Vietnam era that has a stamp of 2670, what year was that?

cant give you a year, only years the company produced helmets. also would need to know if it was a Parish/dana or RJ stamping

Link to comment
Share on other sites

cant give you a year, only years the company produced helmets. also would need to know if it was a Parish/dana or RJ stamping

 

It just has 2670, thats it nothing else

Link to comment
Share on other sites

cant give you a year, only years the company produced helmets. also would need to know if it was a Parish/dana or RJ stamping

 

It just has 2670, thats it nothing else

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cap Camouflage Pattern I

 

It just has 2670, thats it nothing else

How big are the numbers?

 

Parish Division of the Dana Corporation - Produced a total of 1,862,180 shells between 1968-1970. Color - Munsell 10Y 3/3. They are marked with four small numbers only as such "1234", and can be found from the front visor area to high in the crown.

 

 

RJ Stampings (Canada) - The final producer of the M-1 shell. Produced a total of 1,825,120 shells between 1970-1977. Color - Munsell 10Y 3/3. They are marked with four large numbers (about WWII size) only as such "1234" normally in the front visor area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...