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Wood ammo box markings?


khakiweb
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I've a number of wooden .30 MG boxes, none of which are their original color (unless gold, silver, red, bright green, white and bare are their original colors); and I'd like to restore them to some facsimile of original appearance.  What markings would they have had; anything akin to the metal ones?  

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Khakiweb,  the original M1917 "Belt Box" or Cal.30 Ammo Chest did NOT have any markings similar to the more recent metal "cans" which primarily came from the depot prepacked with ammunition.  The only markings were the Stencils of three cartridges on the inside bottom of the box, and in a very few cases, an identifying mark for the manufacturer.  In the '30s--approximately 1936, the M1917 box was remanufactured, and the outside front of the box was marked "CHEST 49-1-84" which was the drawing number, and the stencil on the inside bottom of the box was changed to three arrows.  Since these boxes were issued with the MG to the unit, and intended to be refilled as required, there was no point in identifying any type of round, belt mix, etc.  The ammo was shipped in the M1917 AMMO CHEST, the large (1500 rounds of Cal .30 or 350 rounds of Cal .50) which WERE stencilled/marked with the exact contents.  The unit then belted the ammo and inserted it into the MG "belt box" for use.  

Hope this helps....
Taber

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  • 8 months later...
armysoldierant1944
On 6/5/2020 at 8:13 AM, khakiweb said:

I've a number of wooden .30 MG boxes, none of which are their original color (unless gold, silver, red, bright green, white and bare are their original colors); and I'd like to restore them to some facsimile of original appearance.  What markings would they have had; anything akin to the metal ones?  

 

On 6/5/2020 at 9:24 AM, Taber10 said:

Khakiweb,  the original M1917 "Belt Box" or Cal.30 Ammo Chest did NOT have any markings similar to the more recent metal "cans" which primarily came from the depot prepacked with ammunition.  The only markings were the Stencils of three cartridges on the inside bottom of the box, and in a very few cases, an identifying mark for the manufacturer.  In the '30s--approximately 1936, the M1917 box was remanufactured, and the outside front of the box was marked "CHEST 49-1-84" which was the drawing number, and the stencil on the inside bottom of the box was changed to three arrows.  Since these boxes were issued with the MG to the unit, and intended to be refilled as required, there was no point in identifying any type of round, belt mix, etc.  The ammo was shipped in the M1917 AMMO CHEST, the large (1500 rounds of Cal .30 or 350 rounds of Cal .50) which WERE stencilled/marked with the exact contents.  The unit then belted the ammo and inserted it into the MG "belt box" for use.  

Hope this helps....
Taber

Hello Khakiweb,

 

Here are some pictures of my wooden box that would help visualize what Taber10 said. The salient points

 

1. No markings on box

2. Outside front of the box marked "CHEST 49-1-84"

3. Three arrows inside

 

I'd like to add:

 

4. Leather strap replaced by web strap

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Richard

 

20210207_214359.jpg

20210207_214410.jpg

20210207_214557.jpg

20210207_214454.jpg

20210207_214521.jpg

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