surplus ammo info

thumperpaul · 01-13-2008, 06:01 PM

Hi all-
I was at a antique firearms show today and picked up 3 boxes of Canadian army surplus ammo. ($20 for a box of 50 rounds-not bad)
I was wondering if anyone could decipher the headstamp markings for me: "DA" "44" and "VII". I'm assuming the "44" stands for 1944, but unsure what the other symbols mean. I'm just curious as to what the powder load may be, and if the primers are corrosive. The seller told me that the have Boxer primers, so they are reloadable. Does that also mean that they are non corrosive?
In the same note, I picked up an original aluminum armorer's funnel used to flush out the barrel of the .303. All in all a very successful day for myself

Mooseman684 · 01-13-2008, 06:18 PM

DA is Dominion Arsenal, Montreal, Canada
44 is -1944 Mfg.
VII= Mark 7 Ball ammo (Nitrocellulose loaded)
Rich

Oh and I believe it is Corrosive primed boxer or not!

thumperpaul · 01-13-2008, 07:48 PM

Thank you Mooseman684. At the risk of sounding ignorant, what is nitrocellulose?

Mooseman684 · 01-13-2008, 09:24 PM

The Gunpowder used Is Nitrocellulose Based...
in other words Modern Smokeless Powder !
Some Mk7 cartridges were loaded with Cordite, a Smokeless propellant that looks like long rods of Spaghetti...
Only way to tell is to pull a bullet and see what is inside...Flakes, granules, or Rods...
Rich

thumperpaul · 01-17-2008, 04:26 PM

Hey Mooseman, I have been doing some more research, and I think that the rounds I have contain Cordite, and not Nitrocellulose. From what I have read, the headstamp would read "VII-Z" if they used NC as a propellant.
Wierd...

01-13-2008, 06:01 PM	#1
thumperpaul Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: vancouver bc canada Posts: 174	surplus ammo info Hi all- I was at a antique firearms show today and picked up 3 boxes of Canadian army surplus ammo. ($20 for a box of 50 rounds-not bad) I was wondering if anyone could decipher the headstamp markings for me: "DA" "44" and "VII". I'm assuming the "44" stands for 1944, but unsure what the other symbols mean. I'm just curious as to what the powder load may be, and if the primers are corrosive. The seller told me that the have Boxer primers, so they are reloadable. Does that also mean that they are non corrosive? In the same note, I picked up an original aluminum armorer's funnel used to flush out the barrel of the .303. All in all a very successful day for myself

01-13-2008, 06:18 PM	#2
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,687 Images: 2	DA is Dominion Arsenal, Montreal, Canada 44 is -1944 Mfg. VII= Mark 7 Ball ammo (Nitrocellulose loaded) Rich Oh and I believe it is Corrosive primed boxer or not! __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM! Last edited by Mooseman684; 01-13-2008 at 06:28 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

01-13-2008, 09:24 PM	#4
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,687 Images: 2	The Gunpowder used Is Nitrocellulose Based... in other words Modern Smokeless Powder ! Some Mk7 cartridges were loaded with Cordite, a Smokeless propellant that looks like long rods of Spaghetti... Only way to tell is to pull a bullet and see what is inside...Flakes, granules, or Rods... Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

01-13-2008, 07:48 PM	#3
thumperpaul Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: vancouver bc canada Posts: 174	Thank you Mooseman684. At the risk of sounding ignorant, what is nitrocellulose?

01-17-2008, 04:26 PM	#5
thumperpaul Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: vancouver bc canada Posts: 174	Hey Mooseman, I have been doing some more research, and I think that the rounds I have contain Cordite, and not Nitrocellulose. From what I have read, the headstamp would read "VII-Z" if they used NC as a propellant. Wierd...