12 replies to this topic

[Frank Iannamico]

It seems as though the Brits reported problems with the Winchester (WRA) WWII cartridges in thier M1A1 Thompsons. The primers were coming out, causing jams.

I need one WWII era WRA cartridge to photograph....


Frank

f.iannamicoREMOVE@comcast.net

DELETE the word REMOVE for my email address, Thanks!

[TSMGguy]

Email me with a shipping address. I have many that came mixed in .45 WWII Russian repacked cans that mostly contained rounds marked RA 42. BTW, between that and ammo from 600 rd. USGI cans of WWII WRA ammo, I've had no ammo failures whatever. All clean and very reliable.

[gijive]

Hi Frank,

See if these pictures suit your needs. They aren't dated but they came with several other WWII dated cartridges I have from several manufacturers. When you get a chance email me privately, I want to make sure you got the pictures I sent you about a week ago. Let me know if you received them, they were fairly large files.

[Balder]

TSMGguy,

The RA 42 marked .45 rounds could be Norwegian wartime production, RA is Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikk. They made .45 throughout the war for the Germans who adapted our M/1914 pistol, a clone of the M1911. I'll take a pic or two if I can find one in my collection. If they are Raufoss I wonder how they found their way to Russia.

Balder

[TSMGguy]

RA 42 = US Made by Remington Arms in 1942, furnished to the Russians under Lend-Lease, along with TSMGs.

[PK.]

That is really interesting about the primers falling out Frank. I shot a bunch of the “Russian re-pack” containing lots of the WRA with no problems.

A friend who also shot some brought 4 WRA cartridge cases over after he had sized and de-primed them- the bottom of the primer pocket was gone! They have a .210 diameter hole going clear through. My first thought was that he had set his de-capper incorrectly and punched them out, but none of the other brass he processed had this fault and his dies were set correctly.

I was scratching my head (and still am a bit), but your revelation may have some bearing.

[Melvin]

Frank
My dad carried a M1A1 Thompson in WW2 . In his foot locker there are many pictures of him with it and also one round. Head stamp marked [ F A 33 ] if you would like I will be happy to ship it to you

CK

[Zamm]

Frank,
If still in need, I have a few marked "E F C , 43 " on the rim.
They are from WWII time.
Email me with shipping address.
Best, Zamm

[john]

I also have shot a bunch of "Spam can ammo" in my '28 Bridgeport and have many rounds of all makes that I can send, both loaded and fired/decapped(but not resized) and washed (gotta wash those corrosive casings right away or they start to pit!). Only thing I noticed as I decapped these rounds was that the W.C.C. cases had a smaller flash hole that will occasionally pull the decapping pin right out of the decapping die
Sounds as if you have enough volunteers already but if you can use what I've got let me know and it'll be on it's way!

john

[Frank Iannamico]

Thanks for the many replies guys! I think I have what I need.

I found several British documents listing problems they were having with US 45 ammo. The biggest problem (according to the documents) were with brass case WRA and steel cased EC 43 cartridges. One problem they had with E.C. was projectiles sticking in the barrel and of course bulged barrels.

With the WRA rounds primers were coming out (when used with fixed pin M1A1 guns). The primers would sometimes fall into the trigger mechanism causing stoppages. In some cases they would jam the sear and as a result they could not remove the receiver from the trigger frame.

Interesting the Brits also discovered that many Thompson breach-bolts were not hardened correctly!

[gijive]

Frank,

Here a couple of pictures of an E.C. 1943 dated steel cased cartridge. Let me know if you need photos of anything else.

[wolfer113]

thats intersting frank...i've had alot of british lend lease thompson parts come through and a bunch of the barrels was bulged....matter of fact my friend has one of the barrels....

[Frank Iannamico]

More on the bulged Brit barrels...

The Brits did a study on the effects of the bulged barrels regarding accuracy and reliabilty. Apparenty they wanted to keep the Thompsons in the field not in repair facilities.