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  1. #1
    Super Moderator Hailstorm's Avatar
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    50BMG headstamp question

    Just purchased a M82A1 Barrett. It came with some ammo. I am trying to find out about what I have. Whether or not to shoot it. A kaboom with this will.not be good. Looking at the headstamps.(middle picture) The first 3 are Lake City? The number 3 made in 51? The 4th Israel? The rest not so much of a clue in the rest of the pictures.. As for the one without any marking is the mystery round I guess.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated

    Side note. I have a few that the bullet is not secure. It spins in the cartridge case. Wonder if those should be not used. I do not reload for 50BMG. Much less have a puller that big. I have two that have primer strikes and need to figure that out. I have seen what a round can do to a hand.
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    Last edited by Hailstorm; 02-25-2023 at 01:15 PM.
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  2. #2
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    TW stands for Twin Pines arsenal, LC is Lake City, as you said The numbers stand for the year the round was loaded. I hope this helps a little. SL is for Saint Louis arsenal. Check www.cartridgecollectors.org for more information

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Hailstorm's Avatar
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    Thank you. That is
    Some down. Now just to see if they make quality stuff
    If you support the perversion of America. Then, you are the problem.

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  4. #4
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    Most of these cartridges (TW 53, SL 43, FN 53, LC 51, MKE 64, RV(E) 49, Chinese blank) have corrosive (potassium perchlorate mix) primers. You will have to scrupulously clean your Barrett with water based bore solvents to avoid lasting damage. Every component surface exposed to gun gas - barrel, bolt, firing pin, receiver interior, magazine lips, magazine follower, etc.

    The LC 19 and ת צ 74 are non corrosive.

  5. #5
    Super Moderator Hailstorm's Avatar
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    Welp, not gonna deal with that. I will take those corrosive ones part. Or sell them cheap. So, what I am really left with is. The LC rounds. I only have a few yn. I have LC 51. Those are corrosive as well? Do to the age?

    Thank you for the information
    If you support the perversion of America. Then, you are the problem.

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  6. #6
    I am a Forum User
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hailstorm View Post
    Welp, not gonna deal with that. I will take those corrosive ones part. Or sell them cheap. So, what I am really left with is. The LC rounds. I only have a few yn. I have LC 51. Those are corrosive as well? Do to the age?

    Thank you for the information
    LC 51 were right on the borderline. Some were corrosive, loaded with (Korean War) emergency stock primers, others with fresh production primers. The USAR conversion from corrosive to non corrosive priming took place from 1949 to 1955. Post 1955 American arsenal output was all non corrosive.

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Hailstorm's Avatar
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    Great information. Thank you. I guess that sums up what I have. The stuff I have that is corrosive will not be on my line up to shoot. The thought to keep it around for a last ditch ammo did cross my mind. But, if the world goes that far. I am betting I won't make it that far that I need more than 100 round of the good stuff.



    Thank you
    Last edited by Hailstorm; 02-26-2023 at 10:59 AM.
    If you support the perversion of America. Then, you are the problem.

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  8. #8
    MGO Member MCPO_SOCM_RET's Avatar
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    My rule of thumb:
    • If your ammo came from a spam can and has letters on it that you can't read, assume it is corrosive
    • If your ammo was produced in SE Asia, the Middle East, or Africa, then assume it is corrosive
    • If your ammo looks like it was dragged through the swamps of Vietnam, assume it is corrosive
    • If your ammo was produced prior to 1952 assume it is corrosive
    ...that's not all inclusive but at least gives you some signposts.

    I've also run into some .30 cal FA 56, LC 52, RA 51, SL 52, TW 52, WCC 51, WRA 54, FN 57 while when pulling down a round I found it was corrosive or at least highly suspect. Some (most highly suspect, were berdan primed too - those were cleaned and made into key chains with a fresh seat and crimp).

    Corrosive ammo isn't like exposing your vampire firearm to sunlight, as long as you know it's corrosive going into the plinking session and are ready to put in the elbow grease after.

  9. #9
    Super Moderator Hailstorm's Avatar
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    Last edited by Hailstorm; 03-01-2023 at 06:40 AM.
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  10. #10
    I am a Forum User
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    TW is Twin Cities Arsenal, Minneapolis Minnesota
    SL is St. Louis.
    LC is Lake City of course (now run by CCI/Federal)
    You'll also commonly run across RA/RA H for Remington Arms (2 locations), AO/KS for Allegheny Ordnance Plant, LS for Lone Star, PBA for Pine Bluff Arsenal, FA for Frankford Arsenal, TZ for Texas Foundries and the usually newer rounds FC/FCC for Federal Cartridge Corporation.
    CBC out of Brazil & PMC ammo are some commonly found non-military .50BMG headstamps.

    For U.S. manufactured .50BMG ammo, depending on the ammo plant & ammo type (ball, tracer, AP, API, etc...) the transition to noncorrosive (styphnate) primers happened some time between 1951 to @ 1953.
    Any old ammo you have that is corroded or with loose projos should probably not be fired.

    Any "mystery rounds" with no markings or reloads where the provinance/origin is unknown should also be avoided due to safety concerns.

    Also, any vintage/old rounds which look exceptionally "clean" (as if freshly made) should also never be fired. Some people have been known to tumble cruddy looking old/live .50 rounds in order to sell them as "safe/useable" and in doing so, they have turned some of the stick powder propellant grains into much smaller sizes (sometimes "dust") which DRAMATICALLY CHANGES THEIR BURN SPEED. Thus, increasing pressures to sometimes very dangerous /catastrophic levels...

    Corrosive primer ammo can be used, but I would recommend firing a bunch of known non-corrosive rounds after them to help eliminate the corrosive salts residue left in the gun after firing.
    Hot water will remove these corrosive salts and prevent rusting to a degree (hot water evaporates faster). Then clean & lube the gun like normal.
    If you can find some old GI WW II vintage bore cleaner, that will dissolve the salts too.

    You have a commercial M82?
    They are nice guns, and "generally" they are good for @1.5 to 2.5 MOA accuracy with factory ammo. If you wanna get into hand loading and match grade projos like the Hornady AMAX, you can load them "long" (they wont fit the mag, they will be over the normal 5.45" cartridge OAL, single load rounds) you can get a Barrett to shoot @1.5 MOA regularly.

    If you have a US military demil. M82/M107, many of those were sold which are fitted with SLAP barrels (designed to shoot the Saboted Light Armor Piercing rounds only). You'll need a different barrel to shoot normal BMG rounds out of one of those if it hasn't already been changed.

    I helped set up the optics on the Oakland Co. Sheriff's Dept. M82

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