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1917 7.62x54R ID?

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15 February 2004, 02:38
Tailgunner
1917 7.62x54R ID?
Gents
I recently was given a 7.62x54R cartridge, brought back by a friends grandfather from WW-1, and I'm wondering if this bullet designation has any meaning.
Head stamp is a raised "u" (might be Crillic?) at 12 o'clock and a 17 at 6 o'clock.
Bullet is slightly attracted to a magnet, aluminum colored with a brown tip approx. 1/4" long. Any ideas?
18 February 2004, 10:02
muzza
Ok TG will try and send the photos to the guys . No promises , not overly computer literate but will try .
18 February 2004, 10:04
muzza
You guys want to PM me with your e-mail and I will send the images . cheers
18 February 2004, 18:02
Wildcat Crazy
Tailgunner,

I believe I have found your headstamp to be Imperial Russian made in Saint Petersburg.

http://www.poszukiwanieskarbow.com/greg/ammo_4htm

#758 on the x-signs and numbers page.

Check and see if its the one.

WC
19 February 2004, 01:30
Tailgunner
That's real close to what I have. Right shape and location, couple of (very) slight differences that could be nothing more than the type font used.
Could this be one that was produced a US firm under contract to that arsonel? Back to the "how did he get it" question again. More of a couresity question.
19 February 2004, 05:07
Wildcat Crazy
Tailgunner,

I would doubt it was produced in the U.S.after looking at all of those headstamps.

The U.S. delivered arms and ammo to Archangel which is
north of Saint Petersburg.The cartridge could have been brought back by a sailor and gave to Grampa.

Grampa could have also brought it back himself if he was involved in the Archangel Expedition in 1918.The American
soldiers involved were armed with M-N 91s.

WC
19 February 2004, 12:39
Tailgunner
Thank you sir. I guess I'll live with that explaination.
This whole thread got started mainly to try and determine the bullet type, and it developed into quite a nice lesson in WW-1 history. I am deeply grateful to you and everyone that provided input and assistance on this question.
21 February 2004, 05:38
captnemo
Quote:

Head stamp is a raised "u" (might be Crillic?) at



My (more recent) Yugoslavian cartridges have an impressed headstamp of 'nny'. These are Cyrillic characters equivalent to 'ppu' with the 'u' being uncertain. the 'pp' stands for 'Prvi Partizan' while the 'u' is the name of a city or location that starts with U.

It's possible that the raised 'u' on your cartridge is from the same plant---many years earlier.

the_captn
21 February 2004, 16:47
Dosing
I recieved the images and it is without doubt St.Petersberg. As I mentioned in my last post the Square missing one side (roughly) is the cyrillic P.
The bullet is an early AP, but, I have to admit I can now not remember the designation (B?) I will look it up again, and post the information. By the way in Regenstriefs 'Munitions Sovietiques' the bullet and St.Petersberg headstamps are shown.
23 February 2004, 15:00
Dosing
It is apparently the 'B' bullet, an AP load, used from 1914-1918.