Req: ID this ammo box

[xtrahta]

I'm trying to find out approx what year this ammo box is from. It holds 420 five-round cartridges of M80 ammunition. It has LOT WRA 22380 inscribed on the side. I tried searching google but couldn't find anything identical. Thanks!

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5089/dscn2199vk3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[gaijinsamurai]

My GUESS is that it's a mis-labeled .50 cal ammo box. I'm probably wrong though.

[GreatWarAZUS]

The "+" in the circle is a NATO marking, if I remember correctly.

-GreatWarAZ

ETA - WRA, when associated with ammunition, typically stands for Winchester Repeating Arms (the likely manufacturer), out of Bridgeport, CT. The number is probably just a lot number.

[theholeinthedonut]

I'got a box full of surplus 7.62mm made in Belgium, Markings are nearly the same, but that box is the smaller size.

I wouldn't give too much to size of the box tough I remmember we were issued 5.56 in .50 boxes during my time.

[lt tahoe]

That's a standard 7.62 box. The + headstamp indicates military ammo, but since the M80 has been around for over 50 years you'd have to ask Winchester about the lot number.

[Dutchman2]

I'm trying to find out approx what year this ammo box is from. It holds 420 five-round cartridges of M80 ammunition. It has LOT WRA 22380 inscribed on the side. I tried searching google but couldn't find anything identical. Thanks!

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5089/dscn2199vk3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

- WRA = Winchester indeed. headstamp on the cases will be WCC or WRA
- The 'five pointed fence' symbol with the number '5' means that 5 cartridges are on a clip.
- The 'ball' means that it's (duhh...) ball-ammo.
- the circel with the cross is the NATO approval code. This means that this ammunition can be fired out of every 7,62-mm Nato rifle or Machinegun (M14, FAL, MAG, M60, G-3, MG-3 etc.). For example, the British 5,56 X 45mm isn't Nato approved, because it's has less energy compared to the SS-109 or US equivalent M855 cartridge. This to save the livr of the L85-A1 rifle. Which isn't also Nato approved though...
- M80 is the US code for a 7,62 X 51 mm cartridge, that fires a 146 grain, full metal jacket bullet, with an approx. velocity of 820 m/s

I hope this helps,

Greets,

Roger

[CanAT]

Dutchman2 got most of it. The symbol immediately underneath 5 round clip symbol means that the clips themselves are packed in a bandoleer.
The container itself is a M2A1 ammunition container. Good luck getting a date on it from the lot number of the ammo packed in it. This is because they are reused. Some older ones have a date of manufacture stamped into the container itself, check for that on the bottom or under the latch area.