THE RUSSIAN AMMUNITION PAGE - HEADSTAMPS
     
    Soviet Cannon Please note that these pages are no longer updated and contain partially obsolete data.
    For comprehensive and up to date information, please refer to my new book "Soviet Cannon" at www.russianammo.org.
    Compared to this webpage with its 69 pages, the book and the enclosed CD-Rom offer a total of almost 900 pages.
    Soviet Cannon
     
    Headstamps
     
    Cartridge case headstamps are given in the clockwise system, the clock-sections are divided by "|" for better reading. The "|" does not mean an imprinted line in the headstamp.Example: symbol at 12 o´clock | 3 o´clock | 6 o´clock | 9 o´clock
     
    Small arms ammunition up to 14,5mm:
     
    Russian Federation and Associated States without Czechoslovakia:
     
    The factory code of the state factories are all located at the 12 o´clock position, with the year of manufacture at the 6 o´clock position. The codes consist of one, two or three digit factory numbers, sometimes there are 5-point communist stars at the 3 o´clock and 9 o´clock positions, especially in the calibers 12,7mm and 14,5mm. The headstamp is not a stamped-in mark. The marks and numbers are all embossed.
    As a rule of thumb, this can be said about Russian Federation and Associated States small arms cartridges headstamps:

    Most East Germany factory numbers begin with 0, examples: 04, 05
    Bulgaria used numbers 10 (=Friedrich Engels factory, Arsenal Kazanluk) , 33 (in a double-circle)
    Hungary used 21 and 23 for example
    Poland used 21, 54, 234 and 343. When 21 was used, the year was stamped upside down.
    Romania used 15, 21, 22, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325 and RPR, PA, CMC

    Heavily used Russian state factory numbers are: 3, 17, 188, 606, etc. .....
    Between 1952 and 1957 the date on Russian headstamps was not given as a number but as a single upper case letter.

     
    Czechoslovakia:
     
    Without doubt, the former Czechoslovakia took many aspects from the German WWII headstamp. The factory codes consist of stamped-in three digit lower case letters:
     
    avm Unknown Czech factory (code found on fuzes)
    aym Povazske Strojarne, Narodny Podnin, Povazska-Bystrica
    bnt Unknown Czech factory (code found on cases)
    bxn Sellier & Bellot, Vlasim
    czo Weapons factory Vseten
    dtp Vlarske strojirny, Slaviein
    ena Policka´s machine works, Policka
    evr Powder filling plant in Nyoany
    fut Adamovske strojirny, Adamov
    gts Powder filling and ammo-assembling plant ZVS, Dubnica nad Vahom
    hsu Kovohuti Rokycany
    irv Weapon factory Bojkovice, now Zeveta Bojkovice, Bojkovice
    jpw Zbrojkova Vsetin, factory in Jablunka (code found on 30x210 Br-303 belt link)
    nma Powder manufacturer Syntesia, Pardubice-Semtin
    uxa Zbrojovka Vlasim, Narodni Podnik, Vlasim
    whx Filling and recalibrating plant Nováky, Slovakia
    zyj Unknown Czech factory (code found on fuzes)
     
    If Czechoslovakian factories made ammunition for Russia, the manufacturer code was written in cyrillic upper case letters.
     
    Ammunition above 14,5mm:
     
    This ammunition no longer follows the rules described above.
    Please view headstamps of the cartridges described to get a glimpse. Some Russian headstamps follow the scheme of imprinted markings in medium caliber shells. See the cartridges described for details.
     
    Czechoslovakian ammunition headstamps above 14,5mm consist of marks at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o´clock.
    The 3 and 9 o´clock positions are consisting oftwo rows. It has the manufacturer code mainly at 3 o´clock, but the code can also be at 12 o´clock sometimes. The letters "OTK" (odboru technicke kontroly) are often seen near the manufacturer code, this is the Czechoslovakian technical inspectors office mark. Numbers are found at 12 and 9 o´clock, giving the Lot, month and year of case production. The crossed swords on Czech ammunition indicate that the material (steel or brass) was accepted by the army. Also, the last two numbers of the year of acception are imprinted beside.
     
    The above is all said for post WWII ammunition. The later associated states used their own headstamp configuration before and during WWII, which will not be outlined here. Russian WWII headstamps of medium calibers have the manufacturer-number at 3 o´clock, often in a circle. The Lot-No. and the year of manufacture below are imprinted at 9 o´clock. The type of shell is sometimes imprinted at 12 o´clock. The year of manufacture is followed by the cyrillic "G.", short for "god", that's "year" in English. Sometimes the manufacturer is given at 6 o´clock, with Lot-No. and year at 12 o´clock. Many angles and symbols are imprinted without any order over the entire headstamp.
     
     
    Color Codes
     
    RFAS color code for small arms (up to 14,5mm):
     
    No color Ball
    White bullet tip
    Reference Ball
    Silver bullet tip Light ball with steel core
    Yellow bullet tip Heavy ball, or ball with torpedo base (on 7,62x54R)
    Blue tip white band beneath Short range ball 14,5x114 (only Hungarian and Czech designation)
    Green tip white band beneath Short range, tracer, (only Czech designation, only found on 7,62x39 with round nose)
    Green bullet tip Tracer
    Green tip and headstamp or
    entire cartridge green
    Subsonic ammunition for silencer-weapons
    Red bullet tip Spotting charge, incendiary
    Red tip white band beneath Short range tracer ball 14,5x114 (only Hungarian designation)
    Entire bullet red High explosive bullet (7,62x54R after 1945)
    Entire bullet red High explosive bullet (on 12,7 and 14,5mm)
    Magenta tip red band beneath Armor piercing incendiary tracer 
    Black tip red band beneath Armor piercing incendiary
    Black tip red shell beneath Armor piercing incendiary with tungsten carbide core
    Black tip yellow band beneath Armor piercing incendiary Phosphorus (Russian WWII designation on 12,7x108 and 12,7x108R)
    Black tip Armor piercing
     
    RFAS color code for medium caliber ammunition (20mm and above):
     
    All Russian projectiles below 45mm are surface treated (blued) for protection against corrosion and appear black, Russian 30x165 Naval projectiles are overall lacquered green. Projectiles 45mm and above are either also blackened or lacquered grey or dark green.
     
    White shell tip Inert practice shell
    White band on shell Inert practice shell
    White band on shell Indication for improved powder charge on 23x115
    Yellow shell tip Armor piercing incendiary tracer
    Yellow band on shell Presence of a piece of lead-wire as decoppering agent
    Blue tip TP airburst for aerial target practice (on 23, 30, 37mm)
    Red shell tip High explosive shell
    Red band on shell High explosive incendiary shell
    Magenta shell tip High explosive (with incendiary) shell
    Green shell tip Blank cartridge or target practice shell
    Green colored fuze Inert fuze, TP shell (on 23mm - 57mm)
    Green band on shell Tracer
     
     
    Explosives, Incendiaries, Propellants
     
    Listed below are examples (not a complete list) of high explosive fillers. The USSR designation is often painted onto the shells.
     
    USSR Designation
    (latin alphabeth)
    Mixture of high explosives/incendiaries/additives Where to be filled / Where found
    A 90% Ammonium nitrate, 10% TNT no info available
    A-IX-1 95% RDX (Hexogen) phlegmatized with 5% wax in small high-blast shells and in many shaped charge shells
    A-IX-2 73% RDX, 23% Aluminum powder, 4% wax in nearly all modern medium caliber shells
    A-40 60% TNT, 40% Ammonium nitrate  in mortar and artillery shells
    A-80 20% TNT, 80% Ammonium nitrate  in mortar and artillery shells
    AT-40 60% TNT, 40% Ammonium nitrate
    with TNT booster charge
    in artillery shells
    ATF-40 60% TNT, 40% Ammonium nitrate (pressed)  in artillery shells
    DB Dinitrobenzole not filled alone, substitute explosive
    DBT Dinitrobenzole mixed with TNT in WWII shell
    G RDX (Hexogen) not filled alone
    K-1 70% TNT, 30% DB in WWII shells
    K-2 80% TNT, 20% DB in WWII shells
    M Melinit, (Picric Acid; 2, 4, 6-Trinitrophenole) in WWI shells
    MS TNT + Aluminium powder + RDX no info available
    NITROP. PETN not filled alone
    OCFOL or OL 95% HMX (Octogen), 5% wax in shaped charges
    OCTOL HMX + TNT in shaped charges
    P-2 Black Powder as bursting charge inWWII canister shells
    P-4 White Phosphorus in artillery smoke-shells
    SCH Shneiderite (88% Ammonium nitr., 12% Dinitronaphtalene) in WWII shells
    SCHT Shneiderite charge with molten TNT poured above in WWII shells
    T or TNT TNT (2,4,6-Trinitrotuluene) in mortar and artillery shells
    T-80 80% TNT, 20% RDX in mortar and artillery shells
    TGA 60% TNT, 24% RDX, 16% Aluminum powder no info available
    TG-30 30% TNT, 70% RDX in WWII shaped charges
    TG-50 50% TNT, 50% RDX in shaped charge submunitions
    TD-50 50% TNT, 50% Dinitronaphtalene in mortar and artillery shells
    TD-42 42% TNT, 58% Dinitronaphtalene in mortar and artillery shells
    TDU Pressed pellet of TNT and Aluminum powder no info available
    TGAF-5 40% TNT, 40% RDX, 20% Aluminium powder in artillery shells and rockets
    TGAG-5 60% TNT, 20% RDX, 15% Aluminium powder, 5% wax in artillery shells and rockets
    TS High grade TNT (S means "sulfonated")  no info available
     
    Incendiaries consist of a mixture of magnesium and aluminum powder, barium nitrate and colophony resin. These ingredients are pressed in pieces and located inside the ballistic cap of medium caliber armor piercing shells. These incendiary pieces are surrounded by paraffin wax to accommodate them inside the ballistic cap.

    The type of tubed propellant is designated with two numbers; the first gives the wall thickness between the tubes in 1/10ths of millimeters, the second number gives the number of tubes through the powder piece. Example: 4/7 powder has 7 tubes separated by 0,4mm to each other. On single tube propellant, the first number designates the distance between tube and outer surface of the powder piece. 
    Ribbon powder is designated with the cyrillic letter L and a number, giving the the thickness of the ribbon in 1/10ths of millimeters. Example: L-3 is a ribbon powder 0,3mm thick. 
    On disc powder, for example "PL 14/10", the numbers mean a 0,14mm thick disk with a length of the square disc of 1mm.

    Pyroxilin is a single base propellant used in nearly all medium caliber Russian ammunition.
    It consists of a mixture of soluble and insoluble Pyroxilin that is mixed in a precise ratio and treated with alcohol and ether. The nitrocellulose Pyroxilin is made of wood fibres and strong nitric and sulphuric acid. This rough nitrocellulose is formed into a gel by alcohol and ether or by acetone. To stabilize the nitrocellulose the stabilizer "Diphenylamin" and "Zentralit" are used. They neutralize the acids that are formed when the propellant ages. Those acids would increase the decomposing process. Soluble Pyroxilin is nitrocellulose with 12 - 12,4% nitrogen and soluble in alcohol and ether. Insoluble Pyroxilin is nitrocellulose with 13,2 - 13,5% nitrogen and it is insoluble in alcohol and ether. 
    The grains and tubes of Pyroxilin powder are yellow or yellow-brown and insoluble in water.
    Russian powder is sometimes coated with graphite as protection against static electricity.

    In larger calibers, a layer of waxed paper is located along the inner walls of the cartridge case. This acts as phlegmatizer and is indicated with a cyrillic letter F on the case. A phlegmatizer reduces the wear of the barrel (burning-out of the barrel) and extinguishes flames that may appear as the breach is opened. Odder additives, such as decoppering-agents (wires or foils of lead) or muzzle flash reducers (flash reducing smokeless powder UGF-1) may be used as well.

     
     
    Projectile and round designation system
     
    The Russian projectile designation system consists of a letter-number code that designates the type of projectile and the type of weapon to be used in. It is used on calibers 25mm and above, below 25mm caliber the projectiles are only referred to as e.g. "AP-T" or "HEI" type.

    Example: BR-271SP

    The first two letters designate the basic type of projectile, in this example "BR" for "broneboinij" which means armour piercing.
    The number in the middle designates the weapon family for which this projectile is intended for, in our example the number 271 indicates the 57mm M1943 anti tank gun and the later related weapons.
    A optional letter at the end may specify the type of projectile more certain, in our example "SP" means "sploshnoj" which means solid and indicates a solid AP projectile.

    The above code is printed on the projectile, for the code on the cartride case the letters "U" or "V" are put in front of the code to indicate a fixed round or separate pieces of ammunition.
    The letter "U" means "unitarnij" for a fixed round and "V" means "vystrel" for separate loading ammunition.
    The complete fixed round for our solid AP projectile is therefor designated "UBR-271SP".

    For identification of the different letters of the projectile codes please refer to the list in the "Markings" section right below.

     
     
    Markings
     
    RFAS stamped-in markings on bullets are designed in the "Lot-No. - manufacturer - year" scheme. After this, a single letttter is often imprinted. The fuzes have the designation of the fuze in front of this information.
    A broad arrow is sometimes imprinted on the side of the shells, this marking is found on live HEI shells along with the year of manufacture, the letter C, a triangle or some numbers. The meaning of this arrow is not known. However this arrow DOES NOT designate Russian inert dummy ammunition as arrows were commonly used on German WWII target practice projectiles.

    Some Russian markings found on shells or ammunition boxes

    Note: I do not speak the Russian language, so I can´t say anything about the correct writing or pronunciation of the terms above.

    For translation of English or Russian words, try this online dictionary.

     

    Czech markings on bullets follow the RFAS scheme, followed by Czech symbols like the crossed swords.
    Czech fuzes and primers have the designation of fuze or primer, the "manufacturer - Lot-No. - year" and the "assembler - Looot-No. - year" stamped in. Some single- or two-digit numbers are spread all over the shell, these are inspectors marks, along with letters K or KT, etc.

    Some Czech markings found on shells or ammunition boxes

    Note: I do not speak the Czech language, so I can´t say anything about the correct writing or pronunciation of the terms above.

    For translation of English or Czech words, try this online dictionary.

     
     
    Cyrillic Alphabet
     
    The Cyrillic Alphabet
     
     
    Soviet Cannon Please note that these pages are no longer updated and contain partially obsolete data.
    For comprehensive and up to date information, please refer to my new book "Soviet Cannon" at www.russianammo.org.
    Compared to this webpage with its 69 pages, the book and the enclosed CD-Rom offer a total of almost 900 pages.
    Soviet Cannon
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