Can someone please identify this cartridge ?

[ChipChin]

Hello !

Today I went metal detecting by some trenches and I found one of these cartridges which I cannot identify. It says on the headstamp that the cartridge was made in 1939 and has some Roman numbers (XI) and a letter Z. The shell is about 56 mm long. I've never seen a cartridge like this. I know that Soviet and German forces were fighting at that place, but I can't tell if it's German or Russian.
I don't know that much about military so I decided to ask on this forum about this cartridge.

Picture:


Thanks !

[douglas2496]

Welcome to the forum. Looks like a german 7.92mm. The soviet 7.62 mm has a rim and is a quiet a different shape.

[douglas2496]

Just so there is no doubt, I have photographed the two for you. Of course, you can see its the German one just by looking at the style of the headstamp.

[ChipChin]

Thank you for the info ! I really appreciate it.

[ChipChin]

By the way, maybe someone knows or has an idea for what rifle or machine gun this kind of ammunition was used specifically ?

[douglas2496]

This type of ammunition was used in various German rifles and machine guns, principally Mauser 98k rifle, and MG34 and MG42 machine guns, but various other weapons used it too. It is the most commonly used German small arms round of the war.

[aghsmac1]

The Germans have used 7.92mm rounds from many countries, this one is from Czechoslovakia. (Z=Zbrojovka Brno, Czechoslovakia).
Cheers, aghs

[douglas2496]

Interesting, thank you.