Rough guide to the US M-1, M-2 & M-1C shell

[SteveR]

I would like to see this thread pinned.
The information is great for new folks and old farts like me.

[MySonsDad]

well OK here's my thoughts on it from the pictures it looks to be a low profile shell the paint underneath the dark OD colour looks to be that of 60's era helmets Ive also looked at some of my post war shell heat stamp numbers & found one with a low number it dose have the letters either side but a lot of my post war shell don't have the letters but are of a higher number (see pic's below) as for the stainless rim maybe being a low number it was amongst some that they were using up old stock parts on ????

Nick, thanks for providing your insight to the newer collectors such as myself, it is invaluable to us to learn how these conclusion are reached instead of the standard answer of "It's a whatever...."

I'm still not sold however, mainly because of what I have learned NOT TO BELIEVE from folks here on the form, such as yourself. The photos provided simply do not give a clear enough representation of the helmet to tell if is a low or high domn in my opinion. That being said, I know I have not handled nearly the number of these helmets as some of the more seasoned collectors. I straight on profile shot would put the period of this helmet to be straight away I am sure..but not with the photos that have been provide, at least not conclusively.

My first thought, when seeing the photos, was the same as your Nick, that this was possibly a Schlueter helmet as the rim looks to be very flat, but again, this could just be the photo so I put that thought to bed. The same for the paint....I spent way too much time, when I first started collecting these M-1's, trying to make some conclusive paint color comparison and all I learned was that in first production war period were "typically" darker than post war period.....The End. Add to that the quality/ligting of any photograph, I just gave up giving much consideration to color.....maybe a mistake on my part.

And what makes me still stand on the side of it being a WWII period lid is that (until better photos can prove otherwise) the information provided all leads to be so unless of course we have 2-3 anomalies with the same helmet. Can someone provide an example of a post war with a 3 numaric digit HS with no alpha digit? I've not seen nor heard credible claim of one. What is the likelyhood that a straggler SS rim happened to still be laying around when post war production began. Moreso, what's the likelyhood of both of these anomalies occuring on the same helmet? One other item to note, in regards to the "surplus SS rim thought", are the war period and post war period helmets of the same circumference? Possibly, I have not measured, just put two shells together and they do not appear to be, but that's not very scientfic method to measure. The photos do show that the rim fit dead on though. One anomoly that has been seen/documented by others is the occasional SS rear seam rim that pops up....a probably not so uncommon screw up in production.

I'm not trying to beat what might be a dead horse here or prove my conclusions to be correct, I'm actually taking advantage of this opportunity to exercise and apply a bit of what I have leaned in hopes to learn a bit more and to possibly help ensure the correct ID of this helmet.....oh and to someday move beyound the status of young jedi apprentice, through the gaining of more M-1 knowledge

[NickD]

Nick, thanks for providing your insight to the newer collectors such as myself, it is invaluable to us to learn how these conclusion are reached instead of the standard answer of "It's a whatever...."

I'm still not sold however, mainly because of what I have learned NOT TO BELIEVE from folks here on the form, such as yourself. The photos provided simply do not give a clear enough representation of the helmet to tell if is a low or high domn in my opinion. That being said, I know I have not handled nearly the number of these helmets as some of the more seasoned collectors. I straight on profile shot would put the period of this helmet to be straight away I am sure..but not with the photos that have been provide, at least not conclusively.

My first thought, when seeing the photos, was the same as your Nick, that this was possibly a Schlueter helmet as the rim looks to be very flat, but again, this could just be the photo so I put that thought to bed. The same for the paint....I spent way too much time, when I first started collecting these M-1's, trying to make some conclusive paint color comparison and all I learned was that in first production war period were "typically" darker than post war period.....The End. Add to that the quality/ligting of any photograph, I just gave up giving much consideration to color.....maybe a mistake on my part.

And what makes me still stand on the side of it being a WWII period lid is that (until better photos can prove otherwise) the information provided all leads to be so unless of course we have 2-3 anomalies with the same helmet. Can someone provide an example of a post war with a 3 numaric digit HS with no alpha digit? I've not seen nor heard credible claim of one. What is the likelyhood that a straggler SS rim happened to still be laying around when post war production began. Moreso, what's the likelyhood of both of these anomalies occuring on the same helmet? One other item to note, in regards to the "surplus SS rim thought", are the war period and post war period helmets of the same circumference? Possibly, I have not measured, just put two shells together and they do not appear to be, but that's not very scientfic method to measure. The photos do show that the rim fit dead on though. One anomoly that has been seen/documented by others is the occasional SS rear seam rim that pops up....a probably not so uncommon screw up in production.

I'm not trying to beat what might be a dead horse here or prove my conclusions to be correct, I'm actually taking advantage of this opportunity to exercise and apply a bit of what I have leaned in hopes to learn a bit more and to possibly help ensure the correct ID of this helmet.....oh and to someday move beyound the status of young jedi apprentice, through the gaining of more M-1 knowledge

well said & just like you i still have a lot to learn especially about post war M-1's these oddities do crop up from time to time that throw a spanner in the works of what we thought we new but that's all just part & parcel of this hobby.

[aj4010]

I have been following this with interest. I had a rummage around in my "other" pile, and have pulled out a rear seam (non stainless) low dome lid. Heatstamp is 205. No letters.
So, I was wondering, is that really a stainless rim in the previous posts, or a worn non stainless rim like below? Just a thought.

Best Regards,

Andy

[plumbob]

Does the heat stamp number look ok.
It might be just me but do the numbers look a bit short and fat compared to other examples like the zero not having straight sides or the six. Please check your ones. I haven’t got a Schlueter to compare.
I was going to stay out of this one.
Andy that one looks like in that picture stainless steel.
Regards
Rod

[MySonsDad]

Does the heat stamp number look ok.
It might be just me but do the numbers look a bit short and fat compared to other examples like the zero not having straight sides or the six. Please check your ones. I haven’t got a Schlueter to compare.
I was going to stay out of this one.
Andy that one looks like in that picture stainless steel.
Regards
Rod

I looked at my Schlueter and the number are all tall and skinny but I don't know if that means anything...bad photo maybe? I do agree with you, looks much like Andy's photo....and with a post war with a low HS# too ..... I think he's on to something!

[aj4010]

Just to clarify my post above. The helmet with the 205 heatstamp is not the one pictured. The rim on that one is fairly well covered with paint. The photo is of another low dome rear seam with a worn rim that looked similar to the helmet in previous posts.
As regards to why there low number heatstamps on these, I have no idea.
The number 205 is tall and slim though, unlike the stamp on the one being discussed.

Best Regards,

Andy

[cricketchris1944]

If you guys need more pictures just tellme.
chris

[plumbob]

Thanks guys
Do your zeros sixs and nines on your Schlueters look like they have straight edges. Im just fishing here I have read a few threads where we think the “S” is maybe missing from a helmet, this might be an other way to tell the difference between the two. Perhaps we should start another thread with micro pictures of some numbers to see if there are any differences.
The helmet we are discussing may just have a missed stamped letter that hasn’t dented the metal.
There are some weird helmets out there that we will never know the real answer.
Chris what kind of liner came with your helmet?

Regards
Rod

[NickD]

found this on USMF

Dummy needs help dating a helmet - U.S. Militaria Forum