Bullets

Revival · 10-02-2010, 05:15 PM

I was told my great grandfather was a worker for a bullet manufacturing company during world war two. I've had a bullet sitting on my dresser for about 6 years now, and I finally decided to look into it. It was never used, I was told it was taken straight out of the factory. The only thing I can tell you is it is marked DM 43. can someone tell me what gun shot this round and some basic history about it?

**John Brandon** · 10-02-2010, 05:46 PM

No idea of the calibre but at a guess DM is for Deutsche Waffen-u. Munitionsfabriken A.-G., , Früher Lorenz , Karlsruhe, Germany. 43 would be the date of manufacture. possibly 7.92

**zwerge** · 10-02-2010, 07:13 PM

DM could also be for the Des Moines Iowa plant in the USA seeing as we have to guess at the country he lived and worked in.

**Steve T** · 10-03-2010, 12:06 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum !

The term 'bullet' is the projectile itself. I think what you want identifying is the 'cartridge'. Sorry to be picky but it's a pet hate of mine when people call a cartridge a bullet

Des Moines is more likely considering there's only 2 marks. 7.92's usually (although not always) have 4 sets of markings. That would make it either a .30 or .50 cal. Can you upload some pictures or, failing that, measure it for us please.

Thanks

Steve T

Revival · 10-03-2010, 05:23 PM

Alrighty I took some measurements. It's about 5 and a half inches long, or 14 centimeters, and 2 centimeters thick at the bottom of the cartridge. Hope this helps!

**Steve T** · 10-03-2010, 06:57 PM

In which case it's a .50cal. I've attached some pictures of .50cals I have found, 5 that I spent HOURS cleaning to get them back to original brass, (these are INERT and are made from spent cartridges and spent bullets married together), and a set of .50cal headstamps. Hopefully, yours looks like the one far right.

These cartridges were used in the standard heavy MG of the US Army, mounted on tanks, jeeps, half-tracks etc.... and also mounted on virtually all American WW2 aircraft.

Hope this answers you questions

Steve T