.30 Caliber Wood Ammunition Boxes
M1917A1 machine gun with attached wood ammo box for a belt of .30-06 cartridges, Caribbean area, circa 1942.
The wooden boxes for .30 Cal. ammunition were originally issued during WW I with the then new .30 Cal. M1917 Browning machine gun for its ammunition, the .30-06 cartridge in fabric belts. The boxes evolved in construction details and markings until replaced by the metal Cal .30 M1 Ammunition Can early in WW II.
M1917A1 machine gun with attached wood ammo box for a belt of .30-06 cartridges.
Key construction details for the wood .30 caliber ammo boxes consisted of oak or ash material, dovetail or lap joints, a leather or webbing strap on top fitted into a rectangular groove with a centered circular pick-up area, open-lid feed, spring-loaded lid latch to gun-side panel, and far-end hinge. A slot in the gun-side panel made a firm attachment to the gun.
The bottom panel and gun-side panel of the box were shortened, to avoid contact with the mount. A diagonal panel joins the two and completes the closure of the bottom. Flat head screws were used to secure the bottom to the sides of the box.
If painted at all, flat olive drab paint was used for the box. The bottom of the interior of the box was stenciled with the orientation of the ammunition contents. Some of the .30 caliber wood ammo boxes are stenciled outside with "CHEST 49-1-84".
Another photo of the wood .30 cal. ammo box is at the top of the Olive-Drab.com page about .30-06 Military Ammo.
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