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Color Code on Japanese 7.7 And 8mm Lebel

oldammo
Hello, Can someone help me with the Color Code on Japanese 7.7 And 8mm Lebel. I am moving and my Referance books are packed. Thanks for any help.

Old Ammo, have lots always looking for more.
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  • heavyiron
    Oldammo,

    Good luck! I am no expert, but I have a small Jap ammo collection and it is frustrating. The variety of Jap ammo is no doubt one of the reasons contributing to the Japanese being defeated in WWII.

    I know there are at least three different types of 7.7 Jap - rimless, semi-rimmed, and rimmed. The rimmed version was used by the Jap Navy and looks like a 303 British. I am told the Japs had 7 differnt 7.7 cartridges. The semi-rimmed was a machine gun-only cartridge used by the Army.

    Bullet ID was usually by the color band around the case mouth. Black was AP, green was tracer, magenta was indendiary and purple was explosive (be careful if you have one these they are shock sensitive). The above sometime varied by the type and the branch of service using them. Examples are found in brass and steel bullets and cases. To make things more complicated only the 7.7 rimmed had a headstamp.

    Go to www.cartridgecollectors.org or the International Ammunition Asscoiation website. They have many essays on this confusing area of cartridge collecting.
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