Revised January 1, 1999
In response to repeated requests from newsgroup subscribers, here is a combined re-posting of translations of German, Spanish, and Swedish military ammunition box and crate markings:
PART 1: German
Abbreviation German English
B. Beobachtung observation
B-patrone Beobachtungspatrone observation cartridge (exploding)
Blei lead
Exerzierpatrone inert (training) cartridge
Gesch. Geschoss bullet
Gl'spur Glimmspur dim ignition tracer
kurz short
L. Ladestreifen charger
L. Lieferung lot (batch)
lang long
l.S. leichtes Spitzgeschoss aluminum-cored bullet
L'spur Leuchtspur bright ignition tracer
m.E. mit Eisenkern mild steel core ball
MG Maschinengewehr machinegun
MP Maschinenpistole submachinegun
n.A. neue Art new type
nah short range
Patr. Patrone cartridge
Patrh. Patronenhuelse cartridge case
Pist. Pistole pistol
P. Phosphorgeschoss incendiary
P.m.K. Phosphorgeschoss mit Kern armor-piercing incendiary
PP Pistolenpatrone pistol cartridge
Platzpatrone blank cartridge
Pulver gunpowder
PzB Panzerbuechse antitank rifle
Rdf. ??? ???
S* brass case
S. Spitzgeschoss (light) pointed ball bullet
Stahl steel
S. Still silent (blank or dummy???)
SE Sinter Eisen sintered iron (AP)
S.m.E. Spitzgeschoss mit Eisenkern pointed bullet w/ iron core
S.m.K. Spitzgeschoss mit Kern armor piercing (AP)
S.m.K.H. Spitzgeschoss mit Kern Hart AP w/tungsten carbide core
StG Sturmgewehr assault rifle
s.S. schweres Spitzgeschoss heavy pointed ball bullet
Tragschlaufe carrying loop
Trop. Tropenpack tropic pack
Ub Uebung practice
Zdh. Zuendhuetchen primer
PART 2: Spanish
Abbreviation Spanish English
acero steel
bala bullet
carabina carbine
cartucho cartridge
cartucho de guerra live round
cartucho de instruccion inert round; dummy
corto short
concurso match
corrosivo corrosive
especial special
ES especial sobre cargada high pressure test cartridge
fabrica militar military arsenal
F fogueo blank
fulminante primer; priming
fulminante no corrosivo non-corrosive priming
I incendiaria incendiary
largo long
laton brass
L luminosa tracer
LP luminosa perforante armor piercing tracer
m modelo model
N normal full metal jacket ("ball")
P perforante armor piercing
plomo lead
punta hueca hollow point
QI quimica incendiaria chemical incendiary
R reglaje observation; fire adjustment
S (German designation) (light) pointed ball
Spitzgeschoss
SS (German designation) heavy pointed ball
schweres Spitzgeschoss
subfusil submachinegun
TH trazadora humosa smoke tracer
TL tranzante lumenosa luminous tracer
vaina cartridge case
Part 3: Swedish
Abbreviation Swedish English
ag automatgevar semiautomatic rifle
aldre older
am ammunition ammunition
ask askar box
bandade belted
brandprj brandprojektil incendiary bullet
g gevar rifle
k karbin carbine
kal kaliber caliber
kg kulsprutegevar light machinegun
kpist kulsprutepistol machinepistol (submachinegun)
kptr kammarparton low-powered cart. for indoor firing
ksp kulspruta machinegun
kspband kulspruteband machinegun belt
ml, M modell model
nband normalband belted ball cartridges
oml omladded reloaded
ovnprj ovnprojektil gallery practice bullet
p pansar armor piercing
pist pistol pistol
pprj pansarprojektil armor piercing bullet
pptr pansarpatron armor piercing cartridge
prickskytte sharp round (match grade, for sniping)
prj projektil bullet
ptr patron cartridge
ramad in chargers
red lng reducerad laddning reduced loading
sk skarp, skarpa live cartridge
sl, slj sparljus tracer
slbrandband sparljusbrandband belted tracer and incend. cartridges
slnband sparljusnormalband belted tracer and ball cartridges
slpband sparljuspansarband belted tracer and AP cartridges
slprj sparjusprojektil tracer bullet
slptr sparljuspatron tracer cartridge
spetskula pointed bullets
trubbkula round-nosed bullets
wolframskarna tungsten carbide (AP) core
BTW, if any netters in the U.S. have any available, I am looking for a supplier for 60 rounds of Swedish made 6.5 x 55 tracer (white or red tip), and 400 rounds of 6.5 x 55 AP ammo ("pansar" - black tip). Let me know if you can provide all or just part of this. Since this is for my personal use, I'm willing to pay top dollar. I also have lots of guns, ammunition, and precious metals to trade.
Since so many of you rec.gunners own 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mausers, I thought that It would be appropriate to repost S.O. Wendell's answers to FAQs about the brass stock disks and the aluminum trajectory compensation plates found on many Swedish Mausers:
The Model 1896 was originally made for the round nose m/1894 6.5x55 mm bullet. It was replaced by a pointed bullet in 1941. Since the sights
were for the round nose the rectangular aluminum plate was added to show how thepoint of aim, and the distance markings on the sights, had to be changed.
"Sikte for trubbkula" means "Sights for round-nose bullets"
"Skjutning med spetskula" means "Shooting with pointed bullets"
"Avstand" means "Distance"
"Sikte/Rp" (Rp is short for Riktpunkt) means "Sights/Point of Aim"
The figures, i e "100-250 300/-3" mean that at an actual distance of
100 to 250 meters you should use the 300 meter scale on the sights,
and aim low (I'd say 3 decimeters, or 1 foot low), since the higher
velocity of the pointed bullet means a flatter trajectory. At an
actual distance of 400 meters you should use the scale for 500 meters
and aim dead-on, and so on.
It seems like the M1896's, with sights for round-nose bullets, were
fitted with the aluminum plate during the war, while the Model 1938 carbines (those made after 1941 at least) had sights made for the pointed
bullets, and had yellow decals (or aluminum plates) on the stock
indicating point of aim for shooting with round-nose bullets.
A round brass disk in the stock tells the exact measurement of the bore. It has a scale that goes from 6.46 mm up to 6.59 mm. The exact bore diameter is marked on the disc with a small triangular mark. The state of the barrel, in three steps, 1, 2 and 3 could also be indicated.
Thanks again to S.O. Wendell. Danke to Klaus Ferfort for his assistance in the German translations. Muchas gracias to Jaume M. Canaves i Vives, for his assistance in the Spanish translations.
I hope that you find this information useful. Your comments, additions/deletions/corrections are appreciated.
James Wesley, Rawles "A billion here,
Clearwater Trading Co. and a billion there,
c/o P.O. Box 642 and pretty soon
Penn Valley, Calif. [95946] you're talking REAL money."
voice: (530) 639-1999 - Sen. Everett Dirksen
e-mail: rawles@usa.net
Let me know if you'd like my updated and expanded catalog of
shootable antique guns (primarily pre-1899 production "No FFL"
Mosin Nagants and S&Ws), gun accessories (mainly clips and
magazines), ammunition, sleeping bags, et cetera.