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???SS round??


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Recently given what looks like a regular mauser round by someone who knows I love militaria. On the base of the round it is marked 1939 IV and the runic ss symbol. Anyone have any information about these? Did the ss have specially marked rounds made for them or are they thought to be fakes.

 

Sorrry tried but cannot take decent picture of the base worth posting.

 

Many thanks

 

Ross

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Recently given what looks like a regular mauser round by someone who knows I love militaria. On the base of the round it is marked 1939 IV and the runic ss symbol. Anyone have any information about these? Did the ss have specially marked rounds made for them or are they thought to be fakes.

 

Sorrry tried but cannot take decent picture of the base worth posting.

 

Many thanks

 

Ross

 

I've never heard of SS rounds... but not my area... that would be highly difficult to control... would need an SS field depot, SS logistics, and in a battle saying 'wait give me the special SS rounds they shoot better'... I don't see East Front soldiers arguing over what bullets they can and cannot use

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Since posting found this site with a pic of identical round that I have

 

 

 

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayi...itemnum=8845120

 

 

I agree that it would be silly to suggest any ss rounds fire better or to only use them if you were in ss as this would be ridiculous and no evidence to support it. However, a more sensible approach utilising the evidence on this link may indicate that it is possible that the ss may have produced some ammunition at some point.

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I have seen the same auction when looking for background. An SS controlled factory (cause that they did have) could be more likely than SS only bullets.

 

 

 

Since posting found this site with a pic of identical round that I have

 

 

 

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayi...itemnum=8845120

 

 

I agree that it would be silly to suggest any ss rounds fire better or to only use them if you were in ss as this would be ridiculous and no evidence to support it. However, a more sensible approach utilising the evidence on this link may indicate that it is possible that the ss may have produced some ammunition at some point.

 

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The SS did indeed own and run Armories. Dachau had one that used concentration camp slave labour to produce rifles and ammunition... I'm betting this is your ammo.

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Interesting stuff Ross, I never knew the SS had there own ammo, if you have one of these it must be pretty scarce.

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I am not so sure it would be so scare... simply looking around online discovers plenty of SS operated armories to produce guns and ammunition. These all used slave labour. If you use simple economic principals, even in use today in 3-rd world sweat shops... cheap labour (for the SS, free till death), that you can work 7 days a week, possible 24 hours a day in 2 shifts.. never closing the factory, you have the potential to actually produce MORE ammunition than a conventional factory operated by regular paid workers you must keep compensated and happy to come to work.

 

It is cool stuff, but without further evidence from hard core ammo nuts, I'd dare say this is one of the most 'common' SS items you may ever come across.

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Found it!

 

Needed to translate some Spanish... but got some better details from:

http://www.municion.org/792/792x57.htm

 

The story I don't entirely buy is 1938/39 ammo is SS marked for SS units because they were not in the general supply line of the Germany army... well yes true... but still a stretch logistics I don't buy because the factories can still be the same sources for SS and Army units, it is just front line logistics that would be different.

 

anyway....

 

SS stamped ammo seems to be prefixed

 

DWM: Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik

-and-or-

TV: Verwaltung Technische (technical administration of the SS), or other translation Totenkopf Verband (Deathshead Administration)... trust the first translation, it seems more 'German' and makes more sense (your marking probably reads TV not IV and would read 1939 [produced] Technical Administration [by the] - SS... if we take the second translation it makes no sense... 1939 [produced] Deathshead Administration [by the] SS)

 

So this would proof by translation SS ammunition meaning, 'German Weapons and Munition Factory, under technical administration of the SS'

 

These items certainly could then go to SS units... probably did as it keeps the SS costs WAY down to produce and use their own ammo with their own troops. But they also never turned away from making a sale of items elsewhere for profit. Hence we cannot really know where the bullets ended up without it being dug from a known SS position, likely on the Eastern Front. But we can say the SS produced it, likely with slave labour in 1939.

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