Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
That is a .50 cal ammunition chest. It's from WWII. Here are mine.Nearly the same size as a 50 cal Ammo can and likely a military box
That is a .50 cal ammunition chest. It's from WWII. Here are mine.Nearly the same size as a 50 cal Ammo can and likely a military box
That is a .50 cal ammunition chest. It's from WWII.
A belt-fed fifty gun would have a shelf to hold the can. Planes weren't the only place where the fifties were used.With nothing to hang the can onto the gun? Do they hold "the whole nine yards" loading into plane's magazines?
Your box preceded that development. That was introduced for two reasons, to hang it directly on the gun, and to make it lighter/cheaper. The old boxes continued to be made through most of the war. I don't think they stamped a date on them anywhere, so it is possible that it is prewar.I always thought the 50's issued to ground troops had a hanger on the side and the main box hung on that with the lid removed.
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I'm familiar with Rocky mountain oysters. "Boneless Rocky Mountain Trout" have me worried.


With nothing to hang the can onto the gun? Do they hold "the whole nine yards" loading into plane's magazines?
A belt-fed fifty gun would have a shelf to hold the can. Planes weren't the only place where the fifties were used.
I always thought the 50's issued to ground troops had a hanger on the side and the main box hung on that with the lid removed.
The M17 was not prewar. It replaced the M3 (1934) in March 1942. The M3 was similar, but was made of aluminum, had a leather handle, it is usually found with the remains of an internal padding material, and it will be marked M3 with a different drawing number (D7260) on the front. I have never seen an M3 or M17 with any kind of loops or mounting bracket on the back, but I have heard they came that way for cav and USAAC use, respectively. For all other ground troops, it went on the ground next to the gun. The M17 was replaced by the much more familiar M2 with the collapsible metallic handle and the wire hanger etc in August 1942. They are much less common than the M2.Your box preceded that development. That was introduced for two reasons, to hang it directly on the gun, and to make it lighter/cheaper. The old boxes continued to be made through most of the war. I don't think they stamped a date on them anywhere, so it is possible that it is prewar.
Better to measure too long than too short (on most things, that is)!Yes, and you may want to mark it with some bright tape that says "STOP!", lest you use it by mistake.![]()
Whitman & Barnes and Union drill stands from the farmers market this morning.
70 boxes of 25 count 2"; Medium cut at $1.99 each.







This is the same place (different dealer) that I found my other Whitman & Barnes number drill stand years ago.You ****! I never run across those.
That would be a lifetime supply for me, you couldn't grab at least one?
Whitman & Barnes and Union drill stands from the farmers market this morning.
1/4 sockets that were said to all be Taiwan but there ended up being a set of PowrKraft
Suunto is a very good brand of compass. They are well-liked by foresters and others who travel the back country. The make a clinometer (measuring angles and steepness) that is also well-liked and uses an almost identical case.Cold and drizzling. Got this small pile for $15. The compass seems well made.
Here is a link to a Youtube video which explains these cans. Start at the 7:40 point to see the discussion of them. He says that they were only made for a few months in 1942.The M17 was not prewar. It replaced the M3 (1934) in March 1942. The M3 was similar, but was made of aluminum, had a leather handle, it is usually found with the remains of an internal padding material, and it will be marked M3 with a different drawing number (D7260) on the front. I have never seen an M3 or M17 with any kind of loops or mounting bracket on the back, but I have heard they came that way for cav and USAAC use, respectively. For all other ground troops, it went on the ground next to the gun. The M17 was replaced by the much more familiar M2 with the collapsible metallic handle and the wire hanger etc in August 1942. They are much less common than the M2.

















Yes, they did make the M3 with loops. This is the only one I have ever seen in person.The M17 was not prewar. It replaced the M3 (1934) in March 1942. The M3 was similar, but was made of aluminum, had a leather handle, it is usually found with the remains of an internal padding material, and it will be marked M3 with a different drawing number (D7260) on the front. I have never seen an M3 or M17 with any kind of loops or mounting bracket on the back, but I have heard they came that way for cav and USAAC use, respectively. For all other ground troops, it went on the ground next to the gun. The M17 was replaced by the much more familiar M2 with the collapsible metallic handle and the wire hanger etc in August 1942. They are much less common than the M2.

Your youtuber is not the only one who thinks the M17 was only made for a short while in 1942. They are prized in the community for being so scarce and that kind of goes with the story. But yes, it is possible. I've never looked into it beyond the sequencing. I just checked the names of the manufacturers I know of (Belmont Casket, Artcraft, Modern Steel, and Uchtorff - if you or anyone else knows of any others, let me know and I will look them up) in my WPB contracts books and it's impossible to distinguish. The titles are too vague. Lots of "AMMUNITION BOXES" or "AMMUNITION CHESTS". I saw a few contract titles in 1943, 1944 and 1945 that included M2, but none of the 1942 contracts called out M3, M17, or M2.Could he be wrong in assuming that the production of M17's ended when the M2 was adopted, rather than continuing until the production of M2's could fill the requirements?
There ya go. In looking over my summary, it should be noted that some BMG's had that sort of ammo chest rack on the side, and either the M3, M17, or M2 would fit in that.This is the only one I have ever seen in person.


The Loran C system was shut down in 2010. There is talk of reviving it with new, solid state, digital transmitters and a modification to enhance accuracy, but nothing has been done yet. From the sound of it, old receivers may still work on the new system if it is started back up, but with the original accuracy.





Your youtuber is not the only one who thinks the M17 was only made for a short while in 1942. They are prized in the community for being so scarce
Oh well at least it didn't cost me anything!The Loran C system was shut down in 2010
Nice find on the craftsman long c wrench box! Yes, that’s the original box. I might have some spare combos but I need to check. I have to see if my spares are different finishes or not. Those were made with chrome and non platedAnother **** for Provincial! Wandered up to the flea market for a bit today and managed to spend more money than I planned on, there were quite a few tool vendors out.
Turned out to be a Craftsman day, was pretty excited about the early combo set in what I believe is the original box. If anyone has the smaller sizes of these combos (9/16, 1/2, 7/16) let me know and I'd be happy to buy or trade for them! Also picked up a BE set in a very crusty box from the same vendor. $12
The other 1/4" box at bottom right has some =v= sockets but I mostly just paid the 5 bucks for the box which is in pretty nice shape.
I'm in the next two pics for $20, mostly because I can't help myself from overpaying for big Plomb sockets that I have no use for...
Ball peen is a Plumb, Proto LA DBE, and a bunch of Mac stuff that I'm hoping cleans up ok.
HInsdale DBE, Bluepoint DOE and combo, Par X extension, Billings combo, and a Long C tappet. The obstruction DBE is a Merit, hoping someone can tell me what the weird little KR? Wilson thing is. Then there's the smallest OTC DBE I've run into so far, a Proto phillips, the Plomb sockets (2 of which are 3/4" drive) along with a few other random sockets and a 1/2" drive plug. Finally a couple Bonney pieces at right.
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Whitman & Barnes and Union drill stands from the farmers market this morning.
I missed posting these from yesterday:
From a block sale: A cheap plastic box full of mostly Exacto knife handles and blades, and other sharp pointy tools, as well as Tweexers, Pentel pencil supplies, a German wood pencil sharpener, Etc: $2 all
Two skillets, $2 each:
Square I have not ID'ed - Maybe after the crud is cleaned off - #3 on the bottom of the handle's root, single pure, with raised rips in the bottom.
Round is a #3 Lodge with the hest ring with notches at 3, 9, and 12 O'clock
Today was much cheaper than yesterday!
$5 YS - SO punch, 12-13 mm obstruction wrench, #1 Phillips, Park Chain breaker Craftsman ratchet wrench -
BEFORE:
AFTER basci cleaning:
YS but the just posred "free" for everything today, no one there:
Jumpers and double knofe switc: Guesing the cables are 6 ga?
A PS i'm hoping wil do for light Nickle plating 18V 2A capacity - and an Aircraft radio receiver C band? Research needed...
NOS Cable cains, and 4 DVD Sci-fi movies.
Porcelainware plates SS cup:
3-D goggles? (With case not pictured) another research project, but will probably leave for my Gamer daughter to do:
Tax book for my oldest daughter as she is looking at her own business.
Aluminum Extrusion 3' - material as this stuff keeps comming up for possible projects,
Last stop: $1 for all:
Browning belt tension tool, Goodell-prstt thread gauge Spark plug chaser,and a cow bell
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This is why you don't leave a bag or box of tools in the open bed of the pick-up.Literally turned the corner from church and saw SALE! Fella said to make an offer on some tools looked like the guy was in a tight spot. Didn’t want to beat the guy up on a Sunday so I snagged a bunch of wrenches and a bag for $30, probably could have gone lower.
Dumped it out at home, it had 62+ wrenches and some other misc stuff.
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Does that DOE have metric equivalents on the opposite side? If so, maybe Bridgeport.