List of military headstamps

A headstamp is the markings on the bottom of a cartridge case designed for a firearm. It usually tells who manufactured the case.
Military headstamps usually have only the year of manufacture .

The headstamp is punched into the base of the cartridge during manufacture.

Contents
Military headstamps
The left cartridge's headstamp says
United States military cartridges
"FC 223 REM" which means that it
US arsenals
was made by Federal Cartridge Co.
Civilian contractors
and it is in the caliber .223
Commercial cartridges
Remington. The cartridge on the right
Competition-grade military cartridges
has a headstamp that says "LC 99"
Special cartridges
with a symbol that consists of a cross
7.92mm Mauser
in a circle. This cartridge was made
.30 Caliber (.30-06 Springfield)
in 1999 by the Lake City Army
7.62x39mm M43 Soviet Ammunition Plant, in Independence,
Commonwealth military cartridges MO, USA. The symbol on this
Australia (66) headstamp means it meets NATO
Canada (20 and 21) specifications.
New Zealand (98)
South Africa (18)
United Kingdom (99)
NATO manufacturers
Austria (41)
Belgium (13)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (75)
Czech Republic (16)
Denmark (22)
Egypt (36)
Finland (58)
France (14)
Germany (12)
Greece (23)
India (72)
Israel (31)
Italy (15)
Lithuania (47)
The Netherlands (17)
Norway (25)
Pakistan (76)
Poland (43)
Portugal (24)
Romania (39)
Serbia (73)
Singapore (32)
 Republic of South Africa (18)
South Korea (37)
Spain (33)
Sweden (65)
Turkey (27)
Warsaw Pact manufacturers (1955–1991)
Soviet Union
Bulgaria (50)
Czechoslovakia
East Germany
Yugoslavia
Caribbean manufacturers
Cuba
Dominican Republic
South American manufacturers
Argentina (29)
Brazil (19)
Chile (52)
Colombia (80)
Paraguay
Venezuela
African manufacturers
Burkina Faso
Ethiopia
Kenya
Namibia
Nigeria
Zimbabwe
Central Asian manufacturers
Uzbekistan
East Asian manufacturers
China
Japan (30)
North Korea
Taiwan (?)
South-East Asian manufacturers
Indonesia (45)
Malaysia (34)
Philippines (46)

See also
References
External links

Military headstamps
Two digits are the last two digits of the year of manufacture. They can be together as two digits or opposite each other (i.e., the
tens digit at 9 o'clock and the ones digit at 3 o'clock). Early 20th century cartridges may have additional digits or a letter
indicating the month or yearly quarter of manufacture.
A letter, number, or alphanumeric code indicates the place of manufacture:[1] Other codes may indicate metal suppliers (like
France) or the percentage of a metal in the alloy the cartridge case is made of (like Poland and Germany).

United States military cartridges

US arsenals
World War II manufactured cartridges with a single "4" as the year of production were made in 1944. The demand was so great
for cartridges that most manufacturers just ground off the "3" on the "43" stamp to save time. Most wartime plants were closed by
the end of the war. Some cartridges with a single "5" were made in 1955.

AO or KS Allegheny Ordnance Plant (Kelly Springfield) - Cumberland, Maryland (1943-1945); Operated by Kelly-
Springfield Tire Co., a division of Goodyear Rubber. Conversion back to rubber tire production began in 1944.
CB Curtis Bay Ordnance Depot (CBOD) - Baltimore, Maryland (1917-1957). Used to store, examine, and repack
ammunition.
DEN Denver Ordnance Plant - Denver, Colorado: a division of Remington Arms. (1941-1945)
DM Des Moines Ordnance Plant - Des Moines, Iowa: a division of US Rubber Co. (January 1942 to July 1945)
EC Evansville Ordnance Plant (Chrysler) - Evansville, Indiana: a division of Chrysler-Plymouth. (June 1942 to
April 1944) They manufactured brass-cased ammunition. From 1943 to 1944 it manufactured steel-cased .45
ACP ammunition.
ECS Evansville Ordnance Plant (Chrysler-Sunbeam) - Evansville, Indiana: a division of Sunbeam Refrigerator
Co. (1942-1944). Chrysler bought the plant to keep up with demand. It loaded cartridges made at the Evansville-
Chrysler plant across town and then packed them in shipping crates for shipment. In 1943 it was the first plant to
manufacture ammo in vacuum-packed metal cans. In 1944 it was employed in inspecting and repacking .45 ACP
and .30 Carbine ammunition.
EW Eau Claire Ordnance Plant (August 1942 to December 1943) - Eau Claire, Wisconsin a division of US
Rubber Co.
FA Frankford Arsenal (1816-1977) - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania .
HAW Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot (1926-1977) - Hawthorne, Nevada.
HW Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant (1977–Present) - Hawthorne Nevada. 1977-1992 (Hawthorne Army
Ammunition Plant HWAAP); 1992–Present (Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot HWAD).
KOP Kingsbury Ordnance Plant (1941-1945; 1950-1959) - Kingsbury, Indiana.
LC Lake City Ordnance Plant (1940–present) - Independence, Missouri: a division of Remington Arms.
LM Lowell Ordnance Plant (1942-1943) - Lowell, Massachusetts
LOP Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant (1942–1996) - Doyline, Webster Parish, LA, USA.
LS Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant (1941-2009) - Texarkana, TX, USA.
M Milwaukee Ordnance Plant (August 1942 to December 1943) - Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Operated by US
Rubber Co..
P, PC, PCC Kings Mills Ordnance Plant (Peters Cartridge Company) (1942-1944) - Kings Mills, Ohio: A sub-
contractor owned by Remington Arms from 1934 to 1944. It was converted to only produce .30 Carbine
ammunition in 1943 and produced more than Lake City by 1944. It was closed down in March, 1944 to
consolidate production at more centrally-located plants.
PBA Pine Bluff Arsenal (1941–Present) - Pine Bluff, AR, USA.
ROP Redstone Ordnance Plant - Huntsville, Alabama (1941-1949). Combined with the Huntsville Depot facility to
form Redstone Arsenal in 1949.
SL St. Louis Ordnance Plant (November 1941 to June 1945) - St.Louis, Missouri.
TW Twin Cities Ordnance Plant (1942-1945; 1950-1957; 1965-1976; 2002-2005) - Minneapolis, Minnesota.
U or UT Utah Ordnance Plant - Salt Lake City, Utah; a division of Remington Arms (March 1942 to December
1943).

Civilian contractors

FC or FCC Federal Cartridge Corporation (1917-?) - Anoka, Minnesota[2]

NC National Brass & Copper Tube Co. (1917-1918) - Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. Manufactured .303 British
ammunition during World War I.
 OMF Saint Marks Powder Co. - Saint Marks, Crawfordville, Florida. A division of Olin-Mossberg.
RA Remington Arms Company - Bridgeport, Connecticut
RA H Remington Arms Company - Hoboken, New Jersey.
RHA Co. Robin Hood Ammunition Company (?-1915; 1915-1917) - Swanton, Vermont. Bought out by Remington
in 1915 (becoming Remington-UMC Swanton but retaining the old headstamp) when it received a wartime
contract to produce rifle ammunition for the French government. The French-style headstamp has the yearly
quarter before the 4-digit year (e.g., 4-1917 would mean 4th Quarter, 1917).
US United States Cartridge Company (1867-1926) - Lowell, Massachusetts. Manufactured .303 British
ammunition during World War I.
TZ Texas Foundries Inc. (1976–Present) - Lufkin, TX.
W, WC, or WCC Western Cartridge Company - East Alton, Illinois Manufactured .30-'06 Springfield ammunition
during World War I and World War II.
WRA Winchester Repeating Arms Company - New Haven, Connecticut Manufactured .30-'06 Springfield and
.303 British ammunition during World War I and World War II.

Commercial cartridges
The US military used commercial cartridges for its training rifles, non-standard weapons, and shotguns. These usually had
different headstamps than the military ammunition (usually their civilian one) and were shipped in commercial crates rather than
military packaging.

♦ Western Cartridge Company - East Alton, Illinois:

F Federal Cartridge Corporation - Anoka, Minnesota
H Winchester Repeating Arms Company - New Haven, Connecticut:
P, PCCo or PETERS Peters Cartridge Company - Kings Mills, Ohio:
R-P Remington-Peters - Lonoke, Arkansas (1970–present). Lonoke facility only produced centerfire ammo from
1970; took over rimfire production from Bridgeport in 1989.[3]
R--P Remington Peters - Bridgeport, Connecticut (1960-1989). Bridgeport facility only produced rimfire ammo
from 1970, then finally closed down in 1989.[3]
REM-UMC Remington-Union Metallic Cartridge - Bridgeport, Connecticut (1911-1960). Renamed Remington-
Peters in 1960.[3]
U Union Metallic Cartridge Company - Bridgeport, Connecticut (1873-1911): Merged with Remington Arms in
1911, but still used the "U" headstamp for shotgun shells and rimfire cartridges.
U.S.C.Co. United States Cartridge Company - Lowell, Massachusetts (1867-1926).
WRA CO Winchester Repeating Arms Company - New Haven, Connecticut

Competition-grade military cartridges

Ammunition designed for military competitive shooting was made by a variety of manufacturers.

MATCH Ammunition used for target shooting. It is also used by Designated Marksmen and Snipers because it is
more accurate than regular rifle ammunition at long ranges.
NM National Match. Match ammunition specially made for the Camp Perry National Rifle and Pistol shooting
matches.

Special cartridges

7.92mm Mauser
During World War II the Western Cartridge Company made 7.92mm Mauser ammunition for the Chinese Nationalists. There are
Chinese characters at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions and the year of production (42, 43 or 44) at the 6 o'clock position.

.30 Caliber (.30-06 Springfield)

In 1953, large batches of .30-06 ammunition were manufactured under unique arsenal headstamps.[4] The case had red lacquer
sealant around the primer annulus.[4] The headstamp has a two-letter manufacturer code and the lot code (rather than the year) is
the number 40 followed by a third numeral.[4] Collectors allege that the cartridges were intended to be aid to anti-Communist
insurgents and Allied forces equipped with US weapons.

AN 40# Twin Cities Ordnance Plant, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

BN 40# St. Louis Ordnance Plant, St. Louis, Missouri.
CN 40# Lake City Ordnance Plant, Independence, Missouri.

7.62x39mm M43 Soviet

During the Vietnam War in the early 1970s (July, 1970 to January, 1972) the Lake City Ordnance Plant (code: LC) and Frankfort
Arsenal (code: FA) produced unmarked Boxer-primed 7.62×39mm Blank and Ball cartridges for use by American and Allied
personnel. The blanks were used by the "Tigerland" simulation exercise at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The ball ammunition allowed
reconnaissance and Special Operations units to utilize captured Communist Bloc weapons like the SKS carbine and AKM assault
rifle. Most ball ammunition went to support Marshal Lon Nol's Cambodian Army (1970-1975), which was receiving
reconditioned SKS carbines and AK-47s as military aid.

The cartridges were based on a Lapua design. The bullets had Gilding Metal (GM) or Gilding Metal Coated Steel (GMCS)
jackets and Gilding Metal-clad brass cases. Lake City cartridges had red sealant on the primer annulus and Frankfort Arsenal
used purple sealant. They came in 20-round cartons that were marked with special short batch numbers that lacked the contractor
code and date.

Afterwards Bell Laboratories (code: BEL) made batches of 7.62×39mm ammo in the 1970s and 1980s for training soldiers in the
familiarization and use of Communist Bloc weapons. They can be identified by the light-blue sealant used on the primer annulus.

Commonwealth military cartridges

The number in parentheses is the nation's Nation Code.

Australia (66)

A/|\F Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.1 - Footscray; Melbourne, Victoria; Australia (1888-1945)[5] The
broadshead arrowhead between the "A" and "F" was the Government Property mark.
AFF Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.2 - Footscray; Melbourne, Victoria; Australia (1940–1994)[5][6]
/|\F - Military Factory Footscray - Footscray; Melbourne, Victoria; Australia (1888-1945). The broadshead
arrowhead before the "F" was the Government Property mark.
ICI-ANZ Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia & New Zealand (1928 - 1998) - An Australian subsidiary of the
British chemical company Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd. Originally founded in 1928 as ICI (Australasia), it was
changed to ICI (Australia and New Zealand) a year later. It owned an explosives factory[7] at Deer Park,
Yarraville, Victoria through ICI's original Nobel holdings. This provided explosives during World War Two. ICIANZ
became a publicly traded company by ICI (UK) in 1950 and was renamed ICI Australia Pty Ltd in 1971. ICI
divests itself of ICI Australia in 1997, which later becomes Orica in 1998.
MF Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.1 - Footscray; Melbourne, Victoria; Australia (1888-1945)[6]
MG Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.2 - Footscray; Melbourne, Victoria; Australia (1940–1994)[6]
MH Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.3 - Hendon; Adelaide, South Australia; Australia (1940-1945)[6][8]
MJ Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.4 - Hendon; Adelaide, South Australia; Australia (1940-1945)[6][8]
MQ Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.5 - Rocklea; Brisbane, Queensland; Australia (1942-1945)[6]
MW Small Arms Ammunition Factory No.6 - Welshpool, Western Australia; Australia (1942-1945)[6]
SAAF Small Arms Ammunition Factory - Footscray; Melbourne, Victoria; Australia (1888-1945)
Canada (20 and 21)

Arsenals

The "C"s in "DAC", "DCA", "LAC" and "VC" had a small broadshead arrowhead (/|\) inset to indicate it was Canadian
Government Issue property. This mark was adopted by the Canadian government in 1867 upon its creation as a Dominion to
replace the British government's broadshead arrow mark. The ammunition color code system used by Canada used the British
system for .303 ammunition, the American system for .30-06 ammunition, and later the NATO system for all other ammunition.

C-I-L or CIL Canadian Industries Ltd. (1955-1976). A corporation formed in 1910 from a merger of five Canadian
explosives companies and their assets. It ran the Defence Industries Ltd. munitions plants from 1940 to 1946. It
owned the Dominion (1955-1966), Imperial (?-1976), Monark, and Canuck commercial ammunition brands. It
used the CIL headstamp on its cartridges from 1955 until 1976, when IVI bought out its commercial ammunition
production.
DA, DAC, or DAQ Dominion Arsenal Co. - Quebec City (1882-1958) - Quebec City, Quebec; Canada.[9][10]
Dominion Arsenal used the DAQ headstamp from 1914 to 1918, the DAC headstamp from 1919(?) until 1945,
the DCA headstamp in 1935, the DA headstamp from 1945 to 1958, and the CIL headstamp from 1955 to 1976.
From 1945 to 1986 Dominion Arsenal was under the control of a nationalised crown corporation called Canadian
Arsenals Ltd that was controlled by the Department of Supply and Services. Canadian Arsenals Ltd. was
privatised and bought by SNC-Lavalin in 1986.
DI Defence Industries Ltd. (1940-1946) - Park Avenue, Brownsburg, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A division of
Canadian Industries Ltd. formed in late 1939 to produce munitions for the projected war effort. In 1941 they
began to make high-quality boxer-primed .303 "Red Label"-type ammunition for use in aircraft machineguns. In
1942 they made the first Canadian government-manufactured 9×19mm Parabellum cartridges for
Commonwealth forces. They also made 7.92×57mm Mauser rifle ammunition for use in the British 7.92mm BESA
machine gun and issue to European Resistance groups and the Nationalist and Communist Chinese.
DIV Defence Industries Ltd. - Verdun (1940-1946) - Verdun, Quebec; Canada. A division of Canadian Industries
Ltd. formed in 1939 to produce munitions for the war effort.
IVI Industries Valcartier Inc. (1977–1991; 1989–Present) - Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Quebec, Canada. In 1935,
an ammunition manufacturing facility called Val-Rose was built on the grounds of the disused World War 1-era
Valcartier Military Camp.[11] From 1945 to 1967 the facility was part of Canadian Arsenals Ltd. and specialized in
small arms ammunition.[11] It was privatized as Industrie Valcartier Incorporee in 1967. It bought out Imperial,
CIL's commercial cartridge division, in 1976.[12] It was acquired by SNC-Lavalin (SNC Tec) in 1980, which
renamed it IVI Inc.[11] The IVI plant in Valcartier ceased making commercial ammunition in 1988. IVI Inc. was
later amalgamated into General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Inc. in 1989.[13] The
Valcartier plant itself finally closed in 1991.[11]
LAC, DAL Dominion Arsenal - Lindsay (1914-1921) - Lindsay, Ontario; Canada. A division of Dominion Arsenal
Co. formed in 1914 to expand munitions production for the war effort. It used the headstamp LAC ("Lindsay
Arsenal, Canada") from 1914 to 1917 and DAL ("Dominion Arsenal - Lindsay") from 1918 to 1921.
TR Three Rivers plant (1940-1945) - Trois Rivieres, Quebec; Canada. A division of Dominion Rubber &
Munitions.
VC Canadian Industries Limited - Verdun - Verdun Arsenal - Verdun, Quebec; Canada[9]

Civilian Contractors

RR Co Ross Rifle Co. (1914-1919) - Verdun, Quebec; Canada.[14]

Commercial Manufacturers

DCCO, Dominion Dominion Cartridge Co. Ltd. (1886-1955) - Brownsburg, Quebec, Canada. A division of
Dominion Arsenal that produced ammunition for the civilian market from 1911 to 1955. It was made part of
Canadian Industries Ltd. (CIL) in 1928. During World War II it made military ammunition for CIL under the DCCO
headstamp. It changed its headstamp to DOMINION in 1947 and to CIL in 1955, but was still sold under the
Dominion brand. It was sold to IVI in 1966.
Imperial A commercial brand of ammunition manufactured by Canadian Industries Ltd. (CIL); it later used the
headstamp CIL-Imperial from 1954 to 1976. It was bought out by IVI Inc. in 1976, restarted production in 1977,
and ceased production in 1991(?).
New Zealand (98)

CAC Colonial Ammunition Company - Auckland, New Zealand. (1890-1920)

South Africa (18)

M M Musgrave Manufacturers and Distributors (Pty) Ltd. (1933-1996; 1940?-1945?) - Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Safari rifle manufacturer who manufactured "wildcat" .303 British hunting cartridges. They manufactured military
cartridges (9×19mm Parabellum and 7.92×57mm Mauser) during the war from 1940? to 1945?. Headstamp is
the letter "M" at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock facing the primer annulus and the caliber at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock
facing the rim. Musgrave went out of business in 1996. Its rifle shop was bought out by Vektor and its ammunition
production was bought out by Pretoria Metal Pressings (PMP).
SAM South African Mint (1962 - ?) - Pretoria, South Africa. Later became Pretoria Metal Pressing LTD.
U (1937-1961) - Pretoria Branch Mint - Pretoria, South Africa. Converted to ammunition production in 1937. Later
became South African Mint (SAM) in 1962.
U <> (1939-1961) - Kimberley Branch Mint - Kimberley, South Africa.

United Kingdom (99)

/|\ = UK Government Property. Formerly the badge of the Sidney family, the broad arrow
(or "Devil's Claws") symbol was appropriated by the British government to indicate the
item was government issue.
FF = Filling Factory.
GCF = Government Cartridge Factory (1918-1919).
ROF = Royal Ordnance Factory.
SAA = Small Arms Ammunition Factory (1940-1946).

/|\ (used 1940-1941) - ROF Radway Green SAA (ROF 13). After 1941 the use of the broad arrow was dropped
and switched to the letters "RG".
/|\ /|\ (used 1940-1941) - ROF Spennymoor SAA (ROF 21). After 1941 the use of the 2 broad arrows was
dropped and switched to the letters "SR".
/|\ /|\ /|\ (used 1940-1941) - ROF Steeton SAA. After 1941 the use of the 3 broad arrows was dropped and
switched to the letters "ST".
B, BE, E, & BPF (1940 - 1946) - Royal Ordnance Factory Blackpole SAA (ROF 20), Blackpole, Worcester,
Worcestershire, UK. This Cadbury Bros. Ltd. factory was temporarily converted into an ordnance plant for the
war effort.
G18F1, C18F1 (1918) - Government Cartridge Factory No.1 (production overseen by Birmingham Metal and
Munitions Co.) - Blackheath, Staffordshire. The digits "18" are the last two digits of the year of production.
G##F3, C##F3 (1918-1919) - Government Cartridge Factory No.3 (production overseen by Kings Norton Metal
Co.) - Blackpole, Worcestershire. The ## are the last two digits of the year of production.
HN (1942-1945) - ROF Hirwaun, Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, UK.
RG (1940–present) Royal Ordnance Factory Radway Green - Radway Green, Cheshire; England, United
Kingdom.
R^L Royal Laboratory (1696-1965). - Woolwich, Greenwich, London, England, United Kingdom.
RNADC Royal Naval Armaments Depot, Caerwent, Wales, United Kingdom.
ST Royal Ordnance Factory Steeton, Steeton, West Yorkshire
SWN Royal Ordnance Factory Swynnerton. Swynnerton, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
TH - ROF Thorp Arch, Thorp Arch, West Yorkshire, England, UK
ASL Aerator Systems Ltd. (?-1918) - Sutton, South London, London, England, UK. Made 8mm Lebel cartridge
cases for France during World War One.
BBC - Barking Brassware Co. Barking, Essex, UK
BMARC, BMARCo - British Manufacturing and Research Company, Grantham, Lincolnshire.
BMM Birmingham Metals and Munitions Co. - Birmingham, UK. Made 8mm Lebel cartridges for France during
World War One.
C-P Crompton Parkinson Co. Ltd, Doncaster, Yorkshire, U.K.
E, EB Eley Brothers (1866–present) - Edmonton, London, UK.
 GB Greenwood and Batley - Leeds, Yorkshire, UK.
GKB (1884? - ?) - George Kynock & Co. of Birmingham (later Kynoch Ltd. in 1896). Made percussion caps from
1862 and metallic cartridges from 1884.
H - Hall Telegraph Co.
K Kynoch Factories, Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd. - Birmingham, UK.

K - Kynoch & Co, Witton, Birmingham, UK.

K2 (1943-1944) - I.C.I. (Kynoch), Standish, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, UK
K3 - There was no Kynoch factory designated K3.
K4 (1942-1944) - I.C.I. (Kynoch), Yeading, Middlesex, UK.
K5 (1944) - I.C.I. (Kynoch), Kidderminster, Worcestershire, UK.
KN - Kings Norton Metal Company - Kings Norton, Birmingham, Worcestershire, UK.
P&S - Platers & Stampers Ltd. (1936-1959) - Burnley, Lancashire.
RC, RCC, & RH (1941-1945) - Raleigh Cycle Co., Carlton, Nottingham.

NATO manufacturers
The number in parentheses is the nation's Nation Code.

Austria (41)

* * Hirtenberger Patronenfabrik - Hirtenberg, Baden bei Wien, Lower Austria, Austria. "Clean" export headstamp
used by Hirtenberger - with the stars at 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock, the 2-digit year at 12 o'clock, and the caliber at 6
o'clock. The marks are either two 5-point stars, two 6-point asterisks, or a 5-point star and a 6-point asterisk.
B Wöllersdorfer Werke - Berndorf, Bezirk Baden, Lower Austria, Austria.
GR Georg Roth AG - Lichtenwörth, Austria. Headstamp is a cypher of G & R combined. Many of its foreign
holdings were seized and nationalized after World War One. Absorbed by Hirtenberger Patronen in the 1930s.
H or HP Hirtenberger Patronen-, Zündhütchen-und Metallwarenfabrik A.-G. (1860-1938; 1957-2004) -
Hirtenberg, Baden bei Wien, Lower Austria, Austria. Originally a metalware and cartridge factory, it eventually
concentrated on cartridge-making. In 2004 it closed down its cartridge production lines and now focuses
exclusively on making mortar shells.
KC or K&C Keller & Co - Hirtenberg, Baden bei Wien, Lower Austria, Austria.
ÖJP Österreichische Jagdpatronenfabrik (1948 - ?) - Kramsach, Tirol, Austria. Founded in 1948, taken over by
Hirtenberger in 1964.

German P-Codes (1938-1940) - Operated under German occupation

P.635 Otto Eberhardt Patronenfabrik (1938?-1945) - Hirtenberg, Niederdonau, Austria. Formerly Hirtenberger
Patronen-, Zündhütchen-und Metallwarenfabrik A.-G. until taken over after the Anschluss in 1938.

Belgium (13)

AEP Anciens Ètablissements Pieper (1905-1950) - Herstal, Belgium. Contracted with Fabrique Nationale and
other manufacturers to make ammunition under their headstamp.
FN or FNB, Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre (FN) - Herstal, Belgium.
JA Jules Ancion & Cie - Liege, Belgium.
P Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre (FN) - Herstal, Belgium.
PB (Poudrerie Belge de Clermont) - Rue de Clermont, Engis, Belgium. Powder mill that provides propellants for
both French and Belgian manufacturers. Currently owned by GIAT.

Bosnia-Herzegovina (75)

ИК, IK Igman zavod ad Konjic ("Igman Factory at Konjic") - Konjic, Bosnia. Named for the nearby Igman plateau.
Czech Republic (16)

bxn Sellier & Bellot - Vlasim, Czech Republic.

Denmark (22)
From 1968 to 2007 ammunition packaging was stamped or embossed with the letters HMAK ensigned by a crown - standing for
Hærens Materielkommando (Army Materiel Command)

HL Hærens Laboratorium ("Army Laboratory") (1912-1937) - Copenhagen, Denmark.

AMA Ammunitionsarsenalet ("Ammunition Arsenal") (1676 - ?) - København, Denmark.

Egypt (36)
Egypt uses Arabic-language letters and numerals in its headstamp - letters and numerals are read from right to left and dates and
numbers are read from left to right. (Arabic-language numerals are different from the Western "Arabic" numerals (i.e., 1, 2, 3,
etc.) - also, Arabs refer to their counting system as the "Indian" numbers). At 12 o'clock is the three-letter acronym for
Gomhoreyyet Maṣr el-ʿArabeyya (‫اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺟﻤﻬﻮرﻳﺔ ﻣﺼﺮ‬, "Arab Republic of Egypt") - which looks like the English letters
ERC in cursive from left to right but represent the Egyptian Arabic letters GMA from right to left. At 4 o'clock is the two-digit
Arsenal Number and at 8 o'clock is the two-digit year. The metric designation for a cartridge on the headstamp is written in
reverse with the length first, followed by the bore (i.e., 7.62×54mmR M91 Russian is written as 54 × 7.62).

٠١ (GMA 01) Military Factory 10 ( Abu-Kir Company for Engineering Industries) - Abu Qir, Alexandria, Egypt.
٧٢ (GMA 72) Military Factory 27 (Shubra Company for Engineering Industries) (1953–Present) - Shubra district,
Cairo, Egypt.

Finland (58)

LAPUA Lapuan Patruunatehdas ("Cartridge Factory at Lapua") (1949–1998) - Lapua, Finland. It is now called
Nammo Lapua (1998–present), a division of the Nammo Group.
SAT, SAKO Sako A. B. (Suojeluskuntain Ase-ja Konepaja Oy, "Civil Guard Weapon- and Machining-works Ltd.")
(1921–present)- Riihimäki, Finland. It was later acquired by Beretta Holding Group in 2000.
T Oy Tikkakoski Ab (aka TIKKA) - Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland. Manufactured arms and various consumer
goods, like sewing machines. Tikkakoski Arsenal was its arms division, the only privately owned weapons
manufacturer in the country, and operated from 1930 to 1947. It was seized by the Russians as war reparations
from 1947 to 1957 and demilitarized to produce consumer goods. Private investors bought it back and ran it from
1957 to 1983. The company was bought out by SAKO in 1983. SAKO (and through them, the TIKKA hunting rifle
brand) was later acquired by Beretta in 2000.
VPT Valtion Patruunatehdas ("State Ammunition Factory") (1923 - 1949) - Lapua, Finland. The forerunner to
Lapua. In 1949 it was absorbed by Valmet and renamed LAPUA.

France (14)
Notes:

Early French headstamps mark the bullet type at 12 o'clock (eg., ART.D), the 1-digit
Quarter of production at 9 o'clock, and the 2-digit Year of production at 3 o'clock. The
codes for the manufacturer (e.g. A.RS) and metal producer (e.g. S) are conjoined at 6
o'clock (i.e, A.RS.S).
Later French headstamps mark the 1-digit Quarter of the year of production and 2-digit
Year at the 12-o'clock position (e.g. Q-YY), the letter code for the metal supplier for the
case at the 3-o'clock position, the cartridge caliber and model at the 6-o'clock position,
and the manufacturer at the 9-o'clock position. They are oriented so that the 12 o'clock
and 6 o'clock sides are at right angles to the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock sides.
ART. Direction de l’Artillery ("Management of the Artillery") (?-1918) - The French state body that oversaw the
manufacturing of munitions before the creation of the Service de l'Équipement ("Service of the Equipment"). It
was a prefix to the cartridge designation at the 12 o'clock position used on early French-made military cartridges.

ART.M stands for 8mm Lebel Balle M (manufactured 1886-1898). Colonial arsenals manufactured the
cartridge after 1898 for Colonial forces equipped with earlier-pattern rifles.
ART.D stands for 8mm Lebel Balle D (manufactured 1898-1932).
A.A. Amorçage Anglais ("English Primers") (1915?-1918) - A suffix on the cartridge designation at the 12 o'clock
position used on British-made cartridges during World War One. British primers were of a different type than the
French models, lacking a cover over the annulus.

Manufacturers

ABS Atelier de Construction de Bourges ("Manufacturing Workshops of Bourges") - Bourges, Cher, Centre,
France.
ALM Ateliers Legueu de Meaux (Legueu Workshops of Meaux) - Meaux, France. Manufactured cartridge-cases
and bullets.
AMN Atelier de Chargement de Montluçon (Loading Workshop of Montluc) - Montluçon, France.
APX Atelier de Construction de Puteaux (Manufacturing Workshop of Puteaux) - Puteaux, France.
A.RS, RS Atelier de Construction de Rennes (Manufacturing Workshop of Rennes) - Rennes, France.
A.TE, TE Atelier de Fabrication de Toulouse (Manufacturing Workshop of Toulouse) - Toulouse, France.
A.TS, TS Atelier de Construction de Tarbes (Manufacturing Workshop of Tarbes) - Tarbes, France.
A.VE, VE Cartoucherie de Valence (Cartridge Factory of Valence) (1874-1964) - town of Bourg-lès-Valence,
municipality of Valence, department of Drôme, region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
A.VS, VS Atelier de Fabrication de Vincennes (Manufacturing Workshop of Vincennes) Vincennes, France.
CN Ateliers Mécaniques de Normandie (Mechanical Workshops of Normandy).
CP Cartoucherie Leon Paulet à Marseille - Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.
ECP Ecole Centrale de Pyrotechnie (Central School of Pyrotechnics) Bourges, France.
F Cartoucherie Française ("Cartridge Factory of France") - Survilliers, department of Val-d'Oise, region of Île-de-
France, France. Starting as a small ammo-production firm with a dozen workers, government contracts during
World War I (1914-1918) to produce military cartridges, rockets and shells caused it to grow to 332 employees.
The interwar years (1919-1939) were prosperous, but the cartridge production line was shut down during the
German Occupation (1940-1945). Production resumed in the mid 1940s, but munitions production was stopped
in the late 1980s due to a cancelling of government contracts.
G Gévelot S. A. (Société Française des Munitions de Issy-les-Moulineaux) (1820-?; 1950-?) - Paris, France. Firm
founded in Paris by Marin Gévelot in 1820. Merged with Gaupillat & Cie in 1883 to become Société Française
des Munitions in 1884. Took the name of Gévelot S.A. in 1950.
LM Cartoucherie du Mans (Cartridge Factory of Le Mans) Le Mans, France.
MGM Manufacture Générale de Munitions ("General Ammunition Factory") (1930-1978) - Bourg-les-Valence and
Clérieux, France. Bought out by Gevelot S.A. in 1974 and integrated into Société Française des Munitions in
1978. The Bourg-les-Valence site is closed and the Clérieux site is run by Cheddite France.
MI, SM Robert Paulet & Cie (Société Méridionale d'Industrie > "Meridian Industrial Association") - Marseille,
France. Formerly Cartoucherie Leon Paulet à Marseille.
MR Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin ("Machine-Building Factory of the Upper Rhine", or MANURHIN) (?
-1990) - Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller, Haut-Rhin, Grand Est (formerly Alsace), France. Manufactured cartridges as well
as the industrial machinery to make bullets and casings and load cartridges. Bought out and merged with GIAT in
1990.
PB (Poudrerie Belge de Clermont) - Rue de Clermont, Engis, Belgium.
RY Établissements Rey Frères ("Rey Brothers Enterprises") - Nîmes, France.
SF, SFM Société Française de Munitions de Issy-les-Moulineaux ("French Association for Munitions of Issy-les-
Moulineaux") (1820-?; 1950-?) - Issy les Moulineaux, France. Firm founded in Paris by Marin Gévelot in 1820.
Merged with Gaupillat & Cie in 1883 to become Société Française des Munitions in 1884. Took the name of
Gévelot S.A. in 1950. If the headstamp has five-pointed stars at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, it is
commercial sales or export contract ammunition.
TH Cartoucherie de la Seine ("Cartridge Factory of the Seine") - Le Havre, France. A division of Tréfileries du
Havre à Rugles ("Wire-Drawing Works of Le Havre and Rugles").

Metal Suppliers
 BS Atelier de laminage de l'Ecole de Pyrotechnie de Bourges ("Rolling Mill Workshop of the Pyrotechnics School
of Bourges") - Bourges, France.
C Compagnie française des métaux ("French Metals Company") - Castelsarrazin, Tarn-et-Garonne, Midi-
Pyrénées, France. A metal-supplier for Atelier de Fabrication de Toulouse.
F Tréfileries et Laminoirs de la Méditerranée à St-Louis. ("Wire-Drawing Works and Rolling Mills of the
Mediterranean of St.Louis") (1957–Present) - Île Saint-Louis, Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France. A
metal-supplier for Cartoucherie Leon Paulet de Marseilles.
I Société de Métallurgie Franco-Belge de Issy-les-Moulineaux ("Franco-Belgian Metallurgic Society of Issy-les-
Molineaux") (1895–Present) - Issy-les-Moulineaux, France. A Belgian company that supplied metal stock for
Société Française de Munitions de Issy-les-Moulineaux.
R Trefilerie et Laminoirs du Havre à Rugles (Usine de Rugles) ("Wire-Drawing Works and Rolling Mills of La
Havre and Rugles (Factory at Rugles)") - Rugles, Normandy, France. Made bullets and cartridge-cases for
Cartoucherie de la Seine.
S Compagnie Française des Métaux ("French Metals Company") - Sérifontaine, Oise, France. A metal-supplier
for Tréfileries du Havre à Rugles.

French Colonial Arsenals

A.AR, AR Cartoucherie d'Alger ("Cartridge Plant of Algiers") - Algiers, Algeria.

CV Cartoucherie Voltaïque ("Cartridge Plant of the Volta") - Ouagadougou, Haute-Volta (later Republic of Upper
Volta [1958-1984], modern-day Burkina Faso [1984–Present]).
EID Établissements Industriels de la Défense ("Defense Industry Establishments") - Damascus, Syria; Mandat
Français pour la Syrie et le Liban ("French Mandate of Syria and the Levant") Uses Arabic letters and numbers
on the headstamp since independence as the Syrian Republic. Post-colonial headstamp has the Arabic word for
Syria (‫ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ‬, or Sūrya) at 12 o'clock, metric caliber at 3 o'clock, contractor code (‫ د‬.‫م‬. ‫م‬, MMD for ‫ﻣﺆﺳﺴﺔ‬
‫ ﻣﻌﺎﻣﻞ اﻟﺪﻓﺎع‬Muasasat Meaml aldifae, or "Defense Industries Corporation") at 6 o'clock, and two-digit year of
production at 9 o'clock.

Germany (12)

(?-1919)

All loading, assembly and packing of ammunition took place at Spandau Arsenal. Peacetime headstamps had the 2-digit year of
production at 3 o'clock, month of production at 9 o'clock, and content case manufacturer (S for Spandau or P for Polte) at 6
o'clock. Wartime headstamps had the 2-digit year of production at 12 o'clock, case type (S67 = Brass made with 67% copper) at 3
o'clock, content case manufacturer at 6 o'clock, and the batch number at 9 o'clock. The carton label had three lines of text. The
first line would be made up of the bullet type, cartridge assembly and packing facility (Mf. for Spandau's Munitionsfabrik),
followed by the date of assembly (in the format MM.DD.YY; 2-digit Month, the Day, and 2-digit Year). The second line
concerned the propellant manufacturer (P. for Spandau's Pulverfabrik or Tr. for the powdermill at Troisdorf). The third line listed
the model of primer (Zh, or zundhuetchen), the date of manufacture, and the manufacturer; an "X" between the primer type and
date of manufacture indicated it was a type of primer with a low mercury content.

S Spandau
P Polte
D. Königlich Sächsisch Arsenal ("Royal Arsenal of Saxony") - Dresden, Saxony.

(1919-1926)

The post-war German government assembled cartridges at the Wehrkreis ("Defense District") arsenals. War industries were
reduced to monopolies: Polte was selected to supply cartridge cases and bullets and Dynamit Nobel was selected to provide
explosives and propellants. Cartridge-loading machines were installed at artillery depots to train technicians in how to operate the
machinery in times of emergency.

I (Königsberg) - Königsberg Arsenal

II (Stettin) - ?
III (Berlin) - Jüterbog Arsenal
IV (Dresden) - Zeithain/Riesa Arsenal
V (Stuttgart) - Kassel
VI (Münster) - ?
VII (Munich) - Ingolstadt
AI Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken A.G. (1936?-1939) - Lübeck, Germany. Headstamp used by Germany
to covertly supply the Spanish Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939). The headstamp has "AI"
at the 12 o'clock position (perhaps to copy the headstamp of the Dutch Artillerie-Inrichtingen munitions works),
large lower-case letter "e"s at the 3- and 9-o'clock positions, and the year of production at the 6 o'clock position.
DM Karlsruhe, DM K Deutsche Metallpatronenfabrik ("German Metal Cartridge Factory") (1889-1896) -
Karlsruhe, Germany. It started making Mauser rifle ammunition for the Argentinian Army in 1891 and the
Prussian Army in 1893. Bought out by Ludwig Loewe & Cie in 1896 to form part of Deutsche Waffen und
Munitionsfabriken (DWM). The "DM" headstamp was used by DWM until the early 20th century.
DWM B Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken - Berlin-Borsigwalde, Germany.
DWM H Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (1940-1945) - 's-Hertogenbosch, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands.
The Nederlandsche Wapen-en Munitiefabriek NV. factory run by the German occupation forces.
DWM K Deutsche Waffen uund Munitionsfabriken - Karlsruhe, Germany.
DWM L Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken - Lübeck-Schlutup, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Mog. Deutsche Sprengchemie, Werk Moschwig - Moschwig, Germany. Made explosives and gunpowder.
N Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoff, A.G. (RWS) - Nuremberg, Germany. Made gunpowder and complete
cartridges.
P Polte Armaturen-und-Maschinenfabrik A.G., Werk Magdeberg - Magdeburg, Sachsen, Germany. After
Versailles they were the official supplier of ammunition components to the Weimar Republic. Made cartridge
cases and bullets from 1919 to 1926? and complete cartridges from 1926? to 1945. There were also cover-
headstamps used to pretend that Polte, the official contractor for the Weimar Republic, manufactured them.

Pi Hirtenberger Patronenfabrik - Hirtenberg, Austria. Renamed the Otto Eberhardt Patronenfabrik after the
German occupation.
Pu H. Burgsmüller & Söhne - Kreiensen, Germany. A small gunsmithing firm that made hunting shotguns and
drillings. They later got into munitions production.
Pö Gehre Dampfmesser GmbH - Sebaldushof, Treuenbrietzen, Brandenburg, Germany. Dr. Martin Böhme
was an engineer whose factory made gas, steam and liquid gauges and a sideline in metalwares. In 1926 the
metalware factory in the hamlet of Sebaldushof was bought out by the Kopp Brothers of Berlin and it was
renamed to Metallwarenfabrik Truenbrietzen.
Ps - Production by the Swedish government.
PVT Polizeischule fuer Technik und Verkehr ("Police Academy for Technology and Transport") (1927?-1945) -
Berlin, Germany. The Polizeischule fuer Technik und Verkehr was founded in 1927? The central academy
building was designed in 1929 and built by 1934. It was renamed the Technische Polizeischule ("Technical Police
Academy") in 1936. The PVT monogram and government Eagle property mark was inscribed on its small arms at
the factory by Simson.
S Spandau Arsenal (1722-1919) - Spandau, Germany. Manufactured 7.92mm Mauser ammunition. It was
decommissioned in 1919 and was no longer allowed to manufacture war materiel. Gustav Genschow & Co.
(GECO) bought the facility in 1924 and used it to make .22-caliber target rifles.

Mf. Munitionsfabrik - The portions of Spandau arsenal deicated to making cartridge cases and bullets,
assembling full cartridges, and packing them into cartons and crates. This would be found in the middle of the
first line of the ammo carton label, followed by F1, F2 or F3 (the number of the assembly line that assembled
the ammunition).
P Pulverfabrik - The portions of Spandau arsenal dedicated to manufacturing propellants. The code P. would
be followed by the propellant batch number, the letter L. (for Lieferung > "Shipment") and the 2-digit year of
manufacture.
SKD Selve-Kronbiegel-Dornheim A.-G. (1924-1945) - Sömmerda, Thuringia, Germany. A partnership between
three former arms manufacturers who were turning to cartridge manufacture. Selve owned the Braun und Bloem
pinfire cartridge trademarks, manufactured pinfire cartridges at the Fabrik von Braun und Bloem, and operated
out of Düsseldorf. Rheinmetall owned the Dreyse und Collenbusch needlefire cartridge trademarks and operated
out of Sömmerda, Thüringen; it used the name Kronbiegel for Ehrfurt merchant Friedrich Kronbiegel (?-1820) -
Dreyse's first partner. G.[eorge] C.[arl] Dornheim owned the GECADO trademark, the B.STAHL
Metallhulsenfabrik - Suhl ammunition plant in Suhl (which made metal cartridge cases), and the Lindender
Zünderhütchen-, Patronen- und Tonwarenfabrik in Empelde, Ronnenberg, Hannover (which made percussion
caps and primers, assembled cartridges, and made clay pottery and dishes). SKD manufactured ammunition
under the SELKADO ammunition trademark until 1940. G.C. Dornheim A.G. sold the cartridge plant in Suhl in
 1925 and sold off the factory in Empelde and the GECADO ammunition trademark to Dynamit-Nobel in 1927.
Afterwards RWS began producing ammunition for G.C. Dornheim.
Rdf. Dynamit Nobel, Werk Reinsdorf - Reinsdorf, Germany. Made explosives and gunpowder. Absorbed by I.G.
Farben in 1926, and then by WASAG (Westfälisch-Anhaltische Sprengstoff-Actien-Gesellschaft) in 1945.

Rdf 128 Pulverfabrik Walsrode - Walsrode, Germany. A cover code as a subterfuge to pretend that the
powder had been made by Dynamit Nobel, the official explosives and propellant manufacturer for the Weimar
Republic.
Rottw. Pulverfabrik Rottweil ("Gunpowder Factory at Rottweil"), Rottweil, Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany. Made
gunpowder. A particular type of shotgun-cartridge propellant called "Rottweil Powder" was invented by them.
Tr. Troisdorf - Troisdorf, Germany. Manufactured propellants.
Walsr. Pulverfabrik Walsrode ("Gunpowder Factory at Walsrode") – Walsrode, Germany. Made gunpowder.

P-Codes (1926-1941)

The German government adopted coded headstamps for military ammunition to keep the identity of their suppliers secret. This
was briefly continued during the early war and included factories in occupied countries. It was a subterfuge to pretend that Polte
manufactured the items.

P.14A Waffenwerke Brünn A.-G. ("Armory at Brno"), Werk Povazska Bystrica - Považská Bystrica,
Czechoslovakia. Operated under German occupation. Later renamed Povazske Strojárne ("Factory at Povaska")
post-war.
P.25 Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen G.m.b.H, Werk A (Sebaldushof) - Sebaldushof, Treuenbrietzen,
Pommern, Germany. This was the first factory owned by the Kopp Brothers. They expanded to Selterhof
(Treuenbrietzen) (1934), Roederhof (Belzig) (1935), Metgethen and Salzwedel.
P.28 Deutsche Waffen u. Munitionsfabriken A.-G. (DWM), Karlsruhe, Germany
P.69 Patronen-, Zündhütchen- und Metallwarenfabrik A.-G. (formerly Sellier & Bellot Schönebeck) - Schönebeck-
an-der-Elbe, Salzlandkreis, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. Made cartridges, primers and detonator caps, and
metalware.
P90D Munitionsfabriken Prag (vormals Sellier & Bellot) - Vlasim, Czechoslovakia.
P.94 Kabel- und Metallwerke- Neumeyer A.-G. - Nürnberg, Germany.
P.120 Dynamit A.-G. (DAG), Werk Empelde (1928-1945) - Empelde, Ronnenberg, Hannover, Germany. Formerly
Lindender Zünderhütchen- und Patronen-fabrik ("percussion-cap- and cartridge-factory of Linden") (?-1927);
closed for a year for reorganization and then reopened in 1928.
P.131 Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken A.-G. (DWM), Berlin-Borsigwalde, Germany
P.151 Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoff A.-G. (RWS) ("Rhenish-Westphalian Explosives Co."), Werk Nürnberg-
Stadeln - Nürnberg-Stadeln, Germany.
P.154 Polte Metallwarenfabrik, Werk Grüneberg (formerly Grüneberger Metallgeselschaft G.m.b.H.) - Grüneberg
(Nordbahn), Brandenburg, Germany
P.163 Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen G.m.b.H., Werk Selterhof - Selterhof, Treuenbrietzen, Pommern,
Germany.
P.181 Hugo Schneider A.-G. (HASAG); Leipsig, Germany.
P198 Metallwarenfabriken Treuenbrietzen GmbH., Werk Röderhof (1935-?) - Roederhof, Belzig, Germany.
P.334 Mansfeld A.-G. Metallwarenfabrik, Werk Rothenburg - Saale, Rothenburg, Germany
P.369 Teuto Metallwerke G.m.b.H., Osnabrück, Germany
P.405 Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoff A.-G. (RWS), Werk Durlach (formerly Gustav Genschow & Co.);
Durlach, Germany.
P.413 Deutsche Waffen- und Munitions-fabriken A.G. (DWM), Lûbeck-Schlutup, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
P.635 Gustloff-Werk Hirtenberg (formerly Otto Eberhardt Patronenfabrik) - Hirtenberg, Niederdonau, Austria. A
division of Gustloff Werk (Gustloff Works), a division of the Wilhelm Gustloff Stiftung (Wilhelm Gustloff
Foundation), a nationalized corporation composed of companies confiscated from Jewish owners or partners.

Letter Codes (1940-1945)

ak Munitionsfabriken Prag (vormals Sellier & Bellot) - Vlasim, Czechoslovakia. Occupation.

auy Polte Metallwarenfabrik, Werk Grüneberg (formerly Grüneberger Metallgeselschaft G.m.b.H.) - Grüneberg
(Nordbahn), Brandenburg, Germany
ch DWM Lüttich (formerly FN-Herstal, Liege) (occupied 1940-1944) - Liege, Belgium.
 cxm Gustav Genschow & Co. A.-G. (Geco) (1887-1959) - Berlin, Germany. Ammunition manufacturer and
sporting arms wholesaler. They owned ammunition plants in Durlach and Wolfartsweier; a leather-goods factory
in Hachenburg; associated arms factories in Zella-Mehlis, Suhl, and Liege; and had stores in Cologne, Suhl,
Frankfurt am Main, Nuremberg, and Königsberg. In 1924 they bought a firearms factory in Spandau from
Deutsche Werke. In 1927 they were bought out by I.G. Farben and were allied with RWS. In 1938 they were one
of the firms who bought the rights to manufacture the Klein-Kaliber Wehrsportgewehr ("Small-Caliber Military
Sports Rifle", or KKW), a .22-caliber competition and training rifle sold to the public. They also bored rifle-barrel
blanks for the K98k Mauser and Sturmgewehr 44.
de Hugo Schneider AG (HASAG) (1944-1945) - Leipzig, Germany.
dou Waffenwerke Brunn (vormals BRNO) - Považská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia. Occupation.
eej Märkisches Walzwerk GmbH - Strausberg bez., Potsdam, Germany
emp Dynamit A.-G., Werk Empelde - Empelde, Ronnenberg, Hannover, Germany.
fer Metallwerke Wandhofen GmbH - Wandhofen, Schwerte an der Ruhr, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
Hak Hanseatisches Kettenwerke ("Hanseatic Chain Works") (1935-?) - Langenhorn, Hamburg Gau, Germany. A
division of Pötz und Sand Metallwaren of Monheim that also manufactured autocannon and light artillery shells. It
also managed the ammunition factories in occupied and Vichy France (1940-1944).
hhw Metallwerke Silberhütte GmbH, St-Andreasberg-im-Harz, Goslar, Lower Saxony, Germany.
hla Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen G.m.b.H., Werk Sebaldushof - Sebaldushof, Treuenbrietzen, Pommern,
Germany.
hlb Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen G.m.b.H., Werk Selterhof - Selterhof, Treuenbrietzen, Pommern, Germany.
hlc Zieh- und Stanz-werke GmbH ("[Wire] Drawing and [Metal] Punching Works") - Schleusingen, Thüringen
hrn Presswerke G.m.b.H. - Metgethen, Ostpreußen, Germany (now Imeni Alexandra Kosmodemyanskogo,
Kaliningrad oblast, Russian Federation)
kam HASAG (formerly P.W.U. Fabryka Amunicji Skarzysko-Kamienna) (occupied 1939-1944) - Skarżysko-
Kamienna, Poland.
naq Graphische Kunstanstalt Karl Vogel (Karl Vogel "Graphic Arts Institution") - Leipzig, Germany. Made
pasteboard cartons and cardboard boxes for ammunition; the manufacturer code and year of production were
impressed on the box. May have also made ammo labels, as they did high-quality color printing work before the
war.
ndn Heinrich Bluecher Fabrik technischer Buersten ("industrial-brush-making factory") - Spremberg, Spree-
Neiße, Brandenburg, Germany. A factory that manufactured 9x19mm cartridge cases to be filled elsewhere.
oma Ernst Mahla Blechwarenwerke ("sheetmetal-ware works") - Prague, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia. A factory
that made 9x19mm ball and armor-piercing ammunition.
oyj Atelier de Construction de Tarbes - Tarbes, France. Produced ammunition during the German Occupation
(1940-1944).
wa HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG, Abteilung Lampenfabrik - Leipzig, Germany. Found on ammunition
headstamps and cannon shell cases
wb HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Berlin-Koepenick plant. See 'wa'
wc HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Meuselwitz plant, Thuringia.
wd HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG (Hasag Werk II) - Taucha, Saxony plant.
we HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Langewiesen, Thuringia plant.
wf HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Kielce plant, Poland.
wg HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Altenburg plant.
wh HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Eisenach plant.
wj HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Oberweissbach, Thuringia plant.
wk HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Schlieben plant.
wm HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Dermbach plant, Thuringia.
wn HASAG, Hugo Schneider AG - Derrnabach Dermbach plant, Thuringia (Often confused with 'wm').

(1946–present)

The headstamp has the manufacturer code at 12 o'clock, 2-digit year of production at 3 o'clock, 2-digit week of production at 6
o'clock, and NATO interchangeability symbol at 9 o'clock. Example: MEN 79 21 (+) would mean it was manufactured by
Metallwerk Elisenhütte Nassau GmbH in week 21 (i.e., May 21–27) of 1979.

DAG Dynamit Nobel A-G () - Troisdorf, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Fürth. It owned
the RWS, Geco, and Rottweil brands. In 2002 its ammunition factories and their brands were purchased by
 RUAG (Rüstungs Unternehmen Aktiengesellschaft) and were spun off to form RUAG Ammotec GmbH (Fürth).
ME or MEN Metallwerk Elisenhütte Nassau G.m.b.H. (1957–present) - Nassau, Lahn, Rhineland-Palatinate,
Germany. Made part of the CBC Group in 2007.
MS Manusaar A-G (1953-1973) - Büdingen, Hessen, West Germany. Also known as Manusaar-Diehl-Büdingen,
Saarbrucken, FRG; Manusaar-Büdingen Saarbrucken; and Société Manusaar-Büdingen. Manusaar-Diehl was
founded in the '50s as a partnership between Manurhin (France) and Munitionsfabrikanten Karl Diehl (Germany);
the name Manusaar is a combination of MANUrhin and SAAR (the Saar Valley, where the factory was based). It
manufactured primers from 1953-1972 and cartridges from 1957-1973; it went out of business in 1973 due to a
loss of market share to other, larger European manufacturers.

Greece (23)

EPK, GPC, or HXP (Pyrkal) Greek Powder & Cartridge Company - Athens, Greece. (1908-2004). Manufactures
cartridges and disintegrating belt links. Merged with EBO in 2004 to become EAS ("Hellenic Defense Systems").
P C H, PC Pouderie et Cartoucherie Hellenique (Pyrkal). Pyrkal's export and commercial headstamp during the
interwar years (1920s and 1930s). Packaging was in French. The PC headstamp was used on British contract
orders up until the German occupation (1941-1945).

India (72)

D Dum Dum Arsenal - Dum Dum, Calcutta, West Bengal state, India.
K Kirkee Arsenal (1872-1913?) - Kirkee cantonment, Poona district, Maharashtra state, India. Founded in 1817
to manufacture small arms. Expanded to include a cartridge-making factory in 1872 and an explosives factory in
1942.
K↑F Kirkee Factory (1914-1960) - Kirkee cantonment, Poona district, Maharashtra state, India.
KH Khamaria Factory (1990s-Present) - Khamaria, Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh state, India.
N Dum Dum Arsenal, Northern Circuit - Dum Dum, Calcutta, West Bengal state, India.
OFV Ordnance Factory at Varangaon (1964-Present) - Varangaon, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra state, India.
OK Ordnance Factory at Khamaria (1942-1947; 1947-1990s) - Khamaria, Jubbulpore district, Central India
Agency (later Madhya Pradesh state after Independence), India.
S Kirkee Arsenal, Southern Circuit - Kirkee cantonment, Poona district, Maharashtra state, India.

Israel (31)
Israel has supposedly manufactured ammunition under the S, SA, and SB headstamps. They might be new or reloaded cases
acquired from Spain for the underground workshops operated before independence, ammunition produced under contract for the
Spanish government, ammunition produced discreetly for special customers (like embargoed South Africa or devoutly Muslim
Egypt), or "sanitized" ammunition hidden under Spanish headstamps for use by Israel's special operations forces.

AE Eretz Ayalon ("Ayalon Institute") (1945-1948) - Kibbutzim Hill, Rehovot, British Mandate, Palestine. An
underground munitions factory hidden in the basement of a community center that had a working bakery and a
laundry.[15] The copper for the casings was acquired by scrap dealers who supposedly were using it to make
brass lipstick cases.[15] They made 9×19mm Parabellum and 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridges.
IMI, TZZ, or ‫( ת צ‬T Tz, or T'aasiya Tz'vaeet, "Military Industries") Israeli Military Industries - Tel Aviv, Israel.
Manufactures small-arms cartridges, clips, and disintegrating belt links. TZZ is the NATO Manufacturer’s
Identification Symbol for IMI's Small Arms Ammunition Division. The first two TZZ lots produced in 1982 for the
US Navy had the incorrect TZ headstamp belonging to Texas Foundries Inc.

Italy (15)

BPD Bombrini-Parodi-Delfino (1912-1968/1988) - Colleferro, Rome, Italy. A chemical company that made
explosives and gunpowder. After World War I it expanded into fertilizer and cement and after World War II it
diversified into industrial metalworking, textiles, and chemicals. In 1968 the Parodi-Delfino family sold their
interest in BPD to SNIA-Viscosa. SNIA-Viscosa merged BPD with their chemical division, which was renamed
SNIA-BPD. SNIA-BPD later sold its BPD holdings to Simmel Difesa in 1988 and reorganized itself as SNIA
S.p.A.
 GFL Giulio Fiocchi Lecco - Lecco, Italy.
HB Enrico Barthe & Cie (1883-1889) - Milan, Italy. A company created as a front for the Società Franco Italiana
per la fabbricazione delle Munizioni di caccia, da tiro, da guerra, ed affini (SFIM, "Franco-Italian Corporation for
the manufacture of hunting, target-shooting, warfare, and related munitions"). SFIM was the Italian sales division
of Société Française des Munitions (SFM, "French Association for Muntions"), the munitions division of the
French firm Gevelot. It was an Italian-registered firm created for tax purposes. The president of the firm, Henri
Barthe, was an SFM employee that used to be owner of Tarbes Freres before merging with SFM in 1883. French
by birth and nationality, they recorded his name as Enrico Barthe in the incorporation papers - although being an
Italian citizen or of Italian birth were not prerequisites for the tax law loophole.
L or Lri Polverificio Esercito di Fontana Liri (PEFL) ("Military Explosives Factory of Fontana Liri") (1893-Present)
- Fontana Liri, Frosinone, Lazio. An explosives and propellant factory. Its marking is on ammunition packaging
when they provide the propellant.
LBC Leon Beaux & Cie. (1889-1932) - Milan, Italy. A company created as a front for SFIM, the Italian sales
division of SFM, the munitions division of the French firm Gevelot. It was an Italian-registered firm created for tax
purposes. Leon Beaux, an SFIM salesman, took over from Henri Barthe as president of SFIM in 1889 and the
front company was renamed after him.
MCM Munizioni e Cartucce Martignoni ("Martignoni Ammunition and Cartridges") (?-Present) - Genoa, Italy.
Manufactured pinfire cartridges. Was acquired by Nobel in 1929 to become Nobel Sport Martignoni SpA.
PC or PECA Lo Stabilimento Pirotecnico dell'Esercito di Capua ("Army Pyrotechnical Factory at Capua") (1856–
Present) - Capua, Caserta, Campania, Italy. Originally founded as part of the Sala degli Artefici ("Hall of the
Arts") during the Murat regime (1808-1815). The cartridge factory and cannon foundry were moved to the
Castello di Lecce in 1856 and remained until after World War Two, where the facilities were moved elsewhere to
Capua. Since July, 2012 the company now manufactures 9x19mm NATO, 5.56x45mm NATO, and 7.62x51mm
NATO ammunition for Fiocchi.
SMI Società Metallurgica Italiana (Italian Metallurgical Corporation) (1911-2006) - Campo Tizzoro, San Marcello
Pistoiese, Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy. Manufactured small arms cartridges and light artillery shells for the Italian Army
and Navy. The factory was closed in 2006 when the company stopped manufacturing munitions.

Lithuania (47)

L D Linkaičiai Dirbtuves ("Workshop at Linkaičiai") (1931-1940) - Linkaičiai, Lithuania. The factory originally just
bought the components from Belgian companies like Fabrique Nationale and assembled them onsite from 1931.
They weren't able to make their own components self-sufficiently until after 1937. The headstamp had the "L" at
the 9 o'clock position and the "D" at the 3 o'clock position; the 2-digit year of production was in the 12 o'clock
position and the batch number was at the 6 o'clock position.
GGG AB Giraitės Ginkluotes Gamykla ("Giraitės Armament Factory") (2000–present) - Vijuku km., Uzliedziu sen.,
Kaunas raj., Kaunas County, Lithuania. First manufactured 7.62×39mm Soviet rounds in 2002, NATO-standard
5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62×51mm NATO rounds in 2005 (earning the NATO interchangeability rating in 2006),
and sporting .223 Remington and .308 Winchester rounds in 2012. The headstamp has the caliber at 12 o'clock,
manufacturer's code at 6 o'clock, 2-digit year of production at 3 o'clock, and NATO interchangeability symbol at 9
o'clock.

The Netherlands (17)

AI Artillerie - Inrichtingen NV (1679-1983) - Zaandam, Netherlands. Reorganized as EMZ in 1983.

EMZ Eurometaal Zaandam NV (1983–present) - Zaandam, Netherlands.
MB-Z N.V. Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik & Bal - Zeist - Zeist, Netherlands. Made disintegrating metal link
belts, with "MB" over "Z".
NWM Nederlandsche Wapen-en Munitiefabriek de Kruithoorn NV (1948-1998) - 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Norway (25)

AYR A/S Ammunisjons Fabrikker Raufoss, Raufoss, Norway. Now divided into several smaller ammunition and
munitions companies: Nammo, Raufoss Technologies, etc. RA headstamp.
BF Bakelittfabrikken Norway. The headstamp has the NATO symbol (+) at 12 o'clock, 2-digit year at 6 o'clock, BF
at 9 o'clock, and 2-digit batch code at 3 o'clock.
R A Raufoss Ammunisjonfabrikker - Raufoss, Norway.
RANO Raufoss og Norma projektilfabrikk (1965-1989) - Oslo, Norway. A cooperative partnership between
Raufoss and Norma that provided ammunition for Norwegian sports organizations.
Pakistan (76)

POF Pakistan Ordnance Factories - Wah Cantt., Taxila, Rawalpindi District, Rawalpindi Division, Punjab,
Pakistan. They make munitions and small arms ammunition. They used to make .38/200, .303 British (1951-
2006) and .30-06 Springfield, but now make 9mm Parabellum, 5.56mm NATO, 7.62mm M43 Soviet, 7.62mm
NATO, 7.62mm M91 Russian, and 12.7mm Bloc.

Poland (43)

Poland (1918-1939)

The young Polish state in 1918 had inherited arms from Prussia, Russia, Austria and France. The military issued both the Mauser
rifle in 8x57mm Mauser (1918-1939) for frontline troops and Lebels and Berthiers in 8x50mmR Lebel "Balle D" (1923-1937) for
reservists in the Obrona Narodowa ("National Defense"). Police and paramilitary forces were armed with Mosin-Nagants
(classified Mosin Karabin M91/98/25) and Mannlichers converted to 8x57mm Mauser.

On the headstamp the cartridge manufacturer placed their code letters at the 12 o'clock position. Government-run factories that
made ammunition for the military (Wytwornia Amunicji) placed the Polish National Eagle stamp instead. The case manufacturer's
code letter or numeral was placed in the 6 o' clock position and the two digit percentage of copper in the case's brass (usually 67
for 7,9mm Mauser) was placed at the 9 o'clock position. The last two digits of year of production was placed at the 3 o'clock
position. Beginning in 1926 the headstamps on domestically-produced 8mm Lebel cartridges were done in the French style, with
the 12- and 6-o'clock stamps at a right angle to the 9- and 3-o'clock stamps.

Bullets had the manufacturer code over the Quarter number and two-digit year of production engraved on the base (e.g. Pk/2-26
is Zaklady Amunicyjne, Pocisk, 2nd Quarter of 1926). 8mm Lebel "Balle D" bullets were differenced from 8mm Mauser bullets
by a capital letter "D" inset between the contractor code and the date (e.g. Pk/D/2-26).

Ammunition packed loose in cartons were marked do KM (do Karabin Maszynowy, "for Machineguns") or do CKM (Ciężki
Karabin Maszynowy, "for Heavy Machineguns"). Ammunition packed in clips were marked kar. am. (Karabin, "Rifle") for rifles
or do KBK (Karabinek, "Short Rifle") for carbines. 8mm Mauser ammunition packets were marked Nb. MAUSER.KAL. 7.9
Wz.[16] ("Cartridges, Mauser, 7.9 Caliber, Pattern..."), then followed by S for Spiczasty ("Pointed [Ball]")[17] or SC for Spiczasty
Ciężki ("Pointed, Heavy [Ball]")[18]. 8mm Lebel "D" ammunition packets were marked Nb. Francuskie OSTRA ("Cartridges,
French - LIVE"). The Lot code had the 3-digit lot number (in Arabic numerals), month (in Roman numerals), and four-digit year.
The third line had the code for the Ammunition Factory (W. AM. No.-#) that made it.

I Wytwornia Amunicji (WYTW. AM., "Ammunition Factory") No.1 (Brest-Litovsk).

II Wytwornia Amunicji No.2 (Poznań).
III Wytwornia Amunicji No.3 (Warsaw).
IV Wytwornia Amunicji No.4 (Kraków).
V Wytwornia Amunicji No.5 (Przemyśl).
F A S Fabrika Amunicji Skarzysko ("Ammunition Plant at Skarzysko) (1925-1939) - Skarzysko-Kamienna,
Poland. Civilian ammunition brand manufactured by P.W.U. Fabryka Amunicji.
W Wojskowa Wytwornia Amunicji Karabinowej (WWAK, "Military Rifle Ammunition Factory") (1921-1925) -
Warsaw, Poland. Founded in 1921 using nationalized machinery liberated from the Georg Roth A.G. subsidiary
factory in Poznań (formerly Posen). It made bullets, primers, cases, and complete cartridges. It was closed in
1925 and moved to Skarzysko.
SK Państwowa Wytwornia Uzbrojenia Fabryka Amunicji (P.W.U. Fabryka Amunicji, "National Armament Factory -
Ammunition Plant") (1925-1939) - Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Founded in 1925 by moving the WWAK's
machinery from Warsaw.
N Norblin S.A.. Ammunition factory founded in 1922 in Warsaw. It had a metal foundry and cartridge production
plant at Glownie that made cartridge brass for other firms as well. Ammunition made by Norblin had the Norblin
"N" at both the 12 o'clock (cartridge manufacturer) and 6 o'clock (case manufacturer) positions.
Pk Zaklady Amunicyjne, Pocisk, Spolka Akcyjna ("Ammunition Works 'Bullets' Joint Stock Company"), or Z.A.
Pocisk S.A. - A Franco-Polish Joint Stock Company created in 1921 to supply the Polish Government with
 ammunition. Using machinery purchased from Hirtenberger of Austria, a cartridge plant was set up in Warsaw
and a munitions plant was set up in Rembertów. In 1932 it was nationalized by the Polish Government, who
consolidated all production at Rembertow. In 1934 it began producing the Darzbór ("Good Hunting") shotshell
line. In 1935 it began production of the Gryf shotshell line, which used French-made components by SFM that
were assembled by Pocisk in Poland.
Dz Walconie Metali "Dziedzice" S.A. (1896–Present) - Dziedzice, Silesian Voivodeship. A metalworks that also
manufactured cartridge cases.
F or Fr Fraget - Warsaw, Poland. A metalworks that manufactured cartridge cases. It was originally a Russian-
owned factory set up in the 1850s as for making galvanized silverplate wares. It was repurposed after World War
I due to the economic crisis that followed the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires.

Poland (1939-1945)

kam HASAG Eisen und Metallwerke G.m.b.H., Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Manufactured ammunition and
small arms for the German military using slave labor. The Germans removed all the machinery in 1945, then
wrecked whatever they could before they retreated.
DZ Metallwalzwerke A.G. Dziedzitz - Dziedzitz, Gau Schlesien. In early 1940 they originally made brass cartridge
cases and copper, aluminum and zinc alloys for the war effort. The facility was later focused on only producing
duraluminum sheets and all its other machinery was shipped to other factories in Poland. The machinery was
later returned in 1947.

Poland (1945-1989)

The Polish headstamp for Factory 21 either has the factory number in an oval or upside-down to keep it from being confused with
the Hungarian and Romanian Factory 21s. This was extended to other Polish headstamps for consistency.

(21) Panstwowa Fabryka Amunicji Skarzysko-Kamienna (“State Ammunition Factory at Skarzysko-Kamienna”)

(1945-1948) - Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Made small arms ammunition.
21 Zakłady Wyrobów Metalowych Skarzysko-Kamienna ("Skarzysko-Kamienna Metal Products Works") (1948-
1988) - Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Made small arms ammunition and the civilian MESKO brand, along with
appliances and metalware. MESKO is an acronym for Zakłady Metalowe Skarzysko Kompania ("Metal Works
Company at Skarzysko"). It was merged with the PREDOM appliance brand and renamed PREDOM-MESKO
S.A. in 1975. It then separated again and was renamed MESKO S.A. in 1985.
21 General Sikorski Zakłady Metalowe MESKO ("General Sikorski MESKO Metal Works") (1988-1993) -
Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Renamed as an expression of Polish independence.
54 Factory 54 - Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. MESKO's autocannon, rocket, and missile division. They also
manufactured pistol ammunition.
343 Factory 343 - Krupski Mlyn, Silesia, Poland. They made propellants and explosives. They also briefly made
pistol ammunition.
PFA Panstwowa Fabryka Amunicji ("State Ammunition Factory") (1945-1955?) - Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland.
Skarzysko-Kamienna's headstamp until they were assigned factory numbers.
MESKO Marka Export Solidnosc Knokurencyjnosc Otwartosc ("Brand for Export - Reliability, Competitiveness,
and Honesty") - Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Civilian hunting and competitive shooting ammunition brand that
reworded the acronym for MESKO. In 2005 MESKO joined the PHZ Bumar Group, which consists of 22
manufacturing companies from the now privatized Pol'shi Promyshlennost' Oborony (PPO, "Polish Defense
Industry").
NITRON - NITRON S.A. Krupski Mlyn, Silesia, Poland. The privatized version of Factory 343.

Portugal (24)

* AE * Arsenal do Exercito ("Army Arsenal") - Lisbon, Portugal. In the headstamp, the "E" is superimposed over
the "A" and is at 12 o'clock, the 4-digit year is at 6 o'clock, and 5-pointed stars are at 9- and 3-o'clock.
BF Arsenal do Exercito ("Army Arsenal") - Lisbon, Portugal. A cover headstamp used by the Portuguese
government on ammunition sent to Angola, Rhodesia, and South Africa during the Border War. The code was
created from the headstamp AE by moving one letter to the left in the alphabet. The headstamp code faces the
rim, with the letter code at 6 o'clock, the batch number at 12 o'clock, the NATO Interchangeability symbol (+) at 9
o'clock, and the 2-digit year at 3 o'clock.
FA Fabrica de Armas ("Arms Factory") (?-1902) - Portugal.
FCPQ Fábrica de Cartuchos e Pólvoras Quimicas ("Cartridge & Gunpowder Factory") - Chelas, Portugal.
 FNM Fabrica Nacional de Municoes de Armas Ligeiras ("National Small Arms Munitions Factory") (1947-2001) -
Lisbon, Portugal.
FPC Fábrica de Pólvora em Chellas ("Gunpowder Factory in Chelas") - Chelas, Portugal.

Romania (39)

21 RPR, 21 Factory 21 (UM Cugir), Republica Populară Romînă ("Romanian People's Republic") (1947-Present)
- Cugir, Județ Alba, Romania. The acronym RPR was used from 1947 to 1965 to differentiate the Romanian
Factory 21 from the Hungarian and Polish Factory 21s. UM stands for Uzina Mecanica (Mechanical Plant).
22 Factory 22 (UM Sadu) (1947-Present) - Bumbesti-Jiu, Județ Gorj, Romania. Sadu was the name of a nearby
town about 14-km away and was adopted as a cover.
CMC Uzinele Metalurgica di Copsa Mica si Cugir ("Metallurgical Works of Copsa Mica and Cugir") (1925-1944) -
Cugir, Transylvania, Romania. Created in Paris in 1925 by investments by the Romanian government, the British
firm Vickers-Armstrong, and the privatized Austrian firm UDR Co. (Uzinele de Fier si Domeniile Resita - "Resita
Iron Works and Domains"), with production beginning in 1928. It made both small arms and ammunition, with the
factory in Cugir and the metal-smelting plant in Copsa Mica. The Czech firm CZ-Brno replaced Vickers
Armstrong in 1934 and CMC began producing ZB-30 machineguns and 7.92mm Mauser ammunition in 1935. In
1939 the Czechs' holdings in the company were taken over by Hermann Göring. Romania was taken over by a
German-sponsored right-wing coup in 1940 and were German allies from 1941 to 1944. CMC made 9×19mm
Parabellum and 7.92x57mm Mauser ammunition and the Orița submachine gun. CMC later became UM Cugir.
kyn Astra, Fabrica Romana de Vagoane, Motoare, Armament si Munitii (" 'Astra', Romanian Factory for Wagons,
Engines, Weapons, and Munitions") (1943-1944) - Brasov, Transylvania, Romania. The German contractor code
for the Astra factory in Brasov. It manufactured artillery shells and land mines.
kyo Intreprinderil de Metalurgie "Dumitru Voina", Societate Anonima Romana, Fabrica de Armament, Brasov ("
'Dumitru Voina' Metallurgy Enterprise, Romanian S.A., Armament Factory at Brasov) (1943-1944) - Brasov,
Treansylvania, Romania. The German contractor code for the PAB metal works, owned by Mr. Dumitru Voina.
PA Pirotechnia Armatei (“Military Explosives Factory”) (1880?-1944?) - Bucharest, Romania. The government
explosives factory. It manufactured 9×23mm Steyr pistol, 6.5mm Mannlicher, 13.2x99 Hotchkiss Long HMG,
37mm Hotchkiss QF, and 53x176mmR M1887 Gruson QF cartridges. A third letter in the headstamp indicated
the metal supplier or manufacturer for the cases. It was closed in 1944 when Romania pulled out of the war. It
was renamed the "9th of May" Workshops in 1947 and was demilitarized and repurposed to make machinery and
spare parts for the construction industry. It was privatized as PUMAC S.A. in the 1990s. The complex was
demolished in 2009.

PAB Pirotechnia Armatei / Brasov (Armament Factory / Brasov) (?-1943) - Brasov, Județ Brasov, Romania.
PAF - Unknown.
PAH - Unknown.
PAM - Unknown.
PAR - Unknown.
PAT - Unknown.
PA Pirotechnia Armatei (1939-1944) - Bumbesti-Jiu, Județ Gorj, Romania. A factory set up with German
investment and assistance. Closed in 1944. Reopened and name changed to UM Sadu in 1947. It manufactured
6.5mm Mannlicher and 13.2x99 Hotchkiss Long HMG cartridges.
R SD ("Romania - SaDu") UM Sadu (2015-Present) - The new headstamp for all Sadu ammunition production,
replacing all previous commercial and military headstamps. This is in accordance with an arms industry reform
(Law 295/2004, reviewed 2014) in which the first letter stands for Romania and the next letters are the two
syllables of Sadu. R SD is at 10 o'clock, the 2-digit year is at 2 o'clock, and the metric caliber is at 6 o'clock. The
"L" prefix to the metric caliber means "long" (i.e., L 5,56 or L 7,62x54mm).
U Viromet S.A. (1936-1942; 1949-1991; 1991-Present) - Victoria, Județ Brasov, Romania. A factory initially
conceived by the Romanian military to make locally produced smokeless propellants. The military's proposal was
approved in 1936 and government permission and planning were provided in 1937. The German firm Ferrostaal
was contracted to build it in the hamlet of Ucea in the town of Victoria and provide technical assistance. Work
began in 1939 but was stopped in 1942 due to wartime austerity measures. The contract was cancelled in 1944
when Romania declared war on Germany. In 1949 it was finished, reopened and renamed to Fabricile Ucea
("Factories at Ucea"). In the 1970s it started making its own primers, detonator caps, and fuses. Gradually it
diversified from explosives and propellants to making refined chemicals, synthetic resins, and processed
plastics[19]. In 1991 its explosives, propellants and fuses division was spun off and renamed S.C Pirochim
Victoria S.A, made a division of ROMARM, and transferred under R.A. Rompiro Fagaras[20]. The remainder of
Viromet S.A. was reorganized and then placed under control by InterAgro S.A.
Serbia (73)

FOMU Fabryka Oruzja i Municje, Užice ("Weapons and Munitions Factory - Užice") (1935-1940) - Užice, Serbia,
Yugoslavia.
PP, PPU or ППУ Prvi Partizanki [zavod] ad Užice ("First Partizan [factory] at Užice") (1941–Present) - Užice,
Serbia. On September 24, 1941 the FOMU facility was liberated from the Germans, who had wrecked the
machinery and burned down the administration building. The ammunition production machinery and tool shop
were moved to an underground vault under the National Bank and the other machinery was dispersed to the
surrounding towns. An explosion on November 22, 1941 that killed 130 workers forced its closure. The factory
moved back to the FOMU facility in 1944. It was renamed Prvi Partizanki zavod ad Užice (PPU) on September 5,
1947.

Singapore (32)

CHJ Chartered Industries of Singapore (1967-2000) - Singapore. The headstamp used a letter code for the date
(O = 0, A = 1, etc.; "J" is used instead of "I"): the first two letters were the last two digits of the year and the third
was the letter 'B' for "Berdan primed". FJ B would be 1969, GG B would be 1977, and JH would be 1998. When
the company switched to Boxer primed cartridges in the 1980s, the third letter was dropped. Chartered Industries
was merged with ST Kinetics in 2000.

Republic of South Africa (18)

South Africa left the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961 and was re-admitted in 1994. It
remains a Republic.
NOTE: The manufacturer and last two digits of the year are on the upper arc of the stamp
(e.g., WA 80 for Walter Annexe, 1980). The symbols on the lower arc of the stamp
indicates the caliber (7.7mm, 5.56mm or 7.62mm) and R# or R#M# indicate the model (R)
and mark (M) of the cartridge, like the Commonwealth L#A# stamp (e.g., R1M1 is the first
model and second Mark of a cartridge). Later, the 2-digit year is in the 12 o'clock position
and a digit in the 6 o'clock position on the headstamp indicated the load identification
code.

A Factory A, Pretoria Metal Pressings. - Pretoria, South Africa.

B Factory B, Pretoria Metal Pressings. - Kimberly, South Africa.
LA Luther Annexe, Pretoria Metal Pressings. A factory named for Stephanus "'Fanie" Luther, a former PMP
employee.[21] Produced mostly civilian ammo, but there was some military production during high volume orders.
WA Walter Annexe, Pretoria West factory, Pretoria Metal Pressings. - Pretoria, South Africa. A factory named for
Allen Walter, a former PMP employee.[21] Produced military ammo.
PMP Pretoria Metal Pressings - A division of Denel Group.

South Korea (37)

KA Government Arsenal - Busan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea. Manufactures military cartridges.
PS Poong-San, Poongsan Metal Mfg. Co. Ltd. - Angang Ammunition Plant, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Manufactures military cartridges.
PSD Poong-San Defense, Poongsan Metal Mfg. Co. Ltd. - Dongrae Ammunition Plant, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Manufactures military cartridges.
PMC (Precision-Made Cartridges), a division of Poongsan Metal Mfg. Co. Ltd. - Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Manufactures commercial cartridges. Note: The "M" in the headstamp looks like an upside-down "W".

Spain (33)

ENSB, SB, or SB-T Empresa Nacional Santa Barbara de Industrias Militares ("Saint Barbara National Military
Industries Enterprise") (?-2001); Toledo, Spain. Later absorbed as part of General Dynamics in 2001.
FNP Fábrica Nacional de Palencia ("National Factory at Palencia"); Palencia, Spain. The FNP is at 12 o'clock
and the 4-digit year is at 6 o'clock.
 FN T Fábrica Nacional de Toledo ("National Factory at Toledo"); Toledo, Spain. The factory is famous for making
blades for swords, knives, bayonets and razors. Ammunition was made at a separate cartridge plant at the
factory complex. The FN is at 12 o'clock and the T is at 6 o'clock; the first 2 digits of the year (19) were at 9
o'clock and the last 2 digits were at 3 o'clock. Later reorganized as Empresa Nacional Santa Bárbara de
Industrias Militares, part of Santa Bárbara Sistemas.
PS Pirotecnia Militar de Sevilla ("Military Explosives Factory at Seville"), Seville, Spain.
SBS Santa Bárbara Sistemas ("Saint Barbara Systems") (2001–present); Toledo, Spain. The new name for
Empresa Nacional Santa Barbara de Industrias Militares since it was absorbed by General Dynamics in 2001.

Sweden (65)
Amf stands for Ammunitionsfabrik ("Ammunition Factory"). They used a royal crown at the 12 o'clock position for government-
manufactured or foreign-contracted ammunition; this was left blank if it was made by a private Swedish contractor. The 2-digit
year is displayed at the 9 o'clock (tens) and 3 o'clock (ones) positions, and the contractor letter or number at the 6 o'clock
position. Early ammunition had a 4-digit year with the first 2 digits (thousands and hundreds) at 9 o'clock and the second 2 digits
(tens and ones) at 3 o'clock. Ammunition with an E at the 12 o'clock position (which stands for Ersättning, or "Substitute") have
a bimetallic cartridge-case (brass-clad steel) due to wartime economy measures during World War II.

The component manufacturers were marked on the packaging. Kbr. stood for Karlsborg and Mbr. stood for Marieborg, the
government ammunition factories. Åker or Åbr. stood for Åkersberga, the government powdermill. Tillverkade ("assembled by")
is the final manufacturer of the assembled cartridges; Krut ("gunpowder") is the propellant manufacturer, Hylsor ("cases") is the
cartridge case manufacturer, Tändh ("primers") is the primer manufacturer, and Kulor ("balls") is the bullet manufacturer.

Parti ("Lot") is the Lot Number. The old method was made up of the 1-letter arsenal code (usually preceded by AMF), the lot
number and 2-digit year of production, and the day and month of manufacture. (example: AMF K p3/43 2-3 is Amf Karlsborg -
Lot #003 - 1943 - 2nd of March). The new method is made up of the 1-letter arsenal or 3-digit contractor code, 2-digit
manufacturing year, and 3-digit (or larger) lot number, followed by the day and month of manufacture. (example: 02762614 24/08
is Amf 27 (ÅB Norma), 1962, Lot #614, 24th of August).

Foreign ammunition producers included Deutschen Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik (DWM) of Germany; Hirtenberger Patronen-,
Zündhütchen- und Metallwarenfabrik A.G. (HP) and Keller & Co (KC or K&C) of Austria; Société Française des Munitions
(SFM) of France; and Valtion Patruunatehdas (VPT) of Finland. The ammunition was repacked in Swedish-made packaging to
keep the contractors anonymous.

Tändsticksfabrik means "Matchstick Factory". The government contracted match factories to manufacture gunpowder and
pyrotechnic fillers like tracers. This was to prevent foreign supplies from being cut off due to embargo or war. It not only made
Sweden self-sufficient but helped local industries by giving them government contracts.

Amf Codes

K Amf Karlsborg - Karlsborg, Sweden. Factory originally founded inside the Karlsborg fortress in 1870, then
transferred to an external factory complex (Vanäsverken) in 1887. The letter code on the packaging was Kbg.
M Amf Marieberg (?-1950) - Marieberg, Stockholm, Sweden. The ammunition factory was closed in 1950 and
production was transferred to FFV Zakrisdalsverken in Karlstad. The letter code on the packaging was Mbg.
H Hirtenberg bei Wien, Austria. Hirtenberg was home to a number of ammunition factories and Sweden had
contracts with most of them. H is in the 12 o'clock position and the company headstamp (HP or KC) is at the 6
o'clock position.
24 Norrhammars Bruk (AKA Husqvarna) - Norrhammars, Sweden. Only manufactured the brass cases.
25 Vulcans Tändsticksfabrik - Tidaholm, Sweden.
26, 026 ÅB Svenska Metallverken - Västerås, Sweden.
27, 027 ÅB Norma Projektilfabrik - Åmotfors, Sweden
28 Jönköpings Vestra Tändsticksfabrik - Jönköping, Sweden.
29 Valtion Patruunatehdas (VPT) - Finland. Only contracted for 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser ammunition during
World War II.
 30 Deutschen Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik (DWM), Germany.
31 Svenska Tändsticks - Jönköping, Sweden.
32 Lidköpings Tändsticksfabrik - Lidköping, Sweden
33 Waffenwerke Brünn (1939-1945) - Povázská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia. Contracted with the German
occupation owners of the Czech Brno plant. Only contracted for 7.92x57mm Mauser ammunition during World
War II.
34 Jönköpings Tändsticksfabrik, Jönköping, Sweden.
35, 035 Svenska Metallverken (1954 - 1965) - Blikstorp, Sweden.
070 FFV Vanäsverken (AKA Nammo/Vanäsverken) - Vanäsverken, Karlsborg, Sweden.
071 FFV Zakrisdalsverken - Karlstad, Sweden.

Headstamps

CG Carl Gustav Gevärsfaktori (1812–Present) - Vanäsverken, Sweden. Reorganized and absorbed by FFV in
1943 and renamed FFV-Vanäsverken. Acquired by Bofors in 1991 as Bofors-Carl Gustav. Acquired by NAMMO
Group in 1998 and renamed NAMMO Vanäsverken. Despite the name changes, the CG headstamp is still
retained.
FFV Förenede Fabriksverken (1943-1991) - Karlsborg, Sweden.
N Nordiska Metallaktiebolaget - Västerås, Sweden. The N is at the 12 o'clock position, the 2-digit year is at the 9
o'clock (tens) and 3 o'clock (ones) positions, and the caliber is at the 6 o'clock position.
NORMA ÅB Norma Projektilfabrik - Amotfors, Sweden.

Foreign Contract Number Headstamps

434 Bakelittfabrikken (1946–Present) - Aurskog, Norway. Acquired by the Nammo Group in 2005 and absorbed
by Nammo Raufoss in 2017.
583 Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikk (AKA Nammo/Raufoss) - Raufoss, Norway.
586 Hirtenberger Patronenfabrik A.G. - Hirtenberg bei Wien, Austria
599 Diehl Wehrtechnik (a division of Diehl Stiftung) - Germany.
602 IVI Inc. (a division of SNC-Lavalin) - Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Canada. Only contracted for .50 BMG
ammunition.
613 Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos - Santo Andre, Brazil.
616 Winchester/Olin - East Alton, Illinois, USA.

Turkey (27)

MKE - Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu ("Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation"). Its munitions are
distributed in North America by Zenith Quest International (ZQI), which owns the commercial Guardian
Ammunition (GA) brand. Military ammunition corporation.

Warsaw Pact manufacturers (1955–1991)

Soviet Union

Imperial Russian Letter Code System (1860s to 1928)

П ТУЛЬСКИЙ З (P[atrony] Tulskiy Z[avod] > "Tula Cartridge Factory") (1880-1908) - Designated T (Factory "T")
in 1908.
П Factory "P" (St.Petersburg Cartridge Factory) (1869-1918) - Petrograd (renamed Leningrad from 1924 to
1990), Russia. Plant closed in 1918 and machinery moved to facilities in Simbirsk (renamed Ulyanovsk in 1924)
and Podolsk.
T Factory "T" (Tula Cartridge Factory) (1908-1941) - Tula, Tula Oblast, Russia. Designated Factory 38 in 1928.
Plant closed in 1941 and machinery moved to Yuryuzan, Chelyabinsk, Russia to new facility designated Factory
38.
 Л Factory "L" (Lugansk Cartridge Factory) (1895-1941) - Lugansk, Ukraine. Redesignated Factory 60 in 1928.
Plant closed in 1941 and machinery moved to Frunze, Khirgizia, Russia to new facility designated Factory 60.
C Factory "S" (Simbirsk Cartridge Factory) (1916-1924) - Simbirsk (town renamed Ulyanovsk in 1924), Russia.
Briefly redesignated Factory "U" from 1925 to 1927.
П Factory "P" (Podolsk Cartridge Factory) (1920 to 1927) - Podolsk, Moscow, Russia. Initial headstamp used in
1920 was first ППЗ (PPZ) and later ПП (PP) for Podolskiy Patronnyj Zavod ("Podolsk Cartridge Factory").
Changed to П (Factory "P") in 1921. Redesignated Factory 17 in 1928. Plant closed and its machinery moved to
Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia in 1941.
У Factory "U" (Ulyanovsk Cartridge Factory) (1925-1927) - Ulyanovsk, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia. Redesignated
ЗВ ("ZV", Zavod Volodarskogo) in 1928.
ЗВ "ZV" (Zavod Volodarskogo > "Factory [named for] Volodarsky") (1928 to 1941) - Ulyanovsk, Russia.
Redesignated Factory 3 in 1928 but used the ЗВ ("ZV") headstamp until 1942.
X "H" (Хeртенбeргер > "Hirtenberger", Hirtenberger Patronenfabrik) - Hirtenberg, Austria. Contract ammunition
made by Hirtenberg for Russia in 1905, 1906 and 1909.

Soviet Russian Number Code System (1928 to 1990s)

The headstamp is the factory code number at 12 o'clock and the last two two digits of the year of manufacture at 6 o'clock.

3 Factory 3 (Ulyanovsk Machinery Plant) (1942-2005) - Ulyanovsk, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Privolzhsky federalny
okrug ("Volga Federal District"), Russia. Owned the Sapsan (Sapsan > "Peregrine Falcon") ammunition brand. It
was absorbed by the Tula Cartridge Plant in 2005.
7 Factory 7 (Amursk Machine-Building Plant) - Amursk, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. Later reorganized in 1976 as
Vympel State Production Association (Vympel > "Pennant"). They manufacture 5.45x39mm Soviet, 5.56x45mm
NATO, 7.62x39mm Soviet, and 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition and own the Golden Tiger ammunition brand.
10 Factory 10 (Unknown) (1944-1946) - Manufactured ammunition during World War 2. Closed after the war and
records lost.
17 Factory 17 (Barnaul Cartridge Works) (1927–Present) - Barnaul, Krasnogorsky District, Altai Krai, Russia.
They own the Barnaul, Bear, and Centaur ammunition brands and produce the Monarch ammunition brand for
Academy Sports.
38 Factory 38 (Yuryuzan State Factory) (1942–Present) - Yuryuzan, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia.
44 Factory 44 - Moscow, Russia. Laboratory used to produce experimental munitions.
46 Factory 46 (Kuntsevsk Cartridge Works) (?-1941) - Kuntsevsk, Russia. Plant closed in 1941 and the factory's
machinery and staff were moved to a new facility in Sverdlovsk designated Factory 46.
46 Factory 46 (Sverdlovsk Cartridge Works) (1942-?) - Sverdlovsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Ural, Russia.
54 Factory 54 - Nytva, Nytvensky District, Perm, Russia.
60, BMZ Factory 60 (Frunze Cartridge Plant) (1942-1991) - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (formerly Frunze, Kirghizia).
After independence in 1991, the factory was nationalized and renamed Bishkek Mashinostroitel'nyy Zavod (BMZ,
or "Bishkek Machine-Building Plant").
184 Factory 184 - Kazan, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Russia.
187 Factory 187 (Tula Cartridge Plant) - Tula, Tula Oblast, Russia. This second ammunition plant to be built in
Tula was refounded between 1942 and 1944. It manufactured small arms ammunition. The Cyrillic headstamp
ТПЗ (TPZ, for Tulski Patronyj Zavod, Russian > "Tula Cartridge Works") was used on military ammunition and
TCW was used on commercial and hunting ammunition. It owns the TulAmmo trademark.
188 Factory 188 (Klimovsk Cartridge Plant) (1936-1941) - Klimovsk, Podolsk Urban Okrug, Moscow Oblast,
Russia. Opened as Factory 188 in Klimovsk in December 1936. Plant closed in 1941 and the factory's machinery
and staff were moved to a new facility in Novosibirsk designated Factory 188.
188 Factory 188 (Novosibirsk Low Voltage Equipment Plant) (1941–Present) - Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Oblast,
Siberian Federal District, Russia. Reorganized as the Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant in 1993. Owns the LVE ("Low
Voltage Equipment") ammunition brand.
270, ЛПЗ (LPZ), LU, LCW Factory 270 (Lugansk Cartridge Works) (1943–Present) - Luhansk (formerly
Lugansk), Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. The second Lugansk ammunition plant was founded in 1943. The 270
headstamp was used on military ammunition from 1943 to 2008 and ЛПЗ (LPZ, for Luganskij Patronnyj Zavod,
Russian > "Lugansk Cartridge Works") from 2008 to present. The LU headstamp (for Luhansk, Ukraine) was
used on commercial and contract ammunition for Red Army Standard. The LCW headstamp has been used
since 2002 on exported ammunition.
304 Factory 304 (Kuntsevo Cartridge Works) - Kuntsevo District, Zapadny Administrative Okrug, Moscow,
Russia. This second ammunition plant to be built in Kuntsevo was refounded between 1942 and 1944. Kuntsevo
was integrated as part of Moscow in 1960.
 529 Factory 529 (Novaya Lyalya Cartridge Works) - Novaya Lyalya, Novolyalinsky District, Sverdlovsk Oblast,
Russia.
539 Factory 539 (Tula Arms Plant) (1942/1944–Present) - Tula, Tula Oblast, Russia. Factory refounded in
1942/1944.
540 Factory 540 - Irkutsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia.
541 Factory 541 (Chelyubinsk Cartridge Works) - Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia.
543 Factory 543 - Kazan, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Russia.
544 Factory 544 - Glazov, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Russia.
545 Factory 545 - Chkalov, Chkalov Oblast, Russia.
710 Factory 710 (Podolsk Cartridge Works) - Podolsk, Podolsk Urban Okrug, Moscow Oblast, Russia. This
second ammunition plant to be built in Podolsk was refounded between 1942 and 1944.
711 Factory 711 (Klimovsk Stamping Plant) (1942/1944-?) - Klimovsk, Podolsk Urban Okrug, Moscow Oblast,
Russia. This second ammunition plant to be built in Klimovsk was refounded between 1942 and 1944.

Bulgaria (50)
Bulgaria is now a NATO member. It often manufactures ammunition for other NATO partners.

((10)) Factory 10 (1947–present) - Kazanlak, Bulgaria. Manufactured ammunition and clips. A double ring was
added around the number so that it would not be confused with the defunct Russian Factory 10 ammo plant. It
was named the Universal Industrial Plant “Friedrich Engels" from 1964 to 1977 and the “Fridrikh Engels"
Machine-Building Plant from 1977 to 1989. It was privatized as Arsenal JSCo in 1989.
Д В Ф (DVF) Durjavna Voenna Fabrika ("State Military Factory") (1924 - 1947) - Kazanlak, Bulgaria.
Manufactured ammunition and explosives. Also started manufacturing commercial and agricultural products from
1944 onwards. The headstamp had Д ("D") at 9 o'clock, В ("V") at 12 o'clock, and Ф ("F") at 3 o'clock, with the 2-
digit year at 6 o'clock. The Cyrillic alphabet headstamp has mistakenly been read as B or A B O because of
mistranslation by collectors.

Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia declared independence from Austro-Hungary in 1918. It was divided into the Czech and Slovak Republics in
1993.

Czechoslovakia - Pre-War (1918-1939)

(M) Československé Muniční a Kovodělné Závody A.S. ("Czechoslovakian Munitions and Metalworking
Factories") (1934-1946) - Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). The nationalized Georg Roth AG factory.
The "M" headstamp is embossed in either a full- or half-circle.
O / SB / O Sellier & Bellot - Vlašim, Prague, Czechoslovakia. On the headstamp the "O"s (often referred to as
"rosettes") are at the 3- and 9-o'clock positions and the SB is at the 12 o'clock position.
S&B Sellier & Bellot (1825–Present) - Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). On the headstamp the
"S&B" is at the 12 o'clock position.

SB / P Sellier & Bellot - Prague - Prague, Czechoslovakia. Manufacturing moved to Vlasim in the mid-1930s
(starting up in 1936) but the international headquarters remained in Prague. On the headstamp the "SB" is at
12 o'clock and the "P" is at 6 o'clock.
SB / R, V, 520 Sellier & Bellot - Riga (1884-1941; 1944-1946) - Krusenhof, Riga, Latvia. A satellite factory set
up for sales to Northern Europe and the Baltic region. On the headstamp the "SB" is at 12 o'clock and the "R"
is at 6 o'clock. It manufactured 7,92mm Mauser and .303 British military ammunition. It was bought out in
1937 by Vairogs (Latvian > "Shield"), a Latvian train-car manufacturing company (formerly Fenikss (Latvian >
"Phoenix") until 1936) that had diversified into automobile production. Vairogs used a stylized "V" as its
headstamp from 1937 to 1940. It was later seized and nationalized by the Soviet Union in 1940 and renamed
Factory 520 (with "520" as its headstamp). It manufactured 7.62x54mmR M91 Russian rifle ammunition. The
machinery was evacuated to Sverdlovsk in 1941 but was returned in 1944/1945 and briefly was in operation
until 1946.
SB / S Sellier & Bellot - Schönebeck (1829-1922) - Schönebeck, Germany. A satellite factory set up initially
for production of mercury fulminate. This was due to pollution restrictions placed on the Prague site until
1841. On the headstamp the "SB" is at 12 o'clock and the "S" is at 6 o'clock. Sold to the Steyr-Werke A.G. in
Vienna in 1922.
 SB / Schönebeck, P69 Sellier & Bellot - Schönebeck (1922-1945) - Schönebeck, Germany. The "SB" was at
12 o'clock and the text for Schönebeck occupied the lower half of the headstamp. The month of production
was on the left of the SB and the two-digit year was to the right. Production was initially by Steyr-Werke A.G.
and a group of other Austrian investors. It was eventually bought out by senior investor Fritz Mandl of
Hirtenberger A.G. The plant was confiscated from Mandl by the German government in 1933 because he was
a Jew. It was then owned by Rheinmetall from 1933-1945, and used the headstamp P-code "P69" for military
ammunition.

Czechoslovakia - German Occupation (1939-1945)

dou Waffenwerke Brünn A.-G., Werk Povázská Bystrica (1939-1945) - Povazska Bystrica, Czechoslovakia.

Czechoslovakia - Cold War (1945-1990)

7,62–43 (1953-1990s) = Crate marking indicating 7.62x39mm M43 Soviet (7,62mm vz. 43). Introduced around
1953 when Czechoslovakia adopted the SKS.
7,62–59 (1959-1990s) = Crate marking indicating 7.62x54mmR M91 Russian (7,62mm vz. 59). Replaced the
7.92mm Mauser round in 1959.
PS Povazske Strojarne ("Factory at Povazska") (1946-1952) - Povazska Bystrica, Czechoslovakia (now
Slovakia). The renamed National Ammunition Plant after its move from Bratislava.
UX, UXA (1946-1949) - Unknown. Sterile ammunition provided to communist clients like the early Israeli state
(c.1947-1948). Spurious headstamp dates are 4, 44, and 45 - making it look like they were made during the latter
days of the German occupation (1939-1945).
ZV Zbrojova Vlašim ("Vlašim Armory") - Vlašim, Czechoslovakia. Zbrojova Vlašim was the nationalized name for
the Sellier & Bellot plant in Prague from 1945 to 1990.
aym Povazske Strojarne (1952-1998) - Povazska Bystrica, Czechoslovakia.
bxn Zbrojova Vlašim - Vlašim, Central Bohemia, Czechoslovakia.
czo Zbrojova Vsetin - Vsetin, Zlin, Czechoslovakia.

East Germany
VEB stands for Volkseigene Betreib (literally "People's Own Enterprise"), a state-owned or nationalized business. Headstamps
were Warsaw Pact standard, with the contractor code at 12 o'clock and 2-digit year at 6 o'clock; brass-cased ammunition had an
asterisk at 3 o'clock.

04 VEB Mechanische Werkstätten Königswartha ("Mechanical Workshops") - Königswartha, Bezirk Dresden,

East Germany. An ammunition factory that made 9x19mm Parabellum (08), 5.45x39mm M74 Soviet (M74) and
7.62x39mm M43 Soviet (M43) ammo.
05 VEB Spreewerk Lübben - Lubben, Bezirk Cottbus, East Germany. The nationalized BKIW arsenal.

Yugoslavia

11 Enterprise 11 (Prvi Partizanki zavod ad Uzice) (1948-1956) - Uzice, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). Cover
headstamp briefly used for ППУ. Headstamp had the code number at 9 o'clock, 5-point Communist Star at 12
o'clock, 2-digit Year at 3 o'clock, and a dot at 6 o'clock.
12 Enterprise 12 (Igman zavod ad Konjic) (1952-1955) - Konjic, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia-Herzegovina). Cover
headstamp briefly used for ИК. Headstamp had the code number at 9 o'clock, 5-point Communist Star at 12
o'clock, 2-digit Year at 3 o'clock, and a dot at 6 o'clock.
ЕИГН (EIGN) - Unknown Factory. Headstamp had the code letters at 12 o'clock and the 2-digit year of production
at 6 o'clock.
ИК (IK) Igman zavod ad Konjic ("Igman Factory at Konjic") - Konjic, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia-Herzegovina).
ППУ (PPU) Prvi Partizanki zavod ad Užice ("First Partisan" Ammunition Plant) (1945–Present) - Užice,
Yugoslavia (now Serbia).
A Т Ӡ (A T Z) (1853-?) - Kragujevac, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). A cannon foundry and pyrotechnics laboratory
founded in 1853. In 1883 the laboratory was spun off to form Vojno Teknicki Zavod, which concentrated on
munitions and pyrotechnics.
В Т Ӡ (V T Z) Vojno Teknicki Zavod ("Military Technical Institute") (1853-1941; 1944-1992) - Kragujevac,
Yugoslavia (now Serbia). Began as a cannon foundry and pyrotechnics laboratory in 1853. The Laboratory was
 spun off to manufacture munitions and pyrotechnics from 1883 to 1941. Production was halted during World War
II from 1941 to 1944 due to the German occupation and again briefly in 1991 during the Yugoslavian Civil War. It
is now focused on artillery ammunition and explosives manufacture. The headstamp had the В at 9 o'clock, T at
12 o'clock and Ӡ at 3 o'clock, with the two-digit year at 6 o'clock.
МБЛ (MBL) Milan Blagojevic namenska ad Lucani (“Milan Blajojevic memorial [plant] at Lucani") (1949–Present)
- Lucani, Moravica, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). Chemical plant that manufactures propellants, primers, and
explosives. It is named after Serbian partisan and war hero Milan Blagojević (also written as Milan Blagojev or
Miloje Blagojevic). The МБЛ acronym is found as the propellant supplier on the cartridge packaging.

Caribbean manufacturers

Cuba
Early Cuban ammunition didn't use a headstamp code until the late 1970s.

13 (1980s - 2012) - La Campana, Hoyo de Manicaragua, Villa Clara Province, Cuba. Headstamps date from the
early 1980s.
PMV Pirotecnia Militar de Las Villas (1970s - 1980s) - La Campana, Hoyo de Manicaragua, Las Villas Province,
Cuba. Headstamps date from the late 1970s. Las Villas Province was split into 3 smaller provinces in 1976:
Cienfuegos, Sancti Spíritus and Villa Clara.
EMI Empresa Militar Industrial “Ernesto Che Guevara” ("Military-Industrial Enterprise «Ernesto Che Guevara»")
(2012-Present) - La Campana, Manicaragua, Villa Clara Province, Cuba. New machinery is to be provided by
KBAL, a division of the Klimovsk Cartridge Plant, Rosoboronexport.[22]

Dominican Republic

R D República Dominicana (Armeria F.A. San Cristobal, "Army Armory at San Cristobal") (1955?-1968) - San
Cristobal, Dominican Republic. Headstamp has the "R" at 9 o'clock, "D" at 3 o'clock, cartridge designation (e.g.,
.30 M1) at 12 o'clock, and 2-digit year of production at 6 o'clock. After Trujillo's assassination in 1961, the armory
gradually wound down production and was then closed.

South American manufacturers

Argentina (29)

FLB, FMFLB Fábrica Militar Fray Luís Beltran ("Military Factory - 'Brother Louis Beltran'") (1961–Present) - San
Lorenzo, Argentina. A military supply and ammunition factory named after a friar who took care of General José
de San Martín's wounded after the Battle of San Lorenzo. The headstamp has the caliber on the upper arc. The
lower arc contains the factory's initials flanked by the two-digit month on the left side and the last two digits of the
production year on the right side (e.g., 03FLB82 means March-Fabrica Militar Frey Luis Beltran-1982).
FM Fabrica de Munición para Armas Portátiles ("Small Arms Munitions Factory") (1935-1937) - San Lorenzo,
Argentina. A military cartridge factory that was originally on the grounds of the San Lorenzo Arsenal cantonment.
It was built between 1933 and 1935 with machinery and technical aid from Fritz Werner Manufacturing. It was
separated into its own facilities in 1936 and was made part of the Dirección de Fabricas Militares del Ejercito
Argentino ("Argentinean Army - Directorate of Military Manufacturing"). Its name was changed to Fabrica Militar
de Municion de Armas Portatiles de Puerto Borghi in 1937.
FMC-SL Fábrica Militar de Cartuchos de San Lorenzo ("Military Cartridge Factory at San Lorenzo") (1950-1955)
- San Lorenzo, Argentina.
FMSL Fábrica Militar de San Lorenzo (1955-1961) - A merger of the Fábrica Militar de Cartuchos de San
Lorenzo and Fabrica Militar de Munición de Artillería. The previous name of Fábrica Militar Fray Luís Beltran.
SF, FMSF Fábrica Militar de Cartuchos de San Francisco ("Military Cartridge Factory at San Francisco") - San
Francisco, Córdoba, Argentina.
FMMAP-B Fabrica [Argentina] Militar de Municion de Armas Portatiles de Puerto Borghi ("Military Munitions and
Light Arms Factory at Puerto Borghi") (1937-1950) - Puerto Borghi, San Lorenzo, Argentina.
FMMAP-DM Fabrica Militar de Municion de Armas Portátiles "Domingo Matheu" de Rosario ("Military Factory for
Munitions for Small Arms - 'Domingo Matheu' at Rosario") (1942-?) - Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
 FMMAP-SF Fabrica [Argentina] Militar de Municion de Armas Portatiles de San Francisco ("Military Factory for
Small Arms Ammunition at San Francisco") - San Francisco, Córdoba, Argentina.
IMPA Industrias Metalúrgicas y Plásticas Argentina ("Metallurgical and Plastic Industries of Argentina") (1928–
Present) - barrio de Almagro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The co-operative briefly made cartridge cases for the
military.
ORBEA Cartucheria Orbea (1906-?) - Buenos Aires, Argentina. Private Spanish ammunition manufacturer
(Orbea Hermanos y Cía.) originally headquartered in Eibar, Spain.

Brazil (19)

CBC Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos - Ribeirão Pires, São Paulo, Brazil.

Chile (52)

F. FÁbricas y MAestranzas del Ejército (FAMAE) ("Factories and Workshops of the Army") - Santiago, Chile.

Colombia (80)

INDUMIL, IM Industria Militar ("Military Industries") (1954–Present) - Bogota, Colombia.

Paraguay

F D FAMAE & DIMABEL. Made in Chile by FAMAE for the Paraguayan Armed Forces' Armaments Directorate
(Direccion de Material Belico - DIMABEL).
NOTE: On its headstamp, F is in the 9 o'clock position and D is in the 3 o'clock position; the 2-digit year is at the
6 o'clock position and the metric caliber (7.62×51mm, 9×19mm) is at the 12 o'clock position.
IMP Industrias Militares de Paraguay ("Military Industries of Paraguay"), a division of DIMABEL - Piribebuy,
Paraguay (1988-1993; 1995–present). Originally set up with Fabrique National equipment and assistance;
reformed and reorganized with help from FAMAE from 1993 to 1995. It manufactures small arms ammunition and
owns the Yaguareté (Guarani > "Jaguar") civilian ammo brand.
##MDRP Ministerio de Defencia, Republica Del Paraguay ("Ministry of Defense, Republic of Paraguay"). Made in
France by Gevelot / Société Française des Munitions and in Israel by IMI, supposedly for the Paraguayan
military. Some ammunition with this headstamp was seized before it could be diverted to South Africa in violation
of the arms embargo. Headstamp has the 2-digit year of production in front of it. Gevelot-made ammunition was
Berdan-primed and IMI-made ammunition was Boxer-primed.

Venezuela

CAVIM Compañía Anónima Venezolana de Industrias Militares ("Venezuelan Military Industries Limited
Company") - Caracas, Venezuela. (1975–present) The headstamp follows ComBloc pattern with CAVIM at 6
o'clock and the 2-digit year of production at 12 o'clock.
VEN Ministerio de la Defensa, Servicio de Armamento, Arsenal y Fábrica de Municiones ("Ministry of Defense,
Armaments Service, Arsenal and Munitions Factory") - Caracas, Venezuela.

African manufacturers

Burkina Faso

SIVAM Societe Industrielle Voltaique d'Armes et Munitions ("Industrial Society for Arms and Munitions of the
Volta ") - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Ethiopia
The first domestic ammunition plant was set up by Emperor Menelik II in 1911. It made 10.75mm M1870 Russian Berdan Mk.2
and 7.62mm M1891 Russian Mosin-Nagant cartridges. Ethiopia had long economic ties to Czechoslovakia dating back to the
early 20th Century. An ammunition plant was set up by the Czechs in the reign of Empress Zäwditu in the 1920s that produced
7.92mm Mauser cartridges for the new Czech weapons it was importing. A new Czech plant was set up around 1947 to 1953 CE
with assistance from the Považské Strojárne factory and was named after the contemporary ruler, Emperor Haile Selassie I. It
made 7.92mm Mauser, .30-06 Springfield, and 7.62mm NATO ammunition for the military and .303 British rifle ammunition for
the civilian market. Packaging lists the date in the Ethiopian calendar year (7 to 8 years less than that of the Gregorian calendar),
while the cartridge headstamp uses the Common Era year.

ቀኃሥ ("Qä. Ha. Sə.") Emperor Haile Selassie I Ammunition Factory (c.1950-1974) - Mexico Square, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia. The packaging is labeled in Amharic and is stamped on the inner packaging with ink. The
headstamp has the phonetic Amharic initials of the factory name at 12 o'clock, six-pointed stars at 3- and 9
o'clock (the downward-pointing triangles are so small and faint that the stars sometimes look like single large
upward-pointing triangles), and the 4-digit Common Era year at 6 o'clock. From the late 1960s to 1974 the caliber
of the cartridges (7.92, .30, and 7.62) were shown to the right of the 2-digit year.
መ ኢ ድ ("Mä. Lī. Də.") Hibret Manufacturing and Machine Building Industry, Department of Defence Industry
(1974-1987?) - Mexico Square, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The factory was renamed after Emperor Haile Selassie
was deposed in 1974. Its light ammunition production lines were later moved to the Homicho plant in Ambo. The
headstamp is similar, except the six-pointed stars are more defined and the Common Era year only uses the last
2 digits.
? Homicho Ammunition Engineering Industry plant (1987-Present) - Ambo, Ethiopia. An ammunition plant set up
with Soviet and North Korean assistance. It makes 7.62x39mm M43 Soviet, 7.62x54mmR M91 Russian,
12.7×108 mm ComBloc, and 14.5×114mm ComBloc ammunition. Packaging is labeled in English and is stamped
with blue ink on the white cardboard cartons. Export ammunition is made without a headstamp and has been
found in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Libya.

Kenya

K O F (Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation) (1995-Present) - Eldoret, Kenya. Set up by FN-Herstal between
1988 and 1995. It manufactures 9x19mm Parabellum, 5.56x45mm NATO, and 7.62x51mm NATO. NOTE:
Headstamp is "K" at 9 o'clock, "O" at 12 o'clock, "F" at 3 o'clock, and 2-digit year at 6 o'clock.

Namibia
Namibia has ties to both North and South Korea dating back to 1990; SWAPO had connections to North Korea dating back to the
1970s. North Korean technical support and labor was used in 2005 to build army barracks at Suiderhof military base, a military
school and museum at Okahandja, a new Ministry of Defense headquarters, and an expansion of the munitions plant in Leopard
Valley[23][24][25]. A munitions and explosives complex was built in 2010 in Oamites, a disused copper mine.[26].

? (2005-Present) - Oamites, Windhoek, Khomas, Namibia.

Nigeria
Nigeria produces its own .303 British, 7.62 x 51mm NATO, and 9 x 19mm Parabellum cartridges. The cartridges are made using
ammunition equipment sold by Fritz Werner Manufacturing, which is why the headstamp's font and markings look German-
made. .303 British was phased out for 7.62mm NATO since the mid-1960s and is now sold as a hunting and sporting cartridge. 12
gauge shotgun shells are sold to civilians for hunting. 7.62x39mm Soviet production will supplement (or could even replace)
7.62mm NATO in the near future. The headstamps have 3-letter codes (OFN and AFN) but the packaging has 2-letter codes (OF
or AF).

AFN Ammunition Factory of Nigeria (1986–Present) - Kaduna, Nigeria.

OFN Ordnance Factory of Nigeria (1964 - 1986) - Kaduna, Nigeria. The Defence Industries Corporation of
Nigeria (DICoN) was set up by Act of Parliament in 1964. The Ordnance Factory was designed, laid-out, and set
 up within the year by Fritz Werner Manufacturing. After the end of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), the factory
diversified to produce civilian items like rural water supply equipment, industrial spare parts, and furniture.

Zimbabwe

Z28 Unknown factory - Zimbabwe.

ZI Zimbabwe Defense Industries - Harare, Zimbabwe City, Zimbabwe. Headstamp has the 2-digit production year
at 12-o'clock and ZI at 6-o'clock. It sold surplus military ammunition under the civilian Cheetah brand through
Vector Arms, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA from 1993 to 2005.

Central Asian manufacturers

Uzbekistan

601 Factory 601 (Vostok Cartridge Plant) (2002 - ?) - Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Set up began after independence in
1999 - with full production commencing in 2002. The loading machinery was provided by Manhurin and the
packing machinery was subcontracted out to a German firm. On the headstamp, the factory number "601" is at
12 o'clock, the 2-digit year of production is at 6 o'clock, and an eight-point star is at 9 o'clock. The ammo code
letter is at 3 o'clock; this is in the Cyrillic alphabet for export within the former Soviet sphere and Warsaw Pact.
Early test-batch cartridges were made with Latinate letters and might be used for domestic production (as
Uzbekistan uses both alphabets) and commercial sales to Europe and the Americas. A ("A") stands for
7,62x39mm M43 Soviet and is packed in 30-round cartons. б ("B") stands for 7,62x54mmR M91 Russian and is
packed in 20-round cartons. Ц ("C") stands for 5,45x39mm M74 Soviet and is packed in 30-round cartons. Д
("D") stands for 9x18mm Makarov and is packed in 16-round plastic trays in 16-round cartons. E ("E") stands for
9x19mm Parabellum and is packed in plastic trays in 90-round cartons. The Vostok company logo on the
packaging is a Cyrillic letter B ("V", for Vostok) with a shooting star in its stem. Some of its ammunition has been
found in Sellier & Bellot packaging and sold in Europe.

East Asian manufacturers

China
NORINCO (North Industries Corporation - Beijing, People's Republic of China. Operates several state arsenals that produce
weapons and munitions for both the military and civilian markets. Ammunition headstamp has the arsenal number at 12 o'clock
and the last 2 digits of the year of manufacture at 6 o'clock. From 1912 to 1950 the communist Chinese used the Republican
calendar, which numbered the years from the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 rather than the Western Anno Domini / Common Era.
The following are arsenals known to exist before 1979.

11 State Factory 11 (1949?-Present) - Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China.

Previously was the Nationalist Arsenal 10 before 1949; received Factory Code 11 in 1952.
31 or 031 State Factory 31 (1953-Present) -
41 State Factory 41 (1953-Present) -
51 or 051 State Factory 51 (1953-Present) -
61 State Factory 61 (Long Jiang Special Equipment Company, Ltd.) (1953-Present) - Harbin, Heilongjiang
province, People's Republic of China.
71 State Factory 71 (1953-Present) -
81 State Factory 81 (1953-Present) -
Headstamps 1, 101, 111, 121, 131, 201, 211, 221, 141, 301, 311, 321 (1953-?), 351, 391, 501 / 0501, 651, 661 (1953-?), 821, 846,
911, 964, 6201, 6202, 6203, 9121, and 9141 are confirmed as Chinese, while 451, 671 and 946 are unconfirmed. They are either a
subterfuge method to conceal the actual locations and numbers of Chinese arsenals (e.g., 946 as a cover headstamp for State
Factory 964) or a designation for annexes attached to an arsenal (i.e., 311 is an annex of State Factory 11 or State Factory 31).

121 Heilongjiang North Tool Factory - Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China.
 791 Changjiang Electric Industry Group Co., Ltd. - Chongqing independent municipality, (formerly part of Sichuan
province), People's Republic of China. The former Nationalist Arsenal 10 at Chongqing. It also uses the former
Chongqing Arsenal "Double Ring" symbol on civilian sport ammunition.

Japan (30)

P##S Showa Kinzoku Ltd. (a division of Nippon Oil & Fats Co. Ltd.[27]) (1943-Present) - Tokyo, Japan. The ##
symbol stands for the last two digits of the year of manufacture (P54S would mean 1954 production). The P
prefix stands for "Police" contract ammunition. It manufactured .38 Special cartridges for use with Police-issue
Smith & Wesson and Colt revolvers.
TE Toyo Seiki Manufacturing Company, Limited - Tokyo, Japan.
TS or TOYO Toyo Seiki Manufacturing Company, Limited - Japan.

North Korea

93 Factory 93 - North Korea.

Taiwan (?)
Taiwanese dates are calculated from 1911, the year the KMT government came into power, rather than the Western Anno Domini
/ Common Era date system.

60A Arsenal 60.

TAA 205th Arsenal, Material Production Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. A sub-contractor that manufactures 5.56mm
NATO and 7.62mm NATO cartridges for General Dynamics.[28]

South-East Asian manufacturers

Indonesia (45)

AD Pabrik Alat Peralatan TNI Angkatan Darat (Pabal AD, "Army Tool and Equipment Factory") (1958-1962) -
Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. PSM was renamed to Pabrik Alat Peralatan Angkatan Darat (Pabal AD, "Army
Tool and Equipment Factory") in 1958 and came under the control of the Army.
PSM Pabrik Senjata dan Mesiu ("Weapons and Munitions Factory") (1950 to 1958) - Bandung, West Java,
Indonesia. The Javanese name for the Dutch Leger Productie Bedrijven ("Military Production Facilities") (1947-
1950) - ceded to Indonesia in 1950.
P, PINDAD, or PIN PT. PINDAD (Persero) (1962–Present) - Turen, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Pabrik Alat
Peralatan TNI Angkatan Darat was renamed PT. PINDAD (Perindustrian Angkatan Darat, "Army Industries") in
1962. PINDAD was briefly renamed KOPINDAD (Komando Perindustrian TNI, Angkatan Darat, "Army Industries
Command") in 1972 but reverted to PINDAD in 1976. It was made into a State-Owned Enterprise in 1983.
PINDAD was under management by PT. BPIS (Persero)[29] from 1989 until 1998, when BPIS was disbanded. PT.
BPIS was restructured as PT Bahana Pakarya Industri Strategis (Persero) in 1999, then was dissolved in 2002.
From 2003 PT. PINDAD (Persero) came under the direct control of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises.

Malaysia (34)

MAL Syarikat Malaysia Explosives Ltd. (1969-Present) - Batu-Arang, Malaysia. Winchester and Radway Green
sub-contractor for NATO ammunition (9mm Parabellum, 5.56mm NATO, 7.62mm NATO, and .50 Browning
Machine-Gun) using British specifications. Headstamp has the contractor code (MAL) at 12 o'clock, the metric
caliber (9, 5.56, 7.62, or 12.7) at 8 o'clock, and the date of manufacture (two-digit month and two-digit year
separated by a hyphen) at 4 o'clock. It lacks the NATO standard stamp because it is not a Tier 3 NATO nation.

Philippines (46)
 RPA Republic of the Philippines Arsenal - Camp General Antonio Luna, Limay, Bataan, Republic of the
Philippines.

See also
Headstamp
National Codification Bureau

References
1. Sharpe, Philip B. Complete Guide to Handloading (1953) Funk & Wagnalls p.75
2. Davis, William C., Jr. Handloading (1981) National Rifle Association p.21
3. The Tell-Tale Dash: James Files and the Dented Cartridge Case by Allan Eaglesham (http://www.manuscript
service.com/Headstamp/)
4. Small-Caliber Ammunition Identification Guide (U) Volume 1 (DST-1160G-514-81-Vol1)
5. A (http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes)
6. Australian Military Headstamps (1939-1945) (http://www.acant.org.au/Articles/Headstamps.html)
7. Formerly the Australian Explosives and Chemical Company Ltd. (1875-1897) and Nobel (Australasia) Ltd. (1898-
1926)
8. Hendon Ammunition Factory (http://www.auspostalhistory.com/articles/926.shtml)
9. Davis, William C., Jr. Handloading (1981) National Rifle Association p.12
10. Canadian Encyclopedia Dominion Arsenal (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/dominion-arsen
al/)
11. Shannon Municipality History (Page 2) (http://shannoninfotce.tripod.com/History2.htm)
12. International Ammunition Association forum Canadian DI headstamp on 303 and 9x19 cases (http://www.iaaf
orum.org/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10192)
13. Canada Companies Info: Canadian Arsenals Ltd. (http://www.canada-companies-info.com/canadian-arsenals-li
mited-les-arsenaux-canadiens-limitee-7nv4/)
14. Cartridge Headstamps Canada (http://www.303british.com/id44.html)
15. The Ayalon Institute: Kibbutzim Hill by Yael Zisling (http://www.gemsinisrael.com/e_article000012009.htm)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20131016050058/http://www.gemsinisrael.com/e_article000012009.htm)
2013-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
16. Nabóje Mauser Kaliber 7.9 Wzor
17. Treat like 7.92mm M1905 Mauser S (Spitzgeschoß, "Spitzer" bullet) patrone.
18. Treat like 7.92mm Mauser sS (schwere Spitzgeschoß, Heavy "Spitzer" bullet) patrone.
19. Bloomberg.com Company Overview of VIROMET SA Victoria (January 11, 2019 6:40 AM ET) (https://www.bloo
mberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=20992438)
20. ROMARM Pirochim Victoria S.A. (http://romarm.ro/en/informatii-despre-companie/exhibitions/pirochim-victoria/)
21. IAA Forums > South African "WA" headstamp 7.62 x 51 (http://www.iaaforum.org/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8
948)
22. [1] (http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/12/02/russia-plans-ak-47-ammo-factory-in-cuba.html?test=latestnews)
23. africanarguments.org > Is it all over between Namibia and North Korea (July 13, 2016) (https://africanargument
s.org/2016/07/13/is-it-all-over-between-namibia-and-north-korea/)
24. Defense News > Namibia Confirms North Korean-Built Arms and Ammunition Factory by Oscar Nkala (March
17, 2016) (https://www.defensenews.com/global/2016/03/17/namibia-confirms-north-korean-built-arms-and-amm
unition-factory/)
25. Afripost.net > Home > Politics> North Korean built arms and ammunition factory in Namibia (March, 2016) (http
s://afripost.net/2016/03/north-korean-built-arms-ammunition-factory-namibia/)
26. Mail & Guardian (South Africa) > World Namibia violates UN sanctions against North Korea by John Grobler
(15 Apr 2016) (https://mg.co.za/article/2016-04-14-namibia-busts-n-korean-sanctions)
27. NOF Corporation History (https://www.nof.co.jp/english/company/history.html)
28. Battle Over Bullets By Scott Barancik. St. Petersburg Times. Published April 12, 2007 (http://www.sptimes.com/
2007/04/12/news_pf/Business/Battle_over_bullets.shtml)
29. BPIS (Persero): Javanese > Badan Pengelola Industri Strategis (Perseroan) ("Strategic Industrial Management
Agency (Company)")

External links
IAA Headstamp Codes (http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes#A)
Headstamp Ammunition Codes: The Master List (http://www.igman.com/ammunition/codes/)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_military_headstamps&oldid=906716940"

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