Working on a batch of Tasca/Asuka M4s. The .50 cal "kit" comes with two variations on the "normal" ammo can / mount ..... with the ammo in a horizontal orientation. The other is a vertical mounted box, appears to be metal with an X shaped stiffener imprint. I can't find any reference to this style. Early war? British contrivance? Somebody's hallucination?

Mr. Google is your friend...

Ammo Can D68375

https://www.bmgparts.com/products/tankcan.jpg

Much easier when you know what to google. Thanks for the pointer.

Looks like this one will be good for my Torch M4A1. Wonder when the 100 rnd cans became the norm. Sounds like the crews were not too fond of the 50 rnd cans.) Other ones are 44-45 time frame. One is Commonwealth. From what I can tell from photos they were not keen on cupola mounted MGs and seemed to prefer .30 cal if they did. (I do remember seeing a Canadian Firefly with a TC's Bren gun mounted.)

The M2 box was standardized in August of 1942 as a way of shipping new ammunition. There were tens of thousands of the wooden M1917 boxes already in existence so it would have taken a bit to get the metal boxes out to the troops. The ability to mount the M2 box on the gun cradle may have speeded things up.

As I recall, the boxes were designed to hold 100 rounds of linked cartridges. When fabric belts came about metallic links were reserved for aircraft use. The boxes could hold 105 rounds of belted ammunition.

KL

Hi,

An article about several mounts for the Deuce MG for different AFV's - .50 Cal M2HB Mounts: One Style Does Not Fit All!.