This is for the M2HB heavy machine gun that I am installing on an M26 Pershing model I am currently building. What color should the strip of bullets (from an Eduard etched set) be painted? Unfortunately I have no guide on this. Perhaps there is a general guide to different MG bullet colors? Thank you.

Tom,
Here's a site which should explain things better than I could;
50 cal ammo
The rounds shown are modern, but the a/p and tracer rounds were much the same during WW 2 and Korea. Most of the time plain M2 ball rounds were used

Cheers
Jeff W.

From my experience the actual case is a brass colour and the actual bullet is a copper colour. Tracer rounds just have the tip in a red colour. That's British ammo so I wouldn't imagine US ammo differs that much.

I would say thats about right for any MG ammo. I would keep it subtle though rather then having too much contrast between the copper bullet jackets and the brass cartridgecases at this scale. Maybe even just doing them all brass and a thin red/brown wash will almost automatically make the effect.

I don't believe basic color codes have changed in the US Army since WW2. Ball ammo is copper jacketed and unpainted. For some visual contrast and still being accurate you could use armor piercing ammo, which has an all black bullet with a brass case, black links and tracers still have a red tip. As issued every 5th round is a tracer. Armor piercing ammo if available would be my preferred combat load since it will kill anything ball ammo will and still give you anti-vehicular capabilities and play hell on buildings.

TC