Browning 50 cal (12.7mm) Cartridges and Spent Shell Casings
by: Darren Baker
Introduction
Master continues to expand their range of items for the 1/35th scale armour modeller with two offerings for the Browning 50 cal (12.7mm) cartridges and spent shell casings.
Review
These offerings from Master are packed inside a Ziploc bag with a card insert, a card hanger is stapled to the top of the bag to act as a hanger and too provide the information on the contents. Inside at the front there is a sealed bag containing the parts that makes up the set, at the rear there is a small instructional paper sheet.
The Browning 50 cal (12.7mm) cartridges have been turned as a single piece of brass. When examined I was very impressed with the level of detail offered. The shape of the rounds looks accurate to me in all respects; the only detail I couldn’t pick up is the percussion cap area of the items. The spent rounds are hollowed out where bullet head would be and I am very impressed with the efforts of Master in this respect. Each of the two offerings contains 25 units of the same high standard.
Perhaps one of the biggest pluses of these items is that they have a very broad spectrum of appeal and usefulness. The 50 cal machine gun must be one of the most common weapons systems of its type, perhaps the heavy machine gun version of the AK 47.
Conclusion
I can see these making an appearance in many dioramas or for that matter on a tank having been fired. The rounds could also be used with a figure such as a sniper with a barrett rifle, of course they could also be used to show the detritus of war. I cannot see anything to fault with either of these offerings from Master and I will have to get some more for my spares box.
SUMMARY
Highs: Making the ammunition available as both live or spent ammunition is a nice touch allowing a choice of display options.Lows: None I can think of.Verdict: These items have a wide appeal and will be a nice touch in many a setting.
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I built Aber's 1/16 50 cal. rounds and seperate links for a diorama recently. Man, were the links tiny and difficult to form correctly. I can't imagine them in1/35 scale-- you'd need a microscope to form them! If they came pre-formed in soft brass they would be great. However, one of the things that bugs me about scenes with 1/35 empty casings is the complete lack of links-- the two are inseparable in real life, and you can't feed the gun without the links.
VR, Russ
Yes. I still have some of the old Mission Model brand photo etch brass links in 1/35. Those were tiny. They also deform correctly if scattered under foot on the ground in a crowded area of a scene. The Live Resin brand links are brittle and not quite the same. Just need a jig with the right size wire to form around. Wish we could get that PE again.
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