German sub-machine gun ammo

jim haycraft · 01-08-2002, 05:07 PM

There are references in the literature (early editions of W.H.B. Smith's books, as well as Datig's) to 9mm "black" loads, for use in submachine guns, giving muzzle velocities up around 1500 fps. with correspondingly higher chamber pressures. There is no evidence that any failures occurred when these cartridges were used in P08s or P38s, however it was recommended that they not be used! I have one "black" 9mm cartridge in my collection. The case is coated with a blackish lacquer wash (it could be steel, with a protective anti-rust coating, I suppose), but the bullet is definitely black or close to it and may be a sintered iron compound. The base of the cartridge case has the following markings, spaced 90Ã?Â° apart: 12, 43, ch, St* (or a tiny "+"). The primer appears to be of conventional type and color.

Jim Haycraft

01-08-2002, 05:07 PM	#13
jim haycraft User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: sub-machine gun ammo There are references in the literature (early editions of W.H.B. Smith's books, as well as Datig's) to 9mm "black" loads, for use in submachine guns, giving muzzle velocities up around 1500 fps. with correspondingly higher chamber pressures. There is no evidence that any failures occurred when these cartridges were used in P08s or P38s, however it was recommended that they not be used! I have one "black" 9mm cartridge in my collection. The case is coated with a blackish lacquer wash (it could be steel, with a protective anti-rust coating, I suppose), but the bullet is definitely black or close to it and may be a sintered iron compound. The base of the cartridge case has the following markings, spaced 90Ã?Â° apart: 12, 43, ch, St* (or a tiny "+"). The primer appears to be of conventional type and color. Jim Haycraft

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