SA ARMY 1950S WOODEN AMMO BOX FOR BROWNING 7.7x56MMR MACHINE GUN BALL BELTED AMMO

SA ARMY 1950S WOODEN AMMO BOX FOR BROWNING 7.7x56MMR MACHINE GUN BALL BELTED AMMO

A WOODEN AMMUNITION BOX FOR THE BROWNING 7.7X56MMR (.303 CAL) M1919 MACHINE GUN.

THIS BOX WAS USED IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE MID TWENTIETH CENTURY. FROM THE 1950S MOST COUNTRIES SHIFTED FROM WOODEN AMMO BOXES TO METAL ONES AND REPLACED THE 7.7X56MM WITH THE 7.62X51MM NATO.

.303 CARTRIDGE: .303 British (designated as the 303 British by the C.I.P. and SAAMI) or 7.7×56mmR, is a .303-inch (7.7 mm) calibre rimmed rifle cartridge. It was the standard British and Commonwealth military cartridge for rifles and machine guns from 1889 until the 1950s when it was replaced by the 7.62×51mm NATO.

M1919 BROWNING MACHINE GUN:
In South Africa, multiple variants of M1919 Browning machine guns were in service of the South African Defense Force (SADF) in various calibers such as .303, .30-06, and 7.62x51 mm NATO. As the infantry standardized on the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge with newer rifles and machine guns, the Browning machine gun was still a desirable weapon for vehicle and armoured mounts due to the design's short inboard length, heavy barrel for sustained firing, and ability to change barrels from the rear of the receiver. Many Brownings were converted to use 7.62 mm NATO round for continued use in the SADF, such as on the Eland armoured cars. 

However, by the mid-20th century, the Browning machine guns were becoming aging equipment. Part shortage was encountered when the surplus market for the Browning machine guns dried up. The weapon's approaching end-of-service life was also causing more malfunctions, and the closed-bolt design of the machine guns were causing "cook-offs", where the heat of the gun from sustained fire causes the next round to go off without the trigger being pulled. A decision was made not only to modify the weapon to prevent the "cook-off" malfunctions, but to also begin local production of the machine gun to continue the upkeep of the weapon in SADF service. This assignment was given to Lyttleton Engineering Works (LEW) in 1976. LEW's new Browning machine gun design was designated the MG4, though it was also known as the L3 in SADF designations.

LEW began by converting existing M1919A4 Browning into the MG4 from 1976 to 1980.
The MG4 only served as the machine gun armaments for armoured vehicles, though the machine gun is compatible with a tripod for dismounted use if needed.
The MG4 still serves today in the South African military as a machine gun armaments for armoured vehicles, some have been seen mounted in wind-shield ball mounts on Casspir MRAPs. MG4 production switched over to Denel Ltd. in 1992 when the newly formed state-owned company took over ARMSCOR subsidiaries, which included LEW. 
As of 2009, the Browning MG4 is still under production by Denel Ltd.
 
CONDITION: IN TACT WITH VINTAGE USED CONDITION

SIZE: 42CM LONG 28CM HIGH 21CM WIDE

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