List of the United States Army munitions by supply catalog designation
The Ammunition Identification Code (AIC) was a sub-set of the Standard Nomenclature List (SNL). The SNL was an inventory system used from 1930 to 1958 to catalog all the items the Army's Ordnance Corps issued. The AIC was used by the US Army's Ordnance Corps from January, 1942 to 1958. It listed munitions and explosives (items from SNLs P, R, S, and T), items that were considered priority issue for soldiers in combat. The markings used by the system made it easier for soldiers to quickly  identify and procure the right items. It used a code that had five parts. The AIC was replaced by the FSN (Federal Stock Number) in 1958, which later became the NSN (National Stock Number) in 1975. Packing Terminology. Cartons. Ammunition came packed in single-ply chipboard cartons lined with Manila paper. A label marked with the number of cartridges, caliber and type of ammo, manufacturer, and Lot Code was glued over the top flap, front, and back to seal the carton. Wartime boxes (1942 to 1945) had wide vertical colored stripes, like those used on the packing box, as a  background for the text. This allowed the soldier to quickly visually identify the ammo he needed. Section::::.45 ACP. .45 ACP ammo for the Colt M1911 semi-automatic pistol and Thompson submachine gun originally came in 20-round boxes. It was later changed to 50-round boxes in 1942 for ease of packing and distribution. They were packed in the small M1917 Pistol Ammunition Packing Boxes. .45 ACP ammo for the Colt M1917 and Smith & Wesson M1917 revolvers came packed in 3-round Half-Moon clips. They were packed eight clips per carton in two-row (2x12 cell – sideways interlocking "zig -zag" style) or three-row (3x9 cell – inline overlapping "spoons" style) rectangular cartons of 24 rounds. They were packed in the larger M1917 Rifle / Machinegun Ammunition Packing Boxes. Section::::.30 Carbine. M1 Carbine ammo was originally packed in 3-row 45-round boxes to reduce waste, as the carbine had a 15-round magazine. This was later changed in 1942 to 50-round boxes to ship as much ammo as possible. They were packed in a special small M1917 Ammunition Packing Box, perhaps so a soldier wouldn't grab the wrong ammunition. Section::::.30 Caliber. .30-caliber rifle (Grade "R") and machine  gun (Grade "MG") ammo came in 20-round boxes. Early-war cartons for use in bolt-action rifles like the Springfield M1903 came with the ammo already in 5-round stripper clips. They were packed in the large M1917 Ammunition Packing Boxes. Section::::.50 Caliber. .50-caliber machine gun ammo (Grades "AC" and "MG") came bulk-packed in 10-round boxes for loading into belts or links in-theater. They were packed in the large M1917 Ammunition Packing Boxes. M1917 Ammunition Packing Box. A wooden box designed to be reused. The lid was secured by tightening brass wingnuts over threaded metal  posts in the walls of the chest. They were meant to be carried by means of handles milled into the ends of the chest; troops assigned to carry ammo found them hard to grasp. Ammunition was shipped in boxes with a hermetically-sealed terneplate lining that had the top soldered on to seal it; this was ripped open using a wire handle built into the top. It came in two standard sizes. There was a large packing box (Dimensions: 18-7/16" Length × 9-7/16" Width × 14-13/16" Height; Tare Weight: 9 lbs. Volume: 1.49 cubic feet) secured with  6 threaded posts (one on each end and two on each side). It was used to store and carry .30- and .50-caliber ammunition. The smaller box (Dimensions: 16-7/16" Length × 12-11/16" Width × 7-5/8" Height; Volume: 0.92 cubic feet) was secured with 4 threaded posts (one on each side). It was used for pistol and submachine gun ammunition. Another box ("Volume": 0.83 cubic feet) was used for carbine ammunition. Pre-war and early-war ammo packing boxes were made of stained wood with black-painted lettering. Mid- to late-war packing boxes were painted Olive Drab  brown with white or yellow lettering that used the item's AIC code and a system of symbols to indicate the contents at a glance. The caliber, ammunition type and model (e.g., "Caliber .30 Ball M1") were in the upper center field in bold lettering. The number of units (i.e., how many bullets or shells there were per box) and packing information (i.e., whether it was in cartons, bandoleers or belts) were on the two lines below it. The caliber (CAL .45, CAL .30, or CAL .50) was painted in bold lettering in the upper left corner. The gross weight  of the box in pounds and its volume in cubic feet was painted in the lower left corner and the Ammunition Lot information (manufacturer code and lot number) was painted in the lower right corner. Packing Box Stripes. In 1943(?), a system was introduced that painted color-coded stripes painted across the long sides and lid to indicate the contents. A straight stripe indicated Pistol, Carbine, Rifle and Medium Machine gun ammunition; it was vertical on the long sides and top and horizontal on the ends. Triple straight stripes were painted horizontally with the first stripe on top or to  the left and the third stripe on the bottom or to the right. A diagonal stripe (lower left corner to upper right corner) indicated Heavy Machine gun ammunition. Triple diagonal stripes were painted with the first stripe on the left-side and the third stripe on the right side. If packed in cartons, the colored stripe was duplicated on the carton's label vertically. Commercial Shotgun Shell Packing Box. A wooden or fiberboard box with a waterproof tarpaper lining designed to transport and carry shotgun shells. It held 20 × 25-shell cartons (500 total shells) of 12 gauge ammunition  and weighed around 65 lbs (Dimensions: 15" Length × 10.375" Width × 9.75" Height; Volume: 0.88 Cubic Feet). Guard shells had either a brass base (base only) with a full paper hull or partial brass case (1" long) and a long paper hull. Combat shells had either a partial brass case (1" long) with a long paper hull or a full (2.75" long) brass case and no paper hull. Sporting shells (used for trap shooting or hunting) either had a brass base with a full paper hull or a partial brass case (1/2" long) and a long paper hull. Ammunition  Crate. A metal-strapped wooden packing crate designed to be thrown away that replaced the M1917 Packing Box. They were made of plain, unpainted wood and had its lettering, AIC code, and symbols stamped on in black ink. They were carried by a horizontal rectangular wooden bar fastened to the pair of vertical wooden reinforcing struts on each end. Some crate contractors looped a semi-circular piece of thick rope through a hole in each reinforcing strut for use as a flexible handle. Other contractors used a folding two-strut metal handle fastened between the reinforcing struts for heavier loads . The cartons of ammunition inside were originally grouped and packed in corrugated cardboard boxes. The boxes were then coated and sealed in a waterproof wax coating to keep the ammunition inside from being affected by the environment. There were 2 boxes per crate and they were loaded in the crate sideways so the bullets would fly off to the sides rather than through the top or bottom. The weatherproofing was found to be ineffective, so the cardboard boxes were replaced by ammunition cans in the autumn of 1943. Ammunition Can. A vacuum-sealed metal canister with wire handles on its  sides. They were first produced at the Evansville, Indiana Chrysler-Sunbeam plant in 1943 to pack .45 ACP ammunition in M5 cans. It was opened using a metal can key (like a can of sardines) that was soldered to the top. It could be reclosed afterwards using a small roll of duct tape that came packed in the can. They were painted Olive Drab and had yellow lettering on them. The caliber of ammunition – .45, .30C (Carbine – cartons), .30R (Rifle – clips or cartons), .30M (Machinegun – belted or linked ammo), or .50 (Machinegun) – was embossed in raised letters and numbers  on the metal lid so they could be identified by touch under low-light conditions. The model of can (M5, M6, M8, M10, M13, etc.) was embossed on the bottom. The M5 cans were for packing .45 ACP ammo and weighed about 29 lbs. The M6 cans were for packing .30 Carbine ammo and weighed about 25 lbs. The M8 cans were for packing .30 Rifle & Machine gun ammo and weighed about 16 lbs. The M10 cans were originally for packing .50 Machinegun ammo but later on were also used to pack shotgun shells or a variety of other ammunition  in cartons. The M13 can was for issue with a rifle grenade launcher and was packed with an assortment of a packet of six .30 Carbine M6 rifle-grenade blanks, a packet of ten .30-'06 Springfield M3 rifle-grenade blanks, and a packet of five M7 booster charges. The instruction "Do Not Use As Food Container" was prominently painted on the can. The lead and chemical residue inside the container could contaminate the food and poison the soldier. The Korean War–era universal M20 and M21 cans replaced the earlier assortment of cartridge-specific cans. The M20 was a rounded -edged cube with a folding handle on top. The M21, twice the height of the M20, was a taller version of the M20. They lacked the embossing of the earlier cans. Mixed Lots. Mixed lots are when two or three types of new ammunition were used, like in a machinegun or autocannon belt. They would be pre-loaded into a web belt or disintegrating link. The paperwork would mark the different lot numbers of all ammunition used. Packaging would list the lot of each type of ammunition used on the lower right field of the crate, beginning with the line  of text "AMMUNITION LOT". Belted ammunition would have a "B" prefix and linked ammunition would have an "L" prefix. Repacked Ammo Cans. Lots made up of old or damaged ammunition were from the same lot. They would be inspected, overhauled, sorted and repacked for re-use. Repacked ammunition was usually resealed in an unpainted ammo can with the information stamped on the container in black ink. The arsenal or manufacturer who did the repacking would use their manufacturer's code followed by the last two digits of the year it was repacked. The paperwork would list the original Lot Code  and new Lot Code to help in tracing defective or unsuitable ammunition. The repacked crate would have a line of text beginning with "REPACKED LOT:" followed by the new lot code. In 1945 this text was replaced with "FUNCTIONAL LOT:", as troops had been leery of using "used" ammunition. If the lot was being repacked by the same manufacturer, the lot code would be the same, but it would have underneath it the text: "REPACKED" followed by the manufacturer code and the digits of the month and year (e.g., TW-1-44 was repacked by Twin Cities Arsenal in January of  1944). Standard Ammunition Box. A re-closeable metal box with a hinged metal lid sealed with a foam-rubber gasket to keep out moisture and rain and a folding metal handle to aid in carrying it. They were originally designed to only store belted machine gun ammunition, but later became a standard container after the war for all sorts of ammunition packed in cartons and / or clips and bandoleers. Originally planned to be disposable, they were recycled for reloading. The ammo boxes were originally painted Olive Drab Brown (OD3) with white lettering, but were later painted Olive Drab Green (OD7 ) with yellow lettering. The early individual M1 and M2 series metal boxes were also painted with the same colored ammunition identification stripes as the pre-war and early-war M1917 wooden packing crates. They were first shipped individually, but were later bulk-packed in unpainted wire-bound plywood crates with stencil-painted or ink-stamped lettering. The .30 M1 and M1A1 ammo boxes were packed four to a crate that weighed around 90 pounds and had a volume of 1 cubic foot. The M1 ammo crate held a total of 1,000 belted or linked rounds packed in 4 M1 ammo  boxes and the later M1A1 ammo crate held a total of 1,000 belted or 1,100 linked rounds packed in M1A1 ammo boxes. There were two .50 M2 ammo boxes to a crate (for a total of 220 belted or 210 linked rounds) with a volume of 0.93 cubic feet. The later M2A1 can also came packed two to a crate (for a total of 200 linked rounds) with a volume of 0.85 cubic feet. Group "P" Material ("Ammunition for Heavy Field Artillery and Anti-Aircraft Weapons"). The Green Bag Charge (in a green cloth bag) was a short range powder  charge in increments from 1 to 5. The White Bag Charge (in a white cloth bag) was the long range powder charge in increments 7 through 12? The gunners would rip off the unneeded sections of the bag charge and load the remainder in the gun. Uses Powder Charge "P2EAA" Uses Powder Charge "P2FCC" The 40mm Bofors Gun used 4-round clips and was loaded manually. Group "R" Material ("Ammunition for pack, light, and medium field artillery"). The "T" (or "Trial") designation was for experimental munitions before they went into standard production. They are placed in parentheses after the  standard designation. Sub-Group R1 ("Ammunition, fixed and semi-fixed, all types – including subcaliber – for pack, light, and medium field artillery, including complete round data"). Class R1A (20x110mm Hispano "A"; Ammunition for 20 mm Gun M24). The 20 mm M24 was a variant of the 20 mm M3 designed to use electrically fired instead of percussion-fired shells. Class R1G (37 mm Gun; Ammunition for Anti-Tank Guns M3 and M3A1, and Tank Guns M5 and M6). NOTE: The M3 was the towed Anti-Tank gun version. The short-barreled M5 and semi-automatic M6 were tank and  self-propelled gun variants. Class R1J (57 mm Rifle; "Ammunition for M18 Recoilless Rifle"). The M18 Recoilless Rifle (final "Trial" designation: T15E16) was developed in 1944. It was available in Europe by March 1945 and in the Pacific by June 1945. Class R1N (75 mm Rifle; "Ammunition for M20 Recoilless Rifle"). Although the weapon was developed during World War II, the M20 Recoilless Rifle ("Trial" designation: T21E12) wasn't ready until the spring of 1945. It served mostly in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Class R1Q (105 mm Howitzer; "Semi-Fixed Ammunition for M2, M2A1, and M4 Howitzer"). "Semi-Fixed  artillery ammunition is composed of a shell and a propellant cartridge. Pre- and early-war semi-fixed ammunition came packed in black fiberboard tubes packed in a long crate with a volume of 1.94 cubic feet. The M4 Howitzer was a modified version of the M2A1 used with the M4A3 Sherman Assault Support tank. Sub-Group R2 (Projectiles and separate-loading propelling charges for medium field artillery, including complete round data"). Class R2ZD (Ammunition for 4.5" (114mm) Gun, M1). An artillery piece that used the same carriage as the 155mm Howitzer M1 and fired the same ammunition as  the British 4.5" Field Gun. Sub-Group R4 (Ammunition for trench mortars; including fuzes, propelling charges and other components). Class R4A (Ammunition for 2" M3 Smoke Mortar / Launcher). This was an internal gun/mortar mounted in the left side of the turret of the M4 Sherman tank. It was a conversion of the British SBML Ordnance 2-Inch Mortar Mk.I that was used from 1943-1945. It could lay down a smoke cloud within 20 to 120 yards of the vehicle. Class R4F (Ammunition for 81-mm M1 Medium Mortar or 3-Inch (3.2" [81-mm]) Mk.1A2 Stokes Trench  Mortar). The 81 mm Mortar shells used an adapter collar to allow 60 mm mortar shell fuzes to fit. Originally packed in wooden crates, the late war shells (1944–1945) were packed in metal M140 canisters. The M140 canister carried live shells in a four-chambered internal divider, had a horsehair pad in the inside of the lid to cushion the fuzes, and had a metal loop carrying handle on the lid that doubled as the locking catch. The M140A1 canister eliminated the divider and carried the shells in tarpaper packing tubes instead. Each wooden crate comes with six mines, six  fuzes packed in cylindrical fiberboard containers, six 26-foot-long spools of tripwire (painted either Olive Drab or Sand Color), and a wrench for unscrewing the plastic safety plugs from the mines before inserting the fuze. Each wooden crate comes with the five mines loaded sideways. Group "S" Material ("Bombs, grenades, pyrotechnics"). Sub-Group S2 (Fuzes and miscellaneous explosive components for aircraft bombs). AN- stands for "Army / Navy", meaning it is a common supply item for both the War and Navy departments. Sub-Group S4 (Grenades, hand and rifle, and fuzing components). Class S4K (Mk.III Offensive Grenade). Note : Since it was a high explosive grenade, they were shipped without fuzes to prevent accidental detonation during shipping. Note: The M1A1 Grenade Projection Adapter converted a Mk.II fragmentation grenade into a rifle grenade. Sub-Group S9 (Rockets, all types). Class S9A (2.36" Rocket for Anti-Tank Rocket Launchers M1, M1A1, M9, & M9A1). Note = The fiberboard packing tubes are sealed with colored tape. The color of the tape indicates what type of rocket it is: yellow is HEAT, gray is Smoke, and blue is Practice. Early M6 HE(AT) and M7 Practice rockets can only be fired out of M1  launchers because they have an earlier ignition system that cannot be activated out of an M1A1, M9, or M9A1 launcher. Group "T" Material ("Small Arms Ammunition"). Sub-Group T1 ("Ammunition for Rifle, Carbine and Automatic Gun"). After 1948, the AIC number "1" was replaced by the letter "A" to indicate the small arms ammunition was packed in the new M20 or M21 ammo cans instead of the myriad World War II-era packing boxes and cans. Class T1A (".22 Long Rifle"; "Gallery Practice Ammunition"). The military used .22-caliber training rifles to teach basic marksmanship before transitioning to full -bore service rifles. Class T1C (.30 Carbine; "Ammunition for .30-caliber Carbine M1"). This ammunition was for use with the M1 Carbine, a different weapon than the M1 Garand Rifle. The primers for the cartridges were non-corrosive because the M1 carbine's gas-system would have fouled or corroded if standard corrosive primers were used. It only came in Grade R ("Rifle") because the M1 Carbine was semi-automatic only, dispensing with the use for Grade 2 for an automatic weapon. The late-war creation of the M2 selective-fire carbine and M3 infra-red sniper carbine didn't  change this. Cartons (1942–1948) Cartons (1948–1958) Bandoleers (1948–1958) Class T1E (Caliber .30; "Ammunition for .30-caliber Rifles and Machine Guns"). This ammunition was used in the M1903 Springfield, M1917 Enfield, and M1 Garand rifles, the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), and the Browning M1917 water-cooled and Browning M1919 air-cooled machine guns. There were three cartridge grades based on accuracy and reliability: "AC/R", "MG", and "3". Test batches would be randomly drawn from a lot and they would be chambered and fired individually from a fixed bench-rested barrel and mechanism at a stationary round "bullseye" target 600 feet  away. "AC" (Aircraft), the most accurate and reliable, was similar to the RAF's "Red Label" ammunition used in their synchronized aircraft machine guns. It had to be grouped within a 5-inch circle and not exceed a specified maximum number of stoppages to be acceptable. It came in metal linked belts and was suitable for aircraft and anti-aircraft machine-guns. "R" (Rifle) had to be grouped within a 5-inch circle; it came packed in cartons or bandoleers and was suitable for use in rifles. "MG" (Machine Gun), the least accurate, had to be grouped within a 7.5 -inch circle; it came in woven belts and was suitable for use in ground machine-guns. Class 3 (Unsuitable) was rejected for not meeting standards. Ammunition Lot Numbers had a code letter prefix in-between the Manufacturer code and Lot Number to indicate how it was packed: "C" indicated rifle ammunition preloaded in clips, "B" indicated Belted (woven cloth belt) machine gun ammunition, and "L" indicated Linked (disintegrating metal link belt) machine gun ammunition. Cartons (1939–1948) Cartons (1948–1958) Bandoleers (1939–1948) Note: 5-round Mauser-style stripper clips were used by the M1903 Springfield and M1917 Enfield. 8-round Mannlicher-style  en-bloc clips were used by the M1 Garand. The "M1 Bandoleer" had six pockets; each pocket could hold either two 5-round stripper clips (60 rounds total) or one 8-round en-bloc clip (48 rounds total). The symbol for ammunition packed in stripper clips was 5 bullets conjoined by a long rectangle across the base (looking like 5 bullets in a Mauser clip); there were two symbols in a vertical column per side. The symbol for ammunition packed in en-bloc clips was a rectangular oval with 2 rows of 4 dots (looking like eight rounds in an  en-bloc clip); there were one or two symbols in a vertical column per side. Bandoleers (1948–1958) Note: The ammunition now only came in 8-round en-bloc clips because the M1 Garand was the standard service rifle. Belted Note: The symbol for belted or linked 0.30-06 Springfield ammunition was a vertical string of cartridges pointing right. Most early 0.30-'06 machine gun ammunition manufactured during World War II was belted rather than linked due to a steel shortage. All metal-linked ammunition was reserved for the Army Air Force and Naval Aviation. When the US Army Air Force .30 -caliber machine gun was superseded by the .50-caliber machine gun mid-war, all .30-caliber ammunition began to be belted in M1 250-round belts for infantry use or M3 100-round woven belts for use in vehicles and tanks. Post-World War II production used linked ammunition. In a belt with mixture of ammunition types the number and type of rounds per 5- or 10-round segment is used. If different ammunition types were used in the segment, they were alternated (for example, A–B–A–B–C rather than A–A–B–B–C), with the tracer  round (C) at the end. Usually one round in five or ten was tracer, to show the gunner the trajectory; pre-War belts used a 1-in-10 mix and War and Post-War belts used a 1-in-5 mix. Class T1I (Caliber .50). There were three grades of cartridges, based on accuracy and reliability. "AC" (Aircraft) the highest, came in metal linked belts and was suitable for aircraft and Anti-Aircraft machine-guns. "MG" (Machine Gun) came in woven cloth or metal-link belts and was suitable for use in ground machine-guns. Class 3 (Unsuitable) was rejected as being  under standards and was destroyed. Cartons (1939–1948) Cartons (1948–1958) Belted (1939–1948) Note: The symbol for belted or linked 0.50-caliber BMG ammunition was a diagonal string of cartridges pointing from the lower left corner to the upper right corner. The type of ammunition was indicated by a code letter prefixed to the ammunition's Lot Number. "B" stood for Belted (woven cloth belt) and "L" stood for Linked (disintegrating metal links). Due to a steel shortage, linked belts were originally reserved for the Army Air Force and Naval Aviation. Machine gun ammunition for ground use was supplied in 110-round  M7 woven belts for infantry and 50-round woven belts for vehicles and tanks. After the Allies achieved air superiority over Europe around the fall of 1944, linked rounds began being issued to ground units. In a belt with a mixture of ammunition types the number and type of rounds per 5- or 10-round segment is used. If different ammunition types were used in the segment, they were usually alternated (for example, A-B-A-B-C rather than A-A-B-B-C), with the tracer round (C) at the end. Usually one in five or one in  ten cartridges were tracer. Belted (1948–1958) Class T1J (Class T1 Defective Ammunition). Details ammunition that was Class 3 (Unserviceable). All Unserviceable ammunition was to be destroyed but was sometimes used for training. Sub-Group T2 ("Ammunition for Revolver, Pistol and Submachinegun"). Pistol ammunition came in three grades. Grade 1 was suitable for revolvers and pistols, Grade 2 was suitable for pistols and submachine guns, and Grade 3 was Unsuitable for use. Class T2A (.45 ACP). Ammunition with an "S" code letter prefix to its Lot Number was made with steel cases rather than brass. This was a wartime economy measure  to conserve copper and zinc. They were made entirely at the Evansville Chrysler and Evansville Chrysler Sunbeam ammunition plants in Evansville, Indiana. Class T2B (.38 Caliber). .38 Special was for use in Colt Commando revolvers. The Commando was issued by the US Army to Military Police and Counter-Intelligence Corps personnel. On the home front the Commando was issued to armed security guards at government facilities and factories that were either drawn from the State Guards or were deputized as "auxiliary Military Police". .38 Smith & Wesson was for use in revolvers like the Lend-Lease Smith & Wesson Victory Model and  British .38/200 Enfield No. 2 and Webley Mk VI. Ammunition was civilian market production, used commercial markings (headstamp over caliber), and came in commercial packaging with colored ink printing. Sub-Group T3 ("Shells for Shotgun"). Guard shells (No. 4 Birdshot with a brass base or partial brass case and a paper hull) were used by sentries and military police. Combat shells (00 Buckshot with a partial or full brass case) were used by frontline troops. Sporting shells (No. 6 or No. 8 Birdshot with a brass base and paper hull) were used for competition trap shooting and hunting game. Chilled  shot was ammunition manufactured by dropping measured drops of hot lead from the top of a tall structure (called a "shot tower") into a tub of cold water below; it was denser and harder than regular lead shot. Class T3G (.410 Gauge 3" Shell M35). The M35 was a special .410 Bore shell with a full brass case used in compact survival weapons. Sub-Group T6 "(Ammunition for obsolete and non-standard small arms)". Class T6L (.300 Holland & Holland Magnum). Used in Winchester Model 70 Bull Gun rifles for long-distance target shooting at Camp Perry matches from 1936  to 1971(?). The original British loading used cordite and had the same muzzle velocity and power as the .30-06 Springfield. American-made Match-grade ammunition was loaded with IMR powder that allowed heavier bullets and higher velocities.