Original German WWII 1080 Round Austrian Mannlicher M30 8×56mmR Wood Ammunition Crate – dated 1938 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice Pre-WWII Austrian wood ammunition crate, which measures approximately 27″ x 11″ x 7 ½”. It features the typical leather-hinged lid secured by a leather strap and buckle, and has tan webbing handles on either end. The lid and the two narrow sides still have their original content labels, though all are worn. As best we can tell they all original said:

1.080 Stück
8 mm M. 30 scharfe
S-Patronen
Rottw.

This indicates that the crate is for 1,800 rounds of 8x56mmR M30 rifle cartridges used in the Mannlicher M95/30 carbine, with the “Rottw” indicating powder from the Rottweil company near Köln, Germany. These labels are additionally marked with a large red “S” (for “Spitzer”), and have a date of 1938 on the left hand side. The lower left features an NSDAP Reichsadler over P 635, the German WWII ammunition supply code for Gustloff-Werke, Otto Eberhardt-Patronenfabrik, located in Hirtenberg Niederdonau.

One of the labels also has an XII. 1938 marking in the lower left, indicating that the cartridges were made with steel from the Mitteldeutsche Stahlwerke, Werk Henningsdorf steel mill. There are additional stenciled markings on the lid and front panel, including 8 / 38, which would indicate a packing date of August, 1938.

The M95/30 carbine was widely used by police and other rear-echelon units in both Germany and Austria following the “Anschluss”, and was a development of the M95 long rifle and carbines which served as the standard service rifle of Austria-Hungary during World War I.

A very nice example of a hard to find ammo crate with some great history, ready to research and display!