What color where ammo cans?

[tankjeepman]

I got a couple of WWII 30 cal ammo cans I want to restore. What color where the ammo cans in WWII painted?

[Ben Dover]

The same coler that TM9 ORDNANCE markets for this purpose. ENAMEL, Synthetic Semi-Gloss Olive Drab Munitions Can. It is sold in 12 Oz. Aerosol Cans and it is "spot on". You're lucky as you won't have to go very far to find it. :wink:

[RobL]

I can vouch for the TM9 paint. I've used it to repaint at least a dozen WWII .30 cal M1 ammo cans, and its a precise match to the nice originals in my collection.

Plus, Paul is good people...always willing to advise and help.

His paint was used on the can in the lower left...matches the two originals on the right.



Rob L.

[Tapper02]

Okay, so next question....what did you use for the new stamped information on your restored cans Rob? Stencil?, rubber stamp?, what paint?, etc?

Thanks, Tom

[RobL]

Hi,

I fashioned a rubber stamp from a collection of rubber letters from an old stamping kit I found someplace...and mixed two Speedball enamel inks (yellow and a bit of red to give it more of an "ordnance orange" hue...probably could have used a bit more red in hindsight)..rolled on the ink with a brayer...and pressed it onto the can that way. The more screwed up and less perfect the stamping looked, the more pleased I was with the "realism".

Of course, a blank, unstamped can is also correct for WWII.

(the cans were only stamped as "repacked" when previously packed ammunition was pulled out of its original cartons, or M1917 boxes, and belted and then packed into these M1 or M1A1 cans)

Rob L.

[Tapper02]

Thanks for the info Rob...

-Tom

[Chuck Lutz]

By the way...I believe you will also find WWII jerry cans in this color so I think if you have some left over it can be put to good use there as well.

[RebelSST]

I got a couple of WWII 30 cal ammo cans I want to restore. What color where the ammo cans in WWII painted?

Could also be in the white if used in tanks, tankjeeper!

[42GPW]

Oh go florescent orange. Be different.lol.

Matt R

[nirvana]

White, Green (dark) or red primer are all acceptable for tank ammo cans....

[smartsniper308]

Agreed that Paul at TM9 is good people. I had a nice long chat in Huntsville about paint and whatnot. He showed me the difference between difference between a ww2 and post war 50 cal can. Can't wait to repaint my cans!

Someone told me that marking only occurred during repacking. Initially they were solid green and had no stamping. When repacked they received the yellow markings. I do have some cans that have the repack slips to match the stamped markings. So decide if yours are repacked or if they are factory.