France

In general the French headstamps follow the following pattern:

12 O'clock position: month & year of manufacturing

6 O'clock position: caliber ( 7,62 )

9 O'clock position: Factory

3 O'clock position: Metal supplier.

There are two exceptions to this. One is the first lot made by SFM and some lots made by TE which have the year at the 12 O'clock position and the month at the 6 O'clock position and the other is an export lot made by SFM, which has a completely different headstamp (see below under SFM).

Following codes for metal suppliers were used:

B = Compagnie du Duralumin et du Cuivre, Boisthorel

BD = Forges Barriol & Fils - Charles Dallière, Andrézieux

BO = Compagnie des Ateliers et Forges de la Loire, Usine du Boucau

C = Compagnie Francaise des Métaux, Castelsarrazin

CCM = Compagnie des Forges de Chatillon-Commentry et Neuves-Maisons

CPA = Société Métallurgique d'Imphy, Usine de Pamiers (Ariège)

D = Société Electromécanique de Divers

F = Tréfileries et Laminoirs de la Méditerranée, St. Louis

FY = Compagnie des Ateliers et Forges de la Loire, Firminy

HX = Hauts-Fourneaux & Aciéries de Pompey

I = Société de Métallurgie Franco-Belge, Issy-les-Moulineaux

N = Etablissements Navarre, Evreux

P = Société Anonyme des Mines et Fonderies de Pontgibaud

PY = Hauts-Fourneaux, Forges et Aciéries de Pompey, Usine de Dieulouard

S = Compagnie Francaise des Métaux, Serifontaine

SF = Société Francaise des Munitions, Paris

V = Société des Tréfileries et Laminoirs de Biache-St. Waast

VNS = Forges et Aciéries de Volklingen, Volklingen Sarre

 

Atelier de Construction du Mans (Le Mans)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   LM  -  D                                                    LM  -  FY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        LM  -  I                                                         LM  -  S

 

Only this type of headstamps are used on LM production.

Other codes know are:  LM  -  F    and    LM  -  PY

 

Société Méridionale d'Industrie, Marseille (MI)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                         MI  -  F                                                         MI  -  FY

 

No other codes known

 

Socété Francaise des Munitions, Paris (SFM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Headstamp used on export production           No headstamp as found on plastik blanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            SF  -  C                                                    SF  -  I

Other code known is: SF  -  PY

Also a headstamp version with SF  -  SF plus month & year exists. This was the first pilot lot.

 

Cartouchie de Toulouse (TE)

The following style headstamp was with the exception of the pilot-lot by SFM only used by TE. This style was used till 1959. After that TE switched completely to the other style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                         TE  -  C                                                       TE  -  CCM

 

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          TE  -  D                                                        TE  -  PY

 

Other codes known are:  TE  -  FY   and   TE  -  S

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        TE  -  C                                                      TE  -  CCM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    TE  -  D                                                            TE  -  FY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        TE  -  P                                                        TE  -  PY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            TE  -  S

 

Other codes known are: TE  -  B , TE  -  BO , TE  -  CPA , TE  -  N and TE  -  VNS.

 

Tréfileries et Laminoirs du Havre, Rugles (TH)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        TH  -  S

Other code known is: TH  -  HX

 

Cartoucherie de Valence (VE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          

                         VE  -  BD                                                    VE  -  D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          VE  -  P                                                        VE  -  V

Other code known is: VE  -  N