18 Following the Headstamp Trail An Assessment of Small-calibre Ammunition Documented in Syria by N.R. Jenzen-Jones A Working Paper of the Small Arms Survey/Security Assessment in North Africa project, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Copyright Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey © Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva 2014 Published in April 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the Small Arms Survey, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. 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Small Arms Survey Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies 47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland t + 41 22 908 5777 f + 41 22 732 2738 e [email protected] w www.smallarmssurvey.org N.R. Jenzen-Jones Following the Headstamp Trail 3 About the Security Assessment in North Africa The Security Assessment in North Africa is a multi-year project of the Small Arms Survey to support those engaged in building a more secure environ- ment in North Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region. The project produces timely, evidence-based research and analysis on the availability and circu- lation of small arms, the dynamics of emerging armed groups, and related insecurity. The research stresses the effects of the recent uprisings and armed conflicts in the region on community safety. The Security Assessment in North Africa receives core funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. In addition, the project receives ongoing support from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has previously received grants from the US State Department and the German Federal Foreign Office. 4 Small Arms Survey Working Paper 18 Table of contents List of boxes and photos ................................................. 6 Abbreviations and acronyms ............................................ 9 About the author ........................................................ 11 Acknowledgements ..................................................... 12 Introduction ........................................................... 13 General availability and pricing ....................................... 16 Technical characteristics of the identified ammunition . 18 7.62 × 39 mm ammunition ........................................... 18 Ammunition manufactured in Iran and Syria . 18 Chinese-manufactured ammunition ................................ 22 Sudanese-manufactured ammunition . 22 Warsaw Pact/Eastern Bloc-manufactured ammunition ............... 24 Booby-trapped ammunition ........................................ 26 7.62 × 54R mm ammunition .......................................... 29 7.62 × 51 mm and .308 Winchester ammunition ....................... 29 12.7 × 108 mm ammunition .......................................... 30 14.5 × 114 mm ammunition . 31 Shotshells ........................................................... 32 8 mm and 9 mm blanks ............................................. 35 Other ammunition .................................................. 36 Likely existence of cartridges not yet observed ...................... 37 Conclusion ............................................................. 39 Annexe 1: Small calibre ammunition identified in Syria . 40 Endnotes ............................................................... 50 References . 54 Publications list ......................................................... 56 N.R. Jenzen-Jones Following the Headstamp Trail 5 List of boxes and photos Boxes 1 Differential Identification of Iranian and Syrian Ammunition ..... 21 2 Syrian 9 × 18 mm Cartridge Marking Practices .................... 38 Photos 1 Syrian 7.62 × 39 cartridge case produced in 1984 by the Industrial Establishment of Defense (EID) in Damascus ..................... 19 2 Syrian 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge case produced in 1998............... 19 3 Iranian 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge case produced in 2001 by the Defense Industries Organization’s Ammunition & Metallurgy Industries Group ................................................. 19 4 Iranian 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge produced in 2011 by the Defense Industries Organization’s Ammunition & Metallurgy Industries Group ................................................. 19 5 Wooden outer packaging of Iranian origin, containing 1,000 7.62 × 39 mm cartridges produced in 1992.......................... 20 6/7 Cardboard inner packaging of Syrian origin, originally containing 50 7.62 × 39 mm cartridges produced in 1998 ........... 20 8 Chinese 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge produced in 1997 by State Factory 71 23 9 Chinese 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge produced in 2011 by State Factory 811 23 10 Sudanese 7.62 × 39 mm car­­tridge produced in 2012 by the Military Industry Corporation............................................. 23 11 Sudanese 7.62 × 39 mm car tridge produced in 2009 by the Military Industry Corporation............................................. 23 12 WOLF brand 7.62 × 39 mm car­­tridge likely manufactured at either Ulyanovsk Machinery Plant or Tula Cartridge Works, both located in the Russian Federation, prior to 2009 .............. 24 6 Small Arms Survey Working Paper 18 13 Kyrgyz 7.62 × 39 mm car­­tridge case produced in 2000 by the Bishkek Machine-Building Plant.................................. 24 14 Romanian 7.62 × 39 mm armour-piercing incendiary (API) cartridges produced in 1996 by Uzina Mecanică Sadu S.A. ........ 24 15 Unidentified 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge of possible Romanian origin, produced in 2012 .......................................... 24 16 Sheet metal inner packaging containing 7.62 × 39 mm cartridges produced at Lugansk Cartridge Works in Lugansk, Ukraine ...... 25 17 Wooden outer packaging containing 7.62 × 39 mm cartridges produced at Lugansk Cartridge Works in Lugansk, Ukraine ...... 25 18 Ukrainian 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge case produced in 2010 by Lugansk Cartridge Works ........................................ 25 19/20 Booby-trapped ammunition observed in Deir Sonbul ............. 27 21 Alleged booby-trapped ammunition observed in Western Damascus ........................................................ 27 22 Chinese 7.62 × 54R mm cartridge case produced in 2011 by State Factory 945.................................................. 28 23 Wooden outer packaging, likely of Syrian origin, containing 7.62 × 54R mm cartridges produced in 1963............. 28 24 Unmarked 7.62 × 51 mm cartridges observed in Idlib, in September 2012 ................................................ 28 25 Wooden outer packaging containing 1,000 7.62 × 51 mm cartridges 28 26 Czechoslovakian .308 Winchester cartridge case produced in 1986 by Sellier & Bellot......................................... 28 27 Cardboard inner packaging containing .308 Winchester cartridges 28 28 Soviet 12.7 × 108 mm cartridge case produced in 1970 by the Novosibirsk Low Voltage Equipment Plant........................ 30 29 Wooden outer packaging