WARNING: I have safety training and permission from Range Control to access these parts of the OTA. If you want to visit the OTA you must follow all safety and access guidelines and the byelaws.
Another busy day. For a landscape that seems quite empty at first glance, the area around Bellshiel Law long cairn is actually full of evidence of training over many years.
On Friday I looked closely at the Scheduled Monument area of the long cairn itself, then headed up the westward hill to record a bunker (still in active use) and its associated artefact scatter. I then thought it wouldn’t take too long to do a walkover survey of the eastern facing slopes of the hill – from the bunker back down to the track facing the long cairn – and of course was there until 7pm before I called it a day.
On the north-east facing slope of the hill I found a scatter of early 20th century building rubble which upon closer inspection contained several horseshoe-shaped arrangements of stone and rubble which had been used as gun placements.
They had a good view over Bellshiel Law Long Cairn and the fields to the north and north west where I recorded the brush-wood shelters.
I also recorded the in-use bunker on the hill.
It was a three-jumper day but thankfully the rain held off all day.
April 23, 2016 at 4:49 pm
The rounds you found are blanks and if they are 5.56mm, they would be used in links like that with the FN Minimi (M249 SAW in US terminology). It is the same ammunition that is used in the SA80, standard British rifle.
To use these rounds, guns are fitted with an adapter called “blank firing attachment” at the end of their barrel that makes it possible for the rifle to load another round automatically. They produce sound (and make the weapon really messy!). I do not know for certain, but I would plastic rounds to be used by now, so these might be relatively old.
If you look at the bottom, a year of production should be stamped.
I have no clue if paint would have any special meaning, but here’s a link that might help you:
http://militarycartridges.nl/uk/5_56x45mm.htm
Or, if the rounds are 7.62mm this one:
http://militarycartridges.nl/uk/7_62mm.htm
In which case, it would be used in a FN MAG (US designation M240)
And a photo of the weapon with the attachment:
LikeLike
April 24, 2016 at 9:15 am
Thanks – that’s really helpful!
LikeLike