Mystery Rounds from WW1 to Korea?

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I recently was given a LOT of brass (3,000rds. +/-) by a neighbor in his late 70's. In amongst about 700 rds. of .30-06 I found the 3 live mil rounds in the accompanying photos. I don't know the purpose of them, and I am curious. Their case head markings are also kind of interesting (Armory and date). They are: FA 18, EW 43, and LC 53.

Can someone tell me what these loads do?
 

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My guess is blanks? Maybe for ceremonies? And also another guess is Frankford Arsenal Manu. 1918, and Lake City Arsenal Manu. 1953, and I am not famailiar with the EW headstamp.
 
They appear to be training and ceremony blanks. The grooved crimp near the mouth holds in a hard paper top wad that is usually then sealed with red enamel paint like a gaudy fingernail polish. The mouth is then rolled over a bit to improve feeding. I would not reload these cases. I would not attempt to salvage the powder from these cases for any use, it is not regular rifle powder but a special fast burning powder specifically for use in blanks. I would put them with my collectables and smile. I was not aware they were made as early as 1918. I have had them both from 20 round boxes and M-1 rifle clips. Used a bunch in high school.

-kBob
 
I have a belt of 30-06 blanks I picked up at an auction, maybe 200 or so rounds. The headstamps are mixed years and arsenals. I've been told that the brass used for blanks were seconds or rejects from the arsenals.
 
Correct. Those are .30 caliber blanks for training and ceremonial use. There was a red frangible wad crimped into the mouth of the case -- you can plainly see the crimp.

If they had been grenade-launching blanks, they would have had a star crimp on the case mouth.
 
Answers - Thanks

Thanks to all for the info. I had figured out the Frankford and Lake City Arsenals, but didn't know the EW headstamp, and hadn't had time to look it up.

I figured the rounds were either blanks or grenade launch stuff, but didn't know which (or if they are maybe something entirely different!). I had no intention of using them in any way - just curious about their original purpose.
 
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