7.92×57mm Mauser Ammunition (P635, Patrone s.S. - 1939)
German 7.92×57mm Mauser (8×57 IS) “Patrone s.S.” (schweres Spitzgeschoss, heavy spitzer) in a full original 15-round carton, packed in 1939 under manufacturer code P635 (Hirtenberg).
Images
Specifications
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Cartridge | 7.92×57mm Mauser (8×57 IS), the standard German rifle and machine-gun cartridge of WWII. |
| Country | Germany (Third Reich); produced at Hirtenberg in Lower Austria following the 1938 annexation. |
| Type / Load | Patrone s.S. - schweres Spitzgeschoss (“heavy spitzer”) ball. |
| Quantity | Full original carton: 15 rounds. |
| Manufacturer Code | P635 - Hirtenberg (Austria) production associated with the Gustloff-Werke era. |
| Date & Lot (Box) | P 635. 73. L. 39 - packed/assembled by P635, Lot 73, 1939. |
| Case, Headstamp & Components | |
| Headstamp Example | P635 S* 39 82 - maker code P635; case type “S*”; year 1939; case lot 82. |
| Primer | Zdh. 88 (corrosive, typical of the period). |
| Powder | Nz. Gew. Bl. P. (2-2-0,45) - nitrocellulose flake rifle powder; maker code Mog. Lot 111, 1939. |
| Label Component Lots | Patrh. s* P635.82.L.39 (case); Gesch. P635.37.L.39 (bullet); Zdh. 88 R.W.S. 257.L.39 (primer). |
| Bullet & Identification | |
| Bullet | s.S. heavy boat-tail FMJ ball, approx. 12.8 g / 198 gr. |
| Common Visual Identifier | Green primer annulus often seen on s.S. ball; tips are typically unpainted (not AP or tracer). |
| Condition & Context | |
| Condition | Original 1939 carton with matching P635-marked cartridges; preserved as a reference set for display and study. |
Historical Summary
Germany’s 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge (often called “7.9mm”) served as the core rifle and machine-gun round of the Wehrmacht during WWII. While early service loads used lighter bullets, the s.S. (schweres Spitzgeschoss, “heavy spitzer”) load became a preferred long-range ball pattern for machine-gun use and general service, pairing a streamlined boat-tail FMJ projectile with strong down-range performance.
This example is a complete, original 15-round box labeled “Patronen s.S.”, packed in 1939 under manufacturer code P635 (Hirtenberg, Lower Austria). The year “39” appears both on the box label (Lot notation “L. 39”) and on the case headstamp.
The box label is especially useful because it records component sourcing in one place: case lot, bullet lot, primer type (Zdh. 88), and powder designation with maker and lot information.
Collector Notes
For K98k and MG34/MG42 companion displays, intact German cartons with legible labels and matching headstamps are often more desirable than loose rounds.
Corrosive primers: The Zdh. 88 primer type is corrosive. If any round is ever fired, clean the firearm promptly using a water-based method to flush primer salts, followed by normal cleaning and oiling.
Provenance
Preserved as part of the Relics & Rifles reference collection. The photos document the original carton, label text, and representative headstamps to support future comparisons.