British "L" Numbers

In 1954 the United Kingdom replaced the old system of allocating "Mark" numbers with the British version of the new NATO nomenclature.

This consists of an "L" number followed by an "A" suffix, e.g. L2A1. The "L" number defines the store and the "A" the modification level. Thus the "Round Ball 7.62mm L2A1" was the first version of the 7.62mm NATO Ball cartridge and the L2A2 was the second or modified version.

There are a number of points to consider regarding "L" numbers:

- There is no commonality of "L" number allocation between different stores. Thus for the 7.62mm NATO the L10A1 is a blank, yet for the .50 Browning the L10A1 is a drill round.

- Just because an "L" number was allocated it does not necessarily mean that the store was manufactured or entered service.

- "L" numbers are allocated within the hierarchy of the nomenclature. It is often claimed that the existence of the 7.62mm NATO Drill round L1A1 and the Grenade cartridge L1A1 is an error of allocation, but that is not so. The drill is "Round 7.62mm Drill L1A1" because it has a bullet, but the grenade cartridge is "Cartridge 7.62mm Grenade L1A1" because it does not have a bullet.

Experimental items were given an "XL" number and "E" replaced the "A" suffix, e.g. .50 Browning experimental Observing XL13E1. If the experimental item was then approved for service it was given an "L" number, which might or might not correspond to the "XL" number.

The following "L" codes are known to exist.