Post
by mreheater72 » Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:41 am
Hi Oli,
I took a look to some of my C-Rats again. In my opinion there is no uniform line with the stamping in the can lids for dating, I can at least none recognize. The "codes" differ between the main entrees, the fruits, the cakes, the Crackers and the spreads, also with the different manufacturers.
Below some suggestions for dating:
Crackers: e. g. 8 79, 10 79, 8 80: Here I think it’s clear: Month and year.
Peanut Butter and Jams (Kern Foods): (I checked about 50 cans!) e.g. AX 21029, A 30019, D 01059, JX 30070, D 27030. The letters, no idea. With the numbers is like that: The first two successive numbers never exceed the value of 31, therefore it must be the day of the month. The second two successive numbers never exceed the value 12, therefore it must be the month. The last number is by all cans I own, always 8, 9 or 0. I think that stands for 1978, 1979 and 1980. This is in agreement with all my Cracker cans, they are from 1978, 1979 and 1980. E.g. AX 21029: 21. February 1979
Jam, Grape (Baumer Foods): XJ 4: No idea!
Cheese Spread Cheddar Hickory Smoke (Real Fresh): 9223: According to the dating of MREs, the 223. day of 1979???
Beef Steak with Gravy (Blue Star Foods): 0031: According to the dating of MREs, the 31. day of 1980???
Turkey Loaf (Tony Downs Foods): 139: No idea!
Ham and Eggs Chopped (Tony Downs Foods): 810: No idea!
Applesauce (Coast Counties Can): e.g. K220C, K150C, X280C: No idea!
Fruit Cocktail (California Canners and Growers): FLB4N 8824 L: No idea!
Sliced Peaches (California Canners and Growers): FYS3G 8819 L: No idea!
All in all: Dating C-Rat cans with the stamping in the lids is simply not possible in every case!!
Best wishes mreheater72
I think there were different codes by the main items, the cakes, the fruits and the spreads! But until now I havn´t find the deeper sense, too! In my collection there are about 400 C-Ration cans 
! When I have enough time I will write down all codes of the 400 cans and try to find some sense in these numbers! You are right housil, the times the MRE were called C-Rations were really better!!
