Description
U.S. 25mm XM794 Experimental Dummy Round
Product Overview
This U.S. 25×137mm XM794 dummy round belongs to the 1970s Bushmaster ammunition-development period. It is an early version of the cartridge later standardized as the M794. Its model stencil, manufacturer codes, and separate component dates preserve a record of the development work behind the Bradley Fighting Vehicle's ammunition family.
Identification and Features
The stencil identifies the model directly. The manufacturer codes are recorded in MIL-HDBK-1461A, while the year and month codes follow the military ammunition lot-numbering system described in MIL-STD-1168A.
- 25 MM DUMMY XM-794: Identifies the caliber, non-firing cartridge type, and developmental model.
- PFC: Manufacturer symbol assigned to Philco-Ford Corporation, Aeronutronic Division, Newport Beach, California.
- 77J: September 1977 cartridge-lot date; 77 identifies the year and J identifies September.
- POH: Projectile component manufacturer's code for R. L. Pohlman Armament Company.
- 76M: December 1976 projectile component-lot date; 76 identifies the year and M identifies December.
- AF 567740: Additional identification marking, reproduced as marked.
Function
The XM794 was intended for non-firing handling practice, crew training, and weapon-system checks. Dummy ammunition provided a representative cartridge for instruction and checkout of ammunition-handling equipment. This allowed personnel to become familiar with the round and conduct technical checks independently of a live firing exercise.
Product History
The XM794 emerged during the Army's effort to develop a new 25mm weapon and its ammunition for the Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, or MICV, program. In 1975, the Army awarded Philco-Ford's Aeronutronic Division a development contract covering 26 Bushmaster weapons and 439,599 rounds of ammunition. That award illustrates the scale of the combined development effort. This round's 1977 lot date places it within that period, several years before Army records show the M794's standardization in December 1981.
Component Production History
The projectile and cartridge carry separate maker and date markings. The earlier Pohlman component lot and later Philco-Ford/Aeronutronic cartridge lot are consistent with a projectile produced before its incorporation into a completed round. Under the military lot-numbering system, the date group records when manufacture, assembly, or modification of the lot began. These markings therefore preserve different stages of production.
Documented End-Item Applications
This XM794's development-era association is the Army's Bushmaster/MICV 25mm weapon program. For the later standardized M794, Army ammunition data sheets identify the M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon as the intended weapon. The principal Army vehicle applications of that cannon are the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle and M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle. These fielded applications establish the standardized cartridge family's place in the Bradley system.
Equipment History
Army manual TM 43-0001-27 describes the production M794 as an inert cartridge for non-firing weapon checkout. Its documented construction includes a steel projectile body and a steel case filled with inert epoxy resin. The standardized dummy approximated the configuration and weight of service ammunition, supporting realistic handling practice. These construction details describe the later production M794 and provide context for the earlier XM794 design.
Weapon System Background
The MICV program sought a protected infantry vehicle that could operate alongside the Army's tanks and provide stronger direct-fire support. It led to the Bradley family, with the M2 carrying infantry and the related M3 serving a cavalry scouting role. The eventual M242 armament was an externally powered chain gun whose motor-driven mechanism cycled the action. Developing ammunition and support items alongside the weapon helped create a complete system for vehicle crews.
History of Use
The XM794 belongs to the development and support side of this weapon's history, with a specified role in non-firing training and checkout. The standardized M794 continued those duties as the Bradley entered Army service in the early 1980s. The parent vehicle later saw extensive combat in the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War, while dummy ammunition remained part of the equipment used to prepare crews and check their weapons.
Condition
All ordnance is inert. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This XM794 suits a collection tracing the development of American armored vehicles and their ammunition. Its separate manufacturer codes and dated component markings offer useful details for study alongside military records. It also provides an early developmental example for comparison with later M794 dummy cartridges.
- U.S. experimental ammunition collections.
- Displays about Bushmaster and Bradley development.
- Cold War ordnance exhibits.
- Collections focused on inert training ammunition and military markings.
Approx length 8.5", Approx width 1.5", Approx height 1.5", Approx weight 1.1lbs.
Please visit our page about order lead times here: Order Lead Times.