Description
U.S. 25mm XM794E1 Developmental Dummy Cartridge
Product Overview
This U.S. 25×137mm XM794E1 dummy cartridge represents an early developmental version of the M794 training-round family. Associated with the M242 Bushmaster cannon, it was intended for non-firing weapon checkout and crew training. Its model and lot markings preserve a record of the ammunition program shortly before the standard M794 was adopted.
Identification and Features
The stencil identifies the developmental model directly. The full lot number separates the manufacturer symbol, production date, lot interfix, and sequence number.
- 25MM DUMMY XM794E1: Identifies the caliber, non-firing cartridge type, and developmental model.
- PFC81H803-001: Complete ammunition lot marking.
- PFC: Manufacturer symbol assigned to Philco-Ford Corporation, Aeronutronic Division, Newport Beach, California.
- 81H: Indicates that lot production began in August 1981; 81 identifies the year and H identifies August.
- 803-001: Lot interfix 803 followed by sequence number 001.
Function
A dummy cartridge represents live ammunition during checks and instruction. The XM794E1 was intended for non-firing weapon checkout and crew training, including familiarization with ammunition handling. The standardized M794 continued this role, giving crews a purpose-built round for these activities.
Product History
The XM794 series preceded the standardized M794 dummy cartridge. The XM prefix records its developmental status, while E1 identifies a revision within that experimental model. Army manual TM 43-0001-27 records M794 standardization by a Department of the Army letter dated December 1981. This example's August 1981 lot marking places its production lot four months before that milestone, making it a dated example from the transition between development and adoption.
Documented End-Item Applications
The principal application is the 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon used in the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family. Army references also document the standardized M794 for M242 installations on the Marine Corps LAV-25 and Navy Mk 38 gun system. Those additional applications describe the broader M794 family and its use across ground and naval weapon installations.
Equipment History
The production M794 was designed to reproduce the shape and approximate weight of the M792 high-explosive incendiary tracer and M793 target-practice tracer cartridges. Army documentation describes a modified M793 projectile and a steel cartridge case filled with inert epoxy resin. This construction supplied representative handling weight without the service cartridge's firing components. These details describe the standardized M794 production model.
Weapon-System Background
The M242 Bushmaster is an externally powered 25mm chain gun. A motor-driven chain cycles its action, giving the weapon its familiar chain-gun description. It became the main cannon of the Bradley, a vehicle family developed during the Cold War to support armored forces. The M2 infantry fighting vehicle carried soldiers into battle, while the related M3 cavalry vehicle served a scouting role. Both combined mobility, protection, and direct-fire weapons, making reliable ammunition handling an important part of crew preparation.
History of Use
The Bradley entered U.S. Army service in the early 1980s. It later fought in the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War, carrying the M242 into major armored campaigns. The M794 family's documented non-firing role places it within the crew training and weapon checkout that supported the system throughout its service life.
Condition
All ordnance is inert. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This developmental dummy cartridge suits a collection focused on experimental ammunition or the early Bradley program. Its model stencil and dated lot code provide useful details for comparing developmental and standardized ammunition. It also adds a training component to a display about the M242 Bushmaster and the equipment used to support armored-vehicle crews.
- U.S. experimental and developmental ammunition collections.
- Bradley Fighting Vehicle and M242 Bushmaster displays.
- Cold War military-history exhibits.
- Inert dummy-cartridge and training-equipment collections.
Approx length 8.5", Approx width 1.5", Approx height 1.5", Approx weight 1.1lbs.
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