What can you tell me about .30 M 2 BALL ammo?

[Will52100]

Just bought a piece of property and while picking through the old house before I shove it down before it falls down I came across a good bit of .30 call ammo still in the paper boxes of 20rds.  The boxes are mostly missing the tops and are water damaged to some degree.  The rounds apear to be FMJ of copper and are rimless and head stamped with DM 42 and primmer is crimped in.  It aprears to be a 30-06 but haven't miked them.  The rounds themselves apear to be in good condition and if I had a rifle chambered for it I would probably fire them.

Any body tell me more about them, what there worth, any history?  I suspect that they were for the M1 Garand and posibly date to WWII as the man who's place I bought was in the Army air corps.

Thanks,

Will

[marlinman93]

Hi Will,
 Your guess is right. They are .30-06, and from the date, they would be ball ammo for the Garand. If they've got water damaged boxes, with the top missing, there is no collector value. Hopefully they will fire, but that depends on whether the moisture got into the cases. GI ammo is usually well sealed, so it's possible they are good, but no way to tell, until you try them.
 Hope this helps.

[Will52100]

Thanks, bout' what I figured, shame I don't have a 30-06, but have a friend that does.  I should say the boxes are humidity damaged, not water, they sat in a house that was made in the 1920's.