Comments by "mpetersen6" (@mpetersen6) on "The German Army's Ammo Problem in WW2" video.

@effexon One adjustment was the substitution of steel for copper in coinage. Another was the use of silver for wiring in the Manhattan Project. Another case of material substitution is replacing the cast iron surface plates used in industry for inspection purposes with granite and in some cases glass. Not because of a materials shortage. But because the production of high quality cast iron surface plates simply could not be rushed and the skilled hand scrapers who produced them were needed for other work.
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The US was the country least vulnerable to copper shortages. Even then they had to make adjustments. And this was with access to copper from mines in the western US, the Upper Great Lakes along with Chile. The much more critical shortages in metal were in the alloying elements such as molybdenum*, tungsten etc *aka Molly be damned
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@markharrison2827 My father* was also in an artillery unit but they didn't have the issue of empty cases after each fire mission. His unit was equipped with 155mm Long Toms. Using seperate powder bags. I can see where there would be some effort made into recycling spent shell casings for artillery rounds using them. Even if it means shipping them all the way back to the US, UK or somewhere in the USSR to be re-used or melted down. After all your logistical train runs both ways. Instead of just running the ships, trucks or rail cars empty they might as well carry something. But there are limits. If attempting to recover and reuse spent casings puts your trained personnel at risk beyond those normally involved in combat operations then in my opinion it's not worth it. Let's say an artillery unit has been shooting and they need to move fast due to enemy action. First priority is the people, second is the guns, third is any excess ammunition you cannot destroy in place. At the very bottom of the list are mess kits, spent shell casings etc. *even being around things that made loud booms for around 4 plus years plus working in a loud industrial environment his hearing was quite good.
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