Need information on a lock from WW2 that I have

[shortlineflyer]

I got a lock recently that I had no knowledge of and had not seen anywhere on LP101. I decided to look up the lock online and found that the lock is actually an antique. The lock was made by American Lock Co. and was a government issue padlock from World War 2. I have been trying to pick this lock for a while with no luck so far. I was wondering if anyone had any information on this lock that may or may not help. Any information is good information, even if the information doesn't help me to pick the lock I will still have more information about the lock itself.
Here are the links to pictures of the lock:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7 ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/F ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/K ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/y ... directlink

The graph paper is 4 quad rule per inch (4x4 = 1 sq inch). I thought the graph paper might give you a better ideal of size and scale.

[FarmerFreak]

As far as picking goes. It's the same as most of the American padlocks. The 1100 series the 700 series, pretty much the info on most posts regarding American padlocks will be the same for what you have here. With that knowledge you should be able to find many posts that will help you pick it.

I can't help with the history though, it seems you know that better than I would.

[Raymond]

I do not think this lock was made around the WWII time. The military was much more likely to have been using Yale, Corbin, Ilco, and Eagle padlocks. This padlock is old enough that it probably has no serrated pins. It will have regular spools. It is a 5-pin lock. The cylinder is held into the lock body by the crimped brass over the face of the pin & spring bible. I think this type of padlock was one of a group of six and issued as a group.

[WolfSpring]

I've been in the Army 13 years and we still have these locks in circulation, in fact I found a cut one on the ground recently out here in Iraq and it's being a little pain in my butt right now to pick. It does have serated keypins and I'm told it has a couple spools and serated drivers by some who have taken them apart.

[WolfSpring]

I just took my version of this thing apart, can't find my camera but will get pics tommorow. It has fiver sporated drivers, mine had probably a 31372 biting(roughly) and master pins as well which were 2X 2 1X 1 and 1X 4 ISH, rough estimates on the pins. Don't really feel like measuring them. I had a reallycompressed spring in there, possibly why I could not pick it, that and it's dirty as all get up. Really simple locking mechanism, just a piece of metal like a bow tie on the end of the plug that moves with the plug unlatching the shackle.

It is an older lock, but I would not say WWII. I signed one of these out from supply in the late 90s early 2000s for a wall locker. there's a code stamped on mine, and American is famous for putting there manufacturing info into code format, Usually it's 4 letters/numbers like JEIA(a 5200 I have) this locks is: M521B which I thought may be either a model number or key code but it doesn't work out to either one, so maybe it's a manufacturing code??? I'll try to find an old post about that.

I've found them online going from everything called "WWII military padlock", "vintage military padlock" "military surpluss padlock". I've got a contact at Master Lock I'll email them see if they can give me some info on them as they are no longer in production. You can pick them up for 5 bucks just about anywhere online. I did find an old WWII padlock that looks similar but it is literal solid body, not the two bottom pieces that these have that you can file out and it's not an AM3 keyway like these.

[awol70]

peering into the keyway,with a bit of directed light ,you should be able to see the serrations on the 1st key pin.
i can tell you that these locks do, in fact, carry serrated and serrated spool hybrids,as per Farmerfreak's post.
here is a link to a video of yours truly picking one open:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0py3DscE_wE

hope that helps a bit.

( NOTE: i state in the video that the cores are removable,when,in fact they are permanently pressed in.
also, the news on the TV in the background is somewhat twisted..)

[awol70]

Wolfspring: it's a dating code. very easy to tell the year your lock was produced.

[Raymond]

If you want to take one of these apart and reassemble it, just hammer the shackle down. This will push everything out the bottom.

[WolfSpring]

LOL, that'd been nice to know 4 hours ago, I just cross filed the circle outward and pulled them out.

[shortlineflyer]

does anyone know what model of american lock this lock is?