The Ho-103 used a wide variety of ammunition; Most was produced in Japan, but some was imported from
Italy (such ammunition was identical to that used in
Breda-SAFAT HMGs). Types of ammunition used by the Ho-103 include: •
Ball (full metal jacket), marked with a pink or red seal around the casemouth. •
Armor piercing (AP) of Italian origin, marked with a black tip. •
Armour piercing tracer (AP-T) with red
tracer, marked with a pink tip and green and white seal around the casemouth. •
AP-T with brighter-burning, longer-lasting red tracer, uncolored tip and black seal around the casemouth. •
AP-T with white tracer, uncolored tip and green and white seal around the casemouth. • '''
Fuzed high-explosive incendiary''' (HEI) of Italian origin, its body painted blue or red. Contained of
PETN and incendiary composition. • '
Ma 103 fuzed
HEI', marked with a white seal around the casemouth. Contained of
RDX and incendiary composition. Copy of the Italian fuzed HEI round with additional incendiary composition added. • '
Ma 102 fuzeless
HEI', marked with a dark purple seal around the casemouth. Contained of
PETN +
RDX and incendiary composition. Elimination of the fuze from the Ma 103 HEI round permitted additional space for explosive content. Considered an improvement over the Ma 103, detonation was achieved via crumpling of the round upon striking a target. ==Design==