100 Year Old .303 Rounds
Posted: 23 Jan 2019 13:02
Being one of the very few people that collects and shoots military surplus firearms in my community of friends I often get asked to help identify rifles and ammunition that they find in the attic or inherit etc. The other day I had these rounds and charger dropped off. The owner wanted to keep them as they belonged to a great uncle and came to him by way of his aunt but wanted them made safe. He had no idea what they were.
After some research, this is the information I was able to give him. He was really happy. For 100 year old rounds they were in pretty good shape. This is from my email to him.
Have removed powder from the cartridges and used oil to inert the primers. They are in pretty corroded state internally and I doubt they would have fired. They have a corrosive priming compound. The powder is partially deteriorated (decomposing). It is a nitrocellulose, extruded type of uncertain origin. Most nitro powder used in the .303 British was flake but I am sure they had variations based upon availability and sourcing. Here is the technical specs of the the rounds as best I can ascertain.
Type: .303 British Mark VIIz Standard Ball
Manufacturer: Greenwood and Batley, Leeds U.K. ("G" = Government Factory #1)
Year of Manufacture: 1918
Bullet: 174 Grain, cupro-nickel jacketed spitzer, flat open base, with a smooth, low position cannelure (Actual weights were 172.4 and 172.7 grains). It has an aluminum or perhaps cellulose top core and lead bottom core.
Powder: 41.3 Grains extruded nitrocellulose (May have been made by Nobel Powders (Vectan) of France)
Charger
Manufacturer :Greenwood and Batley, Leeds U.K. ("G" = Government Factory #1)
Type: 5 round for Lee Enfield No. 1 Mark III
Case: Standard Cartridge Brass, Berdan primed with indent crimp mid-neck and white? primer sealing. Two flash holes.
Researching head stamps is something I find interesting but loaded rounds I have never collected. Hopefully that "bug" doesn't bite or I am going to have to find some more room and maybe go back to work.
After some research, this is the information I was able to give him. He was really happy. For 100 year old rounds they were in pretty good shape. This is from my email to him.
Have removed powder from the cartridges and used oil to inert the primers. They are in pretty corroded state internally and I doubt they would have fired. They have a corrosive priming compound. The powder is partially deteriorated (decomposing). It is a nitrocellulose, extruded type of uncertain origin. Most nitro powder used in the .303 British was flake but I am sure they had variations based upon availability and sourcing. Here is the technical specs of the the rounds as best I can ascertain.
Type: .303 British Mark VIIz Standard Ball
Manufacturer: Greenwood and Batley, Leeds U.K. ("G" = Government Factory #1)
Year of Manufacture: 1918
Bullet: 174 Grain, cupro-nickel jacketed spitzer, flat open base, with a smooth, low position cannelure (Actual weights were 172.4 and 172.7 grains). It has an aluminum or perhaps cellulose top core and lead bottom core.
Powder: 41.3 Grains extruded nitrocellulose (May have been made by Nobel Powders (Vectan) of France)
Charger
Manufacturer :Greenwood and Batley, Leeds U.K. ("G" = Government Factory #1)
Type: 5 round for Lee Enfield No. 1 Mark III
Case: Standard Cartridge Brass, Berdan primed with indent crimp mid-neck and white? primer sealing. Two flash holes.
Researching head stamps is something I find interesting but loaded rounds I have never collected. Hopefully that "bug" doesn't bite or I am going to have to find some more room and maybe go back to work.