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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

.303 Cartridges, Messines Ridge.


mick1234

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Hello all,

I have an idea that these are Kings Norton .303 MK VI/VII (?) Cartridges but not too sure about the round. I picked them up about 200 yds infront of the Petit Bois mines craters on Messines Ridge last W/End. Any ideas anyone !. They were all picked up within about a foot of each other.Thanks,

Mick

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post-38624-0-30029800-1370392413_thumb.j

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I think the caseneck is still wrapped around the bullet, and there don't appear to be any rifling marks. Looks like a vanilla Mk.VII bullet, broken from the rest of its case. Regards, MikB

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Thanks for the promt replies so far, I will take another "up closer "pic of the bullet and then post asap.

Mick

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303 cases were necked after insertion of the cordite sticks. That meant they couldn't be annealed afterwards (even if such an extra op were thought justifiable on military ammunition in wartime!), and the shoulder being very short meant that the tight double-bend could work-harden significantly, making it brittle in some conditions - not enough to produce risk in firing because of the support of the chamber, but it's imaginable that side-stresses from burial, ploughing, earthworks or later bombardment might snap it at the base of the neck.

Regards,

MikB

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You are quite right, that round was made by Kings Norton Metals Co. and is a Mark VII Ball round. (The headstamp looks like it is "VI" but the second "I" is just visible.

As Mik says, the bullet is from an unfired round that has broken off at the neck. A very common find on .303 inch ammo that has been in the ground for a long time.

Story - it is unlikely to be AP without the headstamp of "VIIP" or "VIIW", although the very early Mark VIIS AP was usually did not have the "S".

Thanks for the link to my British ammo site though. I still have a LOT of .303 inch to add!

Regards

TonyE

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