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.303 Bullet Question

Weasel

Weasel

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Hi,
I have had this for a very long time, and have another with it's copper jacket still on the tip is made from a solid rolled paper cone. Can someone give me any info on these and their use by the military. Believed to be of British manufacture. Sorry but i don't have a lot else to give you,
Best regards Weasel..
 

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This was simply a cost-saving method instead of using an aluminium tip filler. This was done I believe during WW2 as aluminium was a strategically important material.
 
Thank you for your reply Falcon, i don't know much at all about small arms, so always interesting to learn.
Best regards Weasel.
 
.303 Mark VII

The .303 Mark VII originally had an aluminium front core as Falcon says, and the paper tip was introduced by Nobels in WWI. Another idea tried at the time was a tip of lead wire, as well as an all lead bullet core.

Similar concerns arose in WW2, and in 1939 it was estimated that 40 tons of aluminium per week could be saved if other materials were used for the tip. At different times plastic, wood fibre and ceramic tips were utilised.

Regards
TonyE
 
Thanks Tony,
That is an amazing saving of material just makes you realise who many rounds must be produced to make it add up like that. Thank you for the info i had no idea that these even existed let alone there were so many variations of filler.
Best regards Weasel.
 
.303 production

I don't have any figures to hand for production of .303 ball in 1939, but assuming the whole 40 tons could be saved from .303 production that works out at about 100 million rounds per week, although the same principle could be applied to .5 Vickers ball which had a much larger aluminium front core.

Again assuming that the 100 million was a projected figure for later in the war that does not seem too high. Peak production in 1918 was about 300 million per month and of course by WW2 usage by the RAF was expected to be much higher with the eight gun fighters in service. (Even though tracer, incendiary and AP did not have an aluminium front core there was still a lot of ball ammo used in fighters at that time)

Regards
TonyE
 
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