Bpd .303

[peashooter]

Does anyone have any info on the armour piercing bullet these rounds have I have a few and I have been able to identify the ball rounds but I have 1 with what looks like a small washer in the base of the bullet, it is not sealed over it just has a hole with the washer showing on the inside of the bullet base??

also does anyone have any details or drawings of the BPD rounds.

many thanks
Richard.

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Tracer perhaps ?

Could it be that the "washer" is the seal for the Tracer within ?
Just a thought as some of my old .303's had a "washer" at the rear where the trace would show.?

 

[peashooter]

cheers, I think I need to get hold of a drawing to find out for definite.

thanks
Richard.

 

[TonyE]

Bpd

I agree with Chris, that is almost certainly a tracer round you have. BPD made most loads in .303, ball, AP, tracer and incendiary, usually identified by coloured bullet tips.

What date is the round you have?

Regards
TonyE

 

[peashooter]

It is dated 39 I have a 37 and a 39 the 37 is none magnetic CN and weighs in at 174.3 grns the 39 has the 159.4 grn bullet with the washer base. None have any tip colour

I am thinking the 174 grn is just a standard cn mk7 ball round, would I be correct

TonyE could I just run something else by you please, in the same batch I purchased a KN 12 ↑ VII but the VII is over stamped with a ↑ any idea's why the over stamped VII

thanks
Richard.

 

[TonyE]

Overstamp

Your BPD .303s are for the 7.7mm Breda Safat machine gun used by the Italian Air Force so cannot really be considered as Ball Mark VII etc., even though it is in fact a copy of the British load.

The overstamp on the Kings Norton round is two broad arrows at ninety degrees to each other. The original headstamp is just KN and the arrow between is part of the overstamp.

The overstamp was used between about 1907 and 1914 and signified acceptance by government inspectors. I know it seems laborious, but when a batch of contractor ammunition passed proof and was accepted for service it was run through another die and overstamped with the two broad arrows. The outbreak of WWI seems to have put a stop to that practice.

Regards
TonyE

 

[peashooter]

So should I catalogue them as 7.7mm Breda rather than British .303

many thanks for all your help

Richard.

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Longer bullet than Ball ?

Just another thought Peashooter, is the "washered" bullet not a fair bit longer than the ball bullet?

Also if it is Tracer then you should be able to see what looks like an Aluminium based grey substance inside the bullet.

 

[peashooter]

Just another thought Peashooter, is the "washered" bullet not a fair bit longer than the ball bullet?

Also if it is Tracer then you should be able to see what looks like an Aluminium based grey substance inside the bullet.

Yes on both accounts, cheers but why is it magnetic is it an ap tracer or is the tracer just a cupro nickel clad steel envelope ??

Richard.

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

AP/T or not AP/T ?

Yes on both accounts, cheers but why is it magnetic is it an ap tracer or is the tracer just a cupro nickel clad steel envelope ??

Richard.

Out of my knowledge here so best left to Tony E to answer that one I think!
Best regards

 

[TonyE]

tracer

I would think it is simply a CN clad steel envelope.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Jimiles]

Richard, I have a BPD tracer and I can confirm that mine is also magnetic, presumably with a CNCS jacket.
Jim

 

[TonyE]

Italian .303

I don't really collect foreign .303, although I hang on to any I find.

Here are a selection of Italian 7.7mm rounds, starting with a ball round h/s "SMI 937" and the two incendiary types, blue tip "SMI 938" and green tip "BPD 40". ALl have CNCS envelopes.

Second picture is Italian post WW2 for when they were re-armed with British .303 weapons.

Blank "BPD 954"
Wood bulletted blank "S.A. C-53"
Ball "B.P.D. 952" purple annulus
Tracer "B.P.D. 952" red annulus
AP "B.P.D. 952" green annulus

All have GMCS envelopes and it seems the Italians followed the british colour codes.

Regards
TonyE