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Identification of possible .303 blank please

S

Smeegle

New Member
Good day to all,

Please could someone assist in identifying these cartridges that I recovered whilst metal detecting recently? I would also like to find out exactly what they were used for.

Markings are "P M P 65" on top and "MK 5 Z" below.

303_2 (Small).jpg
303_1 (Small).jpg

They were found at the Gillitts train station outside of Durban. Dating back to the Boer War in the first decade of the 20th century, this train station was a stop for British soldiers transiting from Durban through to the Midland battlefields as well as returning wounded soldiers.

It is because of this that I am wondering if they have some kind of historical significance.

Many thanks in advance,

Smeegle
 
Hi Smeegle,
yes they are Mk 5 .303" blanks made by Pretoria Metal Pressings,South Africa in 1965,the z refers to nitrocellulose and would be 'noise blanks' used for exercise and saluting purposes

Cheers
Tony
 
Hi Tony,

Many thanks for the reply! Please could explain to me what exactly the MK 5 means? What does it relate to i.e. What would be the difference between one of these cartridges and, say, a MK 4 or a MK 6 be (if such a thing exists)?

I was really hoping that they were older than 1965 :) Honestly, I envy you UK guys! Our country, especially the province I live in, has very little history, and anything going back more than 100 years is about as good as it gets! Each time I read about one of you blokes finding a Roman Sestertius in the "farmers field" nearby, I just want to cry!

Thanks for your help,
Smeegle
 
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Hi Smeegle,
.303" blanks are a vast topic all of there own and I highly recomend our .303" expert TonyE's books on .303" British service ammunition (commonwealth too!),there were several MkI blanks,the first being a rolled case and iron head,simmular to the .577/450" Martini Henry round,solid case with paper bullet black powder and after 3 marks of these a Mk I cordite was introduced!
As far as I Know .303" blanks went up to the Mk 10z(wood bulleted blank for the Bren gun)not counting the L10A1 from the mid 80's for cadet use! there were crimped,paper bullets,wood bullets and even a brass mock bullets,the Mk6 only differs from the Mk5 in that the option of using ballistite was allowed as a propellant.
And then there are discharging blanks,blanks used for igniters ect. collecting British blanks can be frustrating as ball,tracer,proof ect cases with their headstamps were more often than not used for the manufacture of blanks!

Cheers
Tony
 
Thanks Tony,

The information you has been invaluable to me, and I will certainly get hold of a copy of Mr Edwards' book.

Kind regards,
Smeegle
 
Thanks for the plug for the book, Tony!

I think the Mark V blank must have been about the longest serving .303 inch cartridge of them all. It was introduced in May 1894 and as yours show, was still being made in 1965, although in UK service it had been replaced by the L9z by that date.

Some of the differences between marks was very slght. For example, the Blank Mark IV was introduced in 1893 but replaced with the Mark V a year later. The only difference between them was that the Mark IV had no mineral jelly in the cordite. I believe this made it less stable in tropical storage (a significant point with the British Empire spread around the globe) and so the Mark V was introduced. The Mark VI blank had a mock bullet and there are several threads here about that if you search.

Regards
TonyE
 
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