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New .303 finds

TonyE

TonyE

HONOURED MEMBER RIP
Just back from the ECRA meeting at Bisley after a very successful morning. I obtained two rounds that I have been after for a long time.

The first is an aluminium cased .303 Mark VI made it is believed by the British Aluminium Co. in the WWI period. I have had the Mark VII version for a long time but needed the Mark VI type.

The second is probably one of the rarest .303 inch rounds there is, the Smoke Discharger E Mark IT. It is the first one I have seen in fifty years of collecting .303 inch cartridges.

Regards
TonyE
 

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Hello Tony,
Could you enlighten me what the Smoke Discharger E Mark IT is, i missed the meeting yesterday as was working late Friday, not that you would have had any competition from me for these items, its amazing what turns up at such a small meeting only held twice a year,,,, Dave
 
millsbomber said:
Hello Tony,
Could you enlighten me what the Smoke Discharger E Mark IT is, i missed the meeting yesterday as was working late Friday, not that you would have had any competition from me for these items, its amazing what turns up at such a small meeting only held twice a year,,,, Dave
Click to expand...

The Smoke Discharger E mark IT was used to fire "Generator Smoke No.8 Mark I" from SMLE cup dischargers fitted to armoured vehicles. The nomenclature is "E" for Discharger and "T" for blackpowder. I can only assume that blackpowder was used as the propellant to add even more smoke!.

It only stayed in service for a year or so as after that it was replaced by the normal Grenade Discharger H Mark I cartridge which di the same job.

Regards
TonyE
 
peashooter said:
There cant be many more you have to find now Tony

Rich
Click to expand...

Only the Ball Mark III, Incendiary Mark V, Ball Mark VII Reduced Charge, Short Range Mark III, Semi Armour Piercing F Mark I and a host of Local Pattern drill and short range rounds. Out of around 130 or so Marks of .303 that were approved or adopted I think I have about 105.

I suspect quite a few of the local types from India and New Zealand etc., never even made it to the UK.

Regards
TonyE
 
peashooter said:
Tony which is the "Ball Mark VII Reduced Charge" is it the same as the purple label rounds?

Rich
Click to expand...

No, although both were designed to train aircrew in clearing stoppages in Vickers guns.

The "Purple Label" had the bullet seated 0.10 inches deeper than normal and was designed to give a misfeed. Apart from the shorter overall length and lack of neck stab crimps, it had a blackened primer for identification.

The Mark VIIRC had a reduced charge such that the lock did not recoil sufficiently for the gun to cycle correctly. It had a blue band lacquered round the case above the rim (like the .303 practice tracer or the .55 Boys practice rounds).

I know of no surviving examples of the Mark VIIRC anywhere.

Regards
TonyE
 
According to the drawing I have it is "VIIRC" but as I say, until someone actually finds one we will never be sure!

Cheers
TonyE
 
Hi Tony I finally got around to checking out your post. Very nice additions to your collection. I liked the .55 Crate as well. I picked up a clip a few weeks back and they were in quite poor shape. How is it I manage only to find sealed boxes of .303 and you manage to find Boys ones!

Best regards Rod
 
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