Raf .303

[Japes]

I came across an interesting box of .303 ammunition recently. I don't know much about it but I thought it was interesting enough to add to my small collection. Does anyone have any comments as to source, manufacturer or anything else of interest regarding this box? Thanks.

Japes

 

[Darrol]

Nice rounds .I think the manufacturer is Greenwood & Batley Ltd..Cheers Darrol.

 

[ydnum303]

Yes, made by Greenwood & Batley, who, although they were a big general engineering company, had been making small-arms ammunition since 1888 at least. they made huge quantities of .303", mostly ball, and this particular box is of rounds made to a somewhat higher specification/quality control, than the normal rounds for Land/Naval Service, and were supplied for air service. This was because a jam in an aircraft gun is not easily clearable, and can have serious results for a fighter pilot.

 

[Darrol]

hi . was the .303 rounds supplied to the raf of higher presure like the 7.92 mm v rounds used by the luftwaffe?
cheers Darrol.

 

[TonyE]

no, they were simply made to tighter tolerances. Originally the control was on ignition time as a hangfire of even milliseconds would upset the synchronisation gear and hit the propellor. Later, as wing guns became more prevalent the emphasis was dimensional as misfeeds etc. could not be cleared.

"Special for RAF" was distinguished by the full four digit date in the headstamp. From 1939 all ammunition was produced to this standard and from 1942 only two digit dates were used.

A nice label though.

Regards
TonyE

 

[relbut]

For my own interest, I draw packet labels with appropriate headstamps and was most interested in the GB 1939 carton. Some time back, at the range one day someone said they had shot off a lot of "Special for RAF" ammunition. To cut a long story short, I was eventually given a carton with some remaining rounds ~ another GB 1939 carton.
Les

 

[TonyE]

The earliest example of rounds specially for Air Service is this label for .303 inch RL tracer, probaly from 1915. The RL tracer was the first attempt at a tracer round, but only traced for about 100 yards. It is very hard to find an example these days.

The second label is a 1918 one marked as special quality for the Royal Flying Corps and the third a 1927 tracer VIIG label for the RAF.(which for some reason I scanned in B & W!)

Regards
Tonye

 

[relbut]

Re the GB 1939 VII headstamp shown earlier. On checking the headstamps of the cartridges that I received with the box, I found a couple with dots after the G and B, i.e. G.B.1939 VII, is there a confirmed explanation as to why GB tended to put so many dots in their headstamps as they seem to be more obvious in the 1920-late 1930's.
Les