Author Topic: Blackpowder .303 (Read 863 times)

gazz · « **on:** February 12, 2006, 05:02:04 PM »

Hi,
I have read that the original .303 British was loaded with a "compressed pellet of blackpowder". Does anyone know how this was done? Also it was 70 grains! Perhaps it was loaded into the case in a slightly damp state and compressed?
Does anyone know?
cheers,
gazz.

Ray Newman · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2006, 12:08:28 PM »

My SWAG (Scientific Wild Assed Guess) is that it was loaded & compressed in a fashion similar to loading the Cordite .303 load.

That is, a primed case was loaded w/ Cordite, then the neck was formed & the bullet seated. W/ BP the powder probably was compressed before the neck was formed so as to given a more uniform compression to the powder.

If ithe BP was damp, how would the primer not be effected?

gazz · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:21:10 AM »

Thanks Ray.
I always wondered how they got all those little sticks of cordite in there.
O.K. here's my S.W.A.G.(Mk2).
Perhaps they compressed damp black powder at a force sufficient to fit 70 grains into a space normaly occupied by 50 grains un compressed in a die to form the" pellet" mentioned. Then they formed the case around it like you suggested?
A good way of upping your load, but there could be a problem with reloading!
Cheers,
gazz.

Lone Star · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2006, 11:08:18 AM »

"The round, as originally adopted, consisted of a 215 Gr, round nosed, cupro nickel jacketed bullet with of 71.5 Gr of RFG2 Blackpowder. The powder charge was pressed into a pellet with both ends slightly rounded and pierced with a central flash propagating hole. There was a glazeboard wad on top of the charge to protect the bullet base. It had a small boxer type primer and was officially designated "Cartridge, S.A., Ball, Magazine Rifle, Mark 1.C. Solid Case, .303inch". Muzzle velocity was 1830 fps, chamber pressure about 19 tons per sq".

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/303hist.html

.

Ray Newman · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2006, 04:40:53 PM »

Lone Star: the BP pellet I understand, but was the pellet placed in the case before or after the case neck was fully formed?

I wonder if this BP pellet was pre-formed before it was placed ion the case? From the article cited, it sounds like it was pre-formed as it hand an internal perforated flame tube.

Lone Star · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2006, 03:11:06 AM »

There is no way that a 71.5 grain pellet of BP would fit through the .311" hole in the case. Like subsequent Cordite loadings, the case was formed around the powder charge, in this case with a card wad on top.

Ray Newman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2006, 09:51:26 AM »

LoneStar: that's what I thought. Do you have any info stating as to how the BP pellet was formed?

Anduril · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2006, 12:11:51 PM »

Case formed around the powder. Well I'll be da***d!
I wonder if they had many fireworks at the factory doing it that way?
..

Ray Newman · « **Reply #8 on:** April 08, 2006, 09:53:02 AM »

"Case formed around the powder. Well I'll be da***d!
I wonder if they had many fireworks at the factory doing it that way? "

Probbaly utilized a great deal of non-sparking metals in the dies, case holders, etc?....