Collecting .303

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   Morning gentlemen.Is anyone like myself and a collector of 303 rounds?
I have met people at militaria fairs who collect empty cartridges for headstamps and dates snd seen some wondrful collections.
I also met an interesting guy who collected rounds from air crash sites who had lots of information he had gathered on the plane crash.
My own collection starts with round headed bullet 303 and what I believe are Mk6 rounds with a round nosed bullet with a hole drilled in it, along to a variety of dummy rounds and blanks.
It amazes me the topics of interest connected with 303 rounds and Lee Enfield rifles.
Such an interesting subject.

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martini1215 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: December 11 2023 Location: Cleethorpes Status: Offline Points: 90	Post Options Post Reply Quote martini1215 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Topic: Collecting .303 Posted: December 19 2023 at 12:31pm
	Morning gentlemen. Is anyone like myself and a collector of 303 rounds? I have met people at militaria fairs who collect empty cartridges for headstamps and dates snd seen some wondrful collections. I also met an interesting guy who collected rounds from air crash sites who had lots of information he had gathered on the plane crash. My own collection starts with round headed bullet 303 and what I believe are Mk6 rounds with a round nosed bullet with a hole drilled in it, along to a variety of dummy rounds and blanks. It amazes me the topics of interest connected with 303 rounds and Lee Enfield rifles. Such an interesting subject.

A square 10 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 16998	Post Options Post Reply Quote A square 10 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 19 2023 at 4:54pm
	at one point i had vintage rounds for each of my enfield and martini rifles - had started to do the same for my webley and enfield handguns , then i started going backward far enough they were hard to find or cost too much , kinda gave up on that

britrifles Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Georgia, USA Status: Offline Points: 8404	Post Options Post Reply Quote britrifles Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 19 2023 at 6:08pm
	I have my Dads collection of various .303 cartridges, black powder, cordite and nitrocellulose powder loads. WWII Ball, AP, Tracer (day and night) and incendiary loads. Would like to fire off a few tracer rounds and see if they still ignite. I also have some original .577 Snider and .577/450 Martini Henry rolled brass case ball ammo in 10 round paper packs.

A square 10 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 16998	Post Options Post Reply Quote A square 10 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 19 2023 at 7:21pm
	i can tell you from experience at our range that these old tracers and incendiary rounds still work most of the time , back when i first started my retirement job - 20 years ago - we had more than one fire get started on the berm vegetation and the old wooden target frames , i make it quite clear to those that ask or look like they should have that steel core and steel cased ammo is fine , armor piercing is not a problem but those fire starters are forbidden , its interesting how often the shooters have them ,

britrifles Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Georgia, USA Status: Offline Points: 8404	Post Options Post Reply Quote britrifles Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 20 2023 at 3:54am
	Yes, I would have to find a safe location to test fire a few. I thought about shooting them across the lake in the winter time and let them fall onto the ice at 800 to 1000 yards off, maybe shoot at night. I think the tracers take a few hundred yards to ignite.

HammerDown Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: December 08 2023 Location: PRK Status: Offline Points: 93	Post Options Post Reply Quote HammerDown Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 20 2023 at 8:55am
	I have this small collection of Mk7 RG and the ammo box. I’ve shot some of it over the past few decades.

martini1215 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: December 11 2023 Location: Cleethorpes Status: Offline Points: 90	Post Options Post Reply Quote martini1215 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 20 2023 at 1:11pm
	Thats a lovely box. Radway Green 1954, my dad was in Korea until 52 . He had a Lee Enfield No4 but said they prefferred the American M1 carbine, I think 30 cal which they could barter for a bottle of beer.His preference over either of those was a 4.2 mortar , he says its easier to nobble em in groups than one at a time. I ll ask him if he has any photos of lee enfields in mortar pits when I can post pictures. I am glad to see this post piqued a bit of interest amongst you and realised such positive replies.

Shamu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 20510	Post Options Post Reply Quote Shamu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 20 2023 at 5:23pm
	There's 2 kinds. Tracers & "dark light" tracers. regular are lit as they exit the bore, but "darklight" don't for abut 200yds to not give away the firers position. IIRC red, or orange primer annulus
	Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)

HammerDown Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: December 08 2023 Location: PRK Status: Offline Points: 93	Post Options Post Reply Quote HammerDown Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 20 2023 at 5:46pm
	Yes, please post photos when you can. I was able to post them using Imgur by copy/pasting the URL.

A square 10 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 16998	Post Options Post Reply Quote A square 10 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 20 2023 at 6:22pm
	radway green is good ammo , i have two cans of their 308 in stock , i like it

Goosic Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: September 12 2017 Location: Phoenix Arizona Status: Offline Points: 8842	Post Options Post Reply Quote Goosic Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 21 2023 at 4:05am
	Norma .303 ammo and 1941, 42, and 1943 Winchester ammo for me...

martini1215 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: December 11 2023 Location: Cleethorpes Status: Offline Points: 90	Post Options Post Reply Quote martini1215 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 21 2023 at 9:08am
	I joined Junior Leadrs Regiment Royal Artillery in 1977. We were getting ammo issued Radway Green 7.62 single rounds for SLR and LMG and linked for general purpose machine gun dated 1962, 2 years after I was born. There errr shall we say larger stuff even bagloaded wasnt quite so old, I think because of gun updates and not short shelf life.

Shamu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 20510	Post Options Post Reply Quote Shamu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 21 2023 at 2:33pm
	Oh I remember going to the "New Passage/Pilning" range back in Oh maybe 1968. We had the wood boxes of ammo, "Once opened to be consumed". It rained heavily! We opened several "spam cans" in advance, "Ooops"! 4 out of 85 bailed the odd one showed up! I qualified on a Bren that day. "The Brown Types" behind us (R.A.F.) were short of ammo for the qualifying needs of their new trainees. There was a little horse trading involved. My CO was laughing! How the he!! can I qualify you on an arm we don't even HAVE? Dammitt, man! order a couple of them! Amazingly we got 2 Brens in .303 Brit delivered with a case of magazines!
	Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)

martini1215 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: December 11 2023 Location: Cleethorpes Status: Offline Points: 90	Post Options Post Reply Quote martini1215 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: December 27 2023 at 6:34am
	Oh the bren, and its follower LMG, basically a bren in 7.62 so a straight mag. Beatiful to shoot but we cant own them in the UK since law changes, but a lot of people develop a liking for them whilst serving in the forces. Nice to have been able to fire them. I was able t fire an SLR straightpull a few months back, I wonder if our laws would allow a straighpull bren?Although it might defeat the object somewhat.

Mayhem Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: February 06 2016 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 335	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mayhem Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 04 2024 at 5:34pm
	I actively collect and have just under 2500 rounds in my collection. I also collect charger clips.
	.303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889

slowindown Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: January 16 2024 Location: MS, USA Status: Offline Points: 108	Post Options Post Reply Quote slowindown Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 28 2024 at 5:22pm
	The only old 303 I have are a couple of the yellow boxed Winchester, I think from the 60s. 5 of the 40 rounds are missing. 180g sp, which claim a MV of 2540 fps and 2580 fp of energy. I guess they’re not that old compared to others mentioned. It’ll probably shoot them. I’ve a couple of different varieties of the Remington green box ammo, as well. But they’re newer than the Winchester.