.303 Sub Calibre Training Rounds.

[christhurston]

As something of a sideline to my slowly growing.303 collection I'm adding sub calibre training rounds that were used in Morris Tubes and a variety of other kinds of adapter type devices,in calibres other than the ubiquitous.22RF.

I have so far acquired Eley 297-230 Morris Tube rounds,both long and short,Kynoch Adaptors and a couple of rounds for the Wilkinson Adapter,about which info seems rather thin on the ground.Likewise with the Simplex Adaptor,the Kelly-Andrews Adapter and the Mullineux Patent Adaptor.

The rounds that were apparently used with the Wilkinson Adapter have outside lubricated,heeled lead bullets,no h/stamp and measurements seem exactly the same as the.32 Long CF. Any info on this adapter and the others mentioned would be most welcome,or a clue as to where I might find some.

 

[TonyE]

Adaptors

Information on the various adaptors is fairly hard to find, but have you had a look at this page? It is quite informative.

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Miniature_Calibre_adapters_and_conversions.html

I have a few of the adaptor cartridges in my collection together with a couple of different adaptors, but they are hard to find. Because they are mostly commercial rather than military I have not put a lot of research effort into them so far. What I am looking for is an Enfield made steel carrier for the .22RF.

This is one of my favourite rounds in the collection. It is a steel inspector's dummy for the .230 Morris Aiming Tube. The one on the right is a brass inspector's dummy for the .22 conversion of the L1A1 rifle.

Regards
TonyE

 

[christhurston]

The webpages that you mentioned are very helpful,Tony,and were the starting point of my quest.I didn't realize that these adapters were mostly commercially made,they were perhaps intended for fairly low cost,short range target practice for anyone that felt the need.

 

[TonyE]

Adaptors

With respect to military rather than commercial adaptors, here is a picture of the carrier for the Lee-Enfield .22 Pattern 1918 training rifle. Each carrier could have a normal .22 round fitted in the base and thirty carriers were issued with each rifle, which allowed realistic training in charger loading the magazine and firing. The rifles were converted SMLEs with a Parker .22 tubed barrel and most were converted by W.W.Greener.

Note that the shoulder of the chamber of these rifles is lower than on a normal .303 case, thus preventing a live .303 round being accidentally loaded.

The other picture is of an unknown (to me) steel adaptor that takes a .32 blank in the base, and a heeled lead bullet which was loaded in the neck of the adaptor. I do not know anything further about this one, but as i said previously, I have not spent much time looking into these.

Regards
TonyE

 

[christhurston]

It's definitely a voyage into the unknown with these devices if you are unable to help out,Tony.The second adapter that you've shown sent me scurrying back to the webpages previously mentioned,where I was sure I had seen reference to such an item.

The adapter itself is not named but it uses a similar composite cartridge arrangement loaded in two parts known apparently as"Trask" ammunition.I also read again about Major Gaudet's cartridges,used without an adapter and fed from the magazine.There certainly seems to be all manner of things that can be fitted into,and fired from the.303 Service Rifle.

Regards Chris.

 

[TonyE]

Adaptors

As I only collect military, my knowledge of these civilian adaptors is limited.

However, on the military side there are a whole range of short range training rounds, including the Gaudet. There are British, Canadian, Indian and New Zealand versions with short lead bullets of various types, and then there are four marks of British military short range rounds with jacketed bullets.

You will have to wait for pictures though, as I have just put the camera and all the gear away and locked everything up! Dinner calls.

I will try to post pictures of some of these rounds later in the week.

Cheers
TonyE

 

[christhurston]

All is not lost yet then,Tony,I look forward to seeing the images,there does seem to be quite a few military types to watch out for,without including any of the commercial versions.

Regards Chris.