Wilkinson adaptor

[navyman]

Hello all,
I've recently purchased an inert cartridge for use with a Wilkinson adaptor, (many thanks Mark). I understand Morris tubes and remember using them for practice, inserted in No 4's, or perhaps SMLE's. However I've not heard of the Wilkinson adaptor before. I'd appreciate any information about these. The round measures approximately 7.85 x 20.78 mm, 0.309 x 0.818". It has an inert unstruck centrefire boxer type primer. The picture shows it alongside an inert .22 LR rimfire for comparison. There is no headstamp.
I'd be grateful if anyone can help me with this one, am hoping Tony E may spot this question?
Best regards to all,
navyman.

 

[TonyE]

Adaptors

The desire to find an inexpensive way of training with military rifles has led to a number of solutions.

The original Morris Aiming tube had the advantage that its .230 ammunition was centrefire but it was still relatively expensive. When the change was made to .22 rimfire the ammunition was cheap but it introduced the problem of the need to adopt a cenrefire rifle to rimfire ammunition.

An alternative solution was to use adaptors which utilised the normal .303 calibre but with a low powered cartridge fitted inside a carrier or adaptor that was the shape of the original .303 cartridge. This approach had the advantage that it needed no modifications to the rifle, but could be used on indoor 25 ranges. There were a number of different patents, the Wilkinson like yours, the Kynoch and the Molyneaux among others. Have a look here where the operation of the Kynoch adaptor is explained more fully.

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

There were different approaches; the Wilkinson had a bevelled rim, the Kynoch an enlarged rim whilst others had lips etc. The first picture shows a variety of these.

The next picture shows some steel adaptors and the right hand one (maker unknown) uses a blank inserted in the base and a .303 calibre lead heeled bullet placed in the adaptor neck (not shown in the picture).

The two left hand steel adaptors are for .22 rimfire are known as "conveyors" and work with the Pattern 1914 SMLE. These enabled recruits to practice magazine loading and firing. As these rifles were .22 calibre, note the shoulder of the conveyor is lower than a normal .303 so that a live .303 cannot be loaded, resulting in a nasty accident!

The whole question of sub-calibres and training is very interesting and little studied.

regards
TonyE

 

[navyman]

Thank you Tony for your interesting and informative reply.
I started shooting small bore whilst in the school cadet force. I seem to remember that the converted rifles we used were known as No 2s? Am I right here, it was in the early '60s so the old grey matter may well have confused me again?
Very best regards,
Guy.

 

[TonyE]

.22

Yes, the converted SMLE was the "Rifle No.2" and the issue target rifle was the "Rifle No.8". This was built more like a No.4 action but with a heavy barrel and match rifle type furniture. I was in the CCF in the same period at school and spent many a happy lunch hour on the range we had.

Regards
TonyE

 

[navyman]

Thanks again Tony,
Looks like I've not lost all my marbles after all!
I was the armourer for the CCF at Portsmouth Northern Grammar School. We had a 25 yard indoor range, and frequently used the fullbore ranges at Tipnor in Portsmouth and Browndown in Gosport. Thats where I learned to use the Bren and Mk2 sten.
In the armoury we had a wall full of No4's, six Brens, six stens, ten No 2's and six No 8's, (only for use by the rifle team) which were fitted with Parker Hale 25 C peepsights as I remember. Sights had a revolving peephole with 5 or six different aperture sizes?
The experience of learning basic shooting skills at school stood me in very good stead when I joined the services, no problem getting my marksman badge!
I'm now very interested in sub calibre ammunition and the associated devices, yes, something else to collect!
I have some adaptors to accept .22 blanks for use in a 44-40 long blank revolver which were given to me years ago by an old friend who was a 'wild west' re-enactor. I will post some pictures of them when I can find them in the miscellaneous box.
Cheers,
Guy.

 

[navyman]

Hello Tony,
I've found the .22 blank adaptors for use with the blank firing 44-40 stage pistol. The revolver itself is totally unusable these days as it's only made from a soft alloy which was chromed. The internal parts have been worn away and the thing is only glued together to make a display item. The old, now departed, fellow who gave it to me used to use it for cowboy re-enactions, quick draw, and balloon bursting. The 44-40 blanks were expensive and very noisy so he obtained these sub calibre converters which gave him the option of using .22 long or short blanks. As you can see from the pictures the barrel has a full length casting inside it so that the muzzle blast was strong enough to pop balloons at a very short range, but there was no way that the soft metal and casting could be adapted to fire anything but blanks.
I'm a bit off topic here as I dont think the forum has a section for the 'Wild West' ! but thought the sub caliber converters may be of interest as I've never seen any before?
Cheers,
navyman.

 

[TonyE]

Adaptors

Interesting adaptors. Were the .22 blanks offset in the adaptor so that the centre fire firing pin hit the rim of the .22?

Here is a picture of a .230 Morris Aiming Tube cartridge together with a turned steel inspector's cartidge of the same calibre. It is stamped either "06" or "90" and is possible a headstamp guage. Either way, for some reason it is one of my favourites in the collection!

Regards
TonyE