Kynoch 303 SL

[peashooter]

I have a .303 round with head stamp KYNOCH 303 SL with the bottom third of the case blackened can anyone tell me the story on this one and would I be correct in thinking this is a match target round

many thanks
Richard.

[Andysarmoury]

Hi Richard, here is a pic of a box and yes you are right they are match ammo that's about as much as i know.
Andy

[TonyE]

As Andy has confirmed, these are match rounds and could only be used in NRA Match Rifle competitions, not ordinary Service Rifle (b) target shooting.

The bullet is very similar to the military Ball Mark VIIIz bullet with a boat tail, although strictly speaking it was the other way round, with the Mark VIIIz being based on the Kynoch match bullets of the 1930s.

S.L. of course stands for "stream-lined" or boat tailed.

Regards
Tonye

[peashooter]

Do you know what the load would be for this round I am assuming it would be Nitro.

Richard.

[TonyE]

I checked the Kynoch 1957 catalogue but it does not show the SL loading for the .303.

I suspect that even Andy's 1962 loadings are cordite, but do you have any idea what date your round is? Once they are out of the packet it is almost impossible to tell I appreciate.

If I remember I will pull one of mine (no idea what date though) and see what the prop. is.

Regards
TonyE

[peashooter]

No don't go pulling any of your rounds I would have just liked to have added the details on my database, I will get some more one day and pull one of my own. I have no idea of date I am afraid.

Many thanks

Richard.

[Andysarmoury]

Hi Richard, mine are all fired unfortunately so i am interested to know what the load would have been
Cheers
Andy

[ydnum303]

Hi all,
These rounds were first "officially" introduced for the Match Rifle competitions (i.e., at 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 yards) in 1933, before that date the .303" Magnum round was used. The bullet in the 1932 Magnum cartridge was tried in the "ordinary" .303 case, and as the ballistics were found to be satisfactory, the "Magnum" case was dropped from production.
The 1933 rounds had the headstamp "K33 S.L.", and came in 10-rd packets with a cream label. The headstamp layout was similar for 1934 and 1935 (obviously with the correct date), then in 1936 it changed to "K36 303S.L." and similar layout for 1937, '38, & '39. From about 1935 the packets were 20-rds (2 rows of 10) with a yellow label.
The rounds were not produced during the war years, but production re-started in 1946, and carried on to the early 1960s, when the Match Rifle shooters converted to 7.62 Nato.

The load in 1936 was 36 grains of Cordite; I do not imagine it would have changed all that much over the years.

The bullet design did change slightly; the post-war bullet was not exactly the same as the 1933 version, but I cannot recall what the exaxt differences were.

This Streamline round always had the case blackened for about half-an-inch.

Roger.

[TonyE]

I was waiting for you to chip in Roger. I use your excellent article in the IAA journal as reference whenever I need to check on the bullet design for these match rounds.

I have a number of the Kynoch drawings for the various year's bullets, but as you knw, match and target ammo is not really my area.

Regards
tonyE

[peashooter]

Many thanks for that, I am a new member of the IAA just since June this year is the article available to read anywhere or can I get a copy to read from anywhere

many thanks again
Richard.