.303 L - E headstamp

[peashooter]

I have a 303 round with the head stamp L-E 303 which I presume is Remington On UK Government contracts 1914 - 1915 but my round has a round nosed nickel bullet but all the info I have says it should be a Mk7 bullet can anyone shed any light on this for me

many thanks
Richard.

[TonyE]

I agree this is a Remington made round, but all those I have seen were round nosed Mark VI type. What info do you have that suggests these were Mark VIIs?

Also, I am not convinced these are British WWI contract rounds. The normal Remington rounds from this period are headstamped RA 16 VII or simila, and those from the Union Metallic Co. are U16 VII.

Regards
TonyE

[peashooter]

A .303 website states on the headstamp page -

L-E or U
Remington UMC, Bridgeport, Conn., USA. {On UK Government contracts 1914 - 1915}. manufactured nitro-cellulose loaded .303 Ball, Mk 7 cartridges

I would like to get it right for my files and to catalogue this round.

Richard.

[TonyE]

That website is full of errors, some large and others small, so I give their statement no credance at all, sorry.

Both Remington and its sister company Union Metallic had British contracts in WWI. Remington headstamped theirs "RA 16 VII" and UMC was "U 15 VII". Why would Remington also supply rounds headstamped just "L-E 303"?

As far as I know, only Winchester produced Mark VI rounds on contract in WWI and these were headstamped as one would expect, "W 15 VI". Total production of Mark VI in America was 64.5 million rounds.


Regards
TonyE

[peashooter]

So do I catalogue it as a Remington made mk6 round, any idea of date?

Richard.

[TonyE]

Whilst it is a solid round nosed proj. on these rounds, I am not sure it weighs 215 grns as I have not weighed mine. I don't really want to pull it as I can guarantee that the neck will crack, as do most early US cases.

Personally I would catalogue it as Remington, probably commercial.

Regards
TonyE

[peashooter]

thanks, I can weight mine as it has got a cracked neck as you have said this must happened when it had been made inert by someone. I will just catalogue it as Remington and leave it at that.

thanks
Richard.