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British .303 bullet I.d needed

W

Wgreen

Well-Known Member
20190101_104724.jpeg20190101_104806.jpegHi to all while searching through a load of fired 303 bullets I came across this one the middle one in the pics I have not seen a 303 bullet the same as this I have put a mk vi domed to the right and a mkiv /v hollow to the left for a comparison I at first thought as it has been fired it could be impact damage but in the lot I found another one the same which has impacted something but you can still see the depression centrally placed in the tip also the rifling looks to be 4 groove right hand which I believe is from a lewis gun any help as always is appreciated

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For a positive identification you're going to have to provide a better photograph showing the entire profile of the bullet - the black putty is obscuring part of the base. You also need to provide the weight and exact length of the bullet. In the absence of further information I am wondering if this could be .303 Ball Mk II*, also known as a Mk II Special. These were mainly issued in India but I'm sure some would have gone down the range here as well. If it is a Mk II* the depression in the nose would be lead so you could try scratching at it carefully to see if its softer than the rest of the jacket. More info required! Jim
 
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Hi jim thanks for your response dont know what I was thinking not putting more details in the original post I have also tryed to take some better pics and have also included the damaged one as you can still see the depression and came from the same place a former r.n.a.s testing zone and has the same 4 groove rifling the undamaged example measures 31.5mm long and is 7.5mm diameter but has been fired then 100 years of erosion unfortunately I have no way of accurately weighing them also the c.n jacket gos completely over the tip the depression is part of or made in the jacket I thought maybe they could be the mystical mkiii as I have never actually seen one but the time scale is odd if indeed they were fired from a lewis gun during ww1 maybe they are a test production looking at causing more damage to planes and zeppelins thanks again for any help wg

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Tend to agree with Jim. Looks like a mk2 that's got range damage. The mk2*would have spread more on impact. Can't work out how to post a picture at mo but will post one when I've sust it. Regards Shawy.
 
Hi shawy I am quite sure they are not mkii special as they I believe have the top part of the c.n jacket removed to expose the lead core where as these bullets definitely have the jacket completely over the top and in the depression in the top I know it is hard to tell from the pics but the damaged one I have scratched at the depression and it is the jacket for sure thanks wg


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Hi wg there not mk2*. I think there just standard mk2 with range damage. I've posted a pic on .303 I'd hope it helps. Struggling to work out how to post pics at mo. Sorry,will get there eventually. Regards Shawy.
 
Thanks for the additional pics, they're much better. They also make it clear that this is not a Mk II* as I'd suggested. I think Shawy is on the right track with his 'standard Mk II with range damage' theory but it is rather unusal damage. Perhaps the bullet hit soft clay or similar? Don't know...
 
Hi wg. We use to find loads of on the old home guard range at scalby mills near Scarborough. Mostly mk2,4,5,6,and 7 with tracer and a lot of US contract stuff as well. Will post some pics if I can find them. Regards shawy
 
I dont think they are range damaged MkII or MKII* if jacket in tact in the dip. The dipression in the tip is too perfectly central to be range damage especially with more than 1 bullet found. Woolich did trials in 1896-1897 to produce a DUM DUM or MkII* type bullet lots of holes and tip deformations were tried some pictured on p23 of Labbett & Meads .303 book, but I have also seen info on other types in my documentation. It may be rounds from a trial.

Where did the bullets come from?

Richard.
 
Hi thanks to all for the responses richard I think may be right I have looked through my bullet collection and have found a few more all the same most are damaged but I have another one which is not dont know how i did not notice before these bullets were found on a small old coastal range used by the r.n.a.s in one small 100 meter area were I have been told they practiced steel plate penatration with c.o.w gun projectiles and as I mentioned before but could be wrong these seem to have been fired from a lewis gun as I know of no other .303 with 4 groove right hand twist but it would not be the first time that they brought back an older idea or just used older ammunition thanks again wg

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