K 17 303 headstamps

[Titan303]

Hello...

I have some loose rounds of K 17 303 ammunition. On closer inspection I noticed that there were three slightly different headstamp markings:

K-17 VII Z , K-17 VII-Z and K 17 VII Z

Since they are all dated for 1917 manufacture - why the minor variations?

Is it as simple as three different production lines for cases or did the headstamp change during the year of manufacture? Or was the brass brought in from different factories for assembly at Kynoch?

Regards...

....Titan303

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[jonnyc]

As 1917 was probably a very high production year, I would say that any/all of those 3 could be true. Tony E. will surely provide a better answer.

[CINDERS]

2 factories could have produced round so I will endeavour to assist with what I have in front of me.
In May 1916 Nitrocellulose was authorised as a substitute for cordite in 303 inch ammunition and Mk 7 ammunition so loaded has the code letter Z after the numerical VII.
The 2 factories could be;

K - Kynoch & Co Witton Birmingham who in WWI produced 2,373 million 303 cartridges.
KF or K - Indian Govt Ammunition Factory Kirkee near Poona India in 1918 this had the capacity to produce 5.4 million rounds per month.

Source http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cus...eadstamps.html

Hope this helps they are like the Enfield line absolutely endless variations...............

For some reason the web site no longer exists but there are more learned Pelicans in these halls of knowledge that will assist more than I can Cheers CINDERS

Keeps chopping the link down should read dave.cushman/303headstamps.html

[Badger]

For those that might be interested, here's some information tangential to the topic...

Jay Currah's .303 Cartridge Development Page

Regards,
Doug

[TonyE]

A few points on the above answers.

The headstamp is Kynoch, it is not Kirkee. Kirkee never used "K" on .303 inch rounds, only on .577/.450 coiled case ammunition.

Kynoch made 311 million rounds of .303 ball in 1917 (not their highest as in 1917 most production was of 7.62x54mm for Russia) Even so, tools wear out and new headstamp bunters must be made. The differences in headstamp are more to do with different toolmakers, not different factories.

The Jay Currah site is broadly correct but has some significant errors. The first cordite loaded ball ammunition was Cordite Mark I, not "I*". There was a Powder Mark II round between the Mark I blackpowder round and the Mark I Cordite. (This is an error I have seen on other .303 sites).

Secondly, although tracer and incendiary ammunition with coloured tips was mostly for Air Service, the presence of a tip does not itself indicate Air Service. The identification of Air service quality ammunition was all four digits of the date in the headstamp, and ALL British .303 was made to this standard from 1943. An example of a non Air Service tipped round is the Observation O Mark I which was exclusively for Land Service Vickers gun training. That had a black tip for identification.

See the .303 pages of my website for more information.
.303 inch - British Military Small Arms Ammo

Regards
TonyE

[Titan303]

See the .303 pages of my website for more information.
.303 inch - British Military Small Arms Ammo

TonyE

I really enjoyed searching through your website - I can only begin to imagine how long it took to put together!

Thank you...

...Titan

[TonyE]

Thanks Titan.

it is nowhere near finished but I will persevere!

Regards
Tony