ww2 303 ammo. use or hoard?

[ActionYobbo]

I was sorting through my stock pile in preparation for a range day next weekend and I find that most of my stash is cordite loaded. I have not used cordite ammo for along time I usually use reloads or HXP but I keep acquiring lots of cordite ammo it and storing it away. Tonight I realized I have a lot of 1945 manufactured RL RG KF MH and some 50's and 60's ammo as well. So should I fire it and enjoy or keep hoarding it ?

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[browningautorifle]

It depends on condition, but I just don't think some of that older stuff is as good as some of the current available stuff. I'd shoot the old stuff.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

One solution to your terrible quandary of having pallets of Mk7 lying around, is this:

Pull the Mk 7 bullets (carefully) from the Mil ammo and store them.

Replace the ball projectile with a FLAT-BASED, similarly weighted, (or slightly lighter), hunting bullet for "filling the freezer", Zombie repellent, etc..

As you "vigorously" eject the fired, mercuric-primed cases from your trusty Winchester 1895, (or tastefully sporterized Lee Enfield), into the great outdoors, you won't have to flinch at the dollars disappearing into the scenery. Just remember to clean the chlorate residue out of the barrel and mechanism as soon as possible.

Load the Mk7 bullets into your nice, "match-prepped", reloadable Boxer-primed brass, on top of a suitable amount of propellant; (Lee Factory Crimp optional).

Head to the range.

"Rinse and Repeat".

[browningautorifle]

Pull the Mk 7 bullets

Nice touch. I don't get good stuff around here, I have to settle for ratty and pull powder and bullet and replace them in a fresh primed case. Then I have positive results.

[bombdoc]

As Bruce says, the bullets are worth keeping for re-use, however the rest of the round is a liability..

Generally it is the primer that dies first; you get a spectrum of failure modes from hang fires, variable velocity to failure. If you do choose to shoot this stuff off PLEASE adhere to the 30 second soak time before opening the breech - we had a guy in the UK a few years ago gave himself an instant sun tan (and peel!) by cranking open the breech on a 50s .50! Dunno about his complexion afterwards, but the elf 'n safety gnome was doing back flips!

.. and yes you need to boil out your bore to get rid of the chlorate and mercuric residues!

I would check the headstamps for anything unusual and worth keeping.. keep the bullets and bin the rest!

[ActionYobbo]

I am planing on belting all this old ammo and running it through the vickers this weekend. what dont go bang will be pulled down for components

[Bruce_in_Oz]

OK, that should take care of the aforementioned pallet of Mk7!

Stoppage drills; you know you love them!

[browningautorifle]

At least one can be sure that it won't be light strikes that leave them unfired. A Vickers about goes right through the primers. I'm in the midst of tearing down some old ammo now, I use new primed cases and slip the cordite stick back into the new, seat and go on. Now THAT'S work.

[CINDERS]

So does the cordite sticks suffer from time ageing like the primers, I shot some cheap as dirt POF '67 vintage MK VII for a while (5 shoots) any one watching would have thought I was loading black powder rounds and using a flint lock instead of a Mk III hang fires and all the confetti in the world flew out the end of that barrel with the expected resultant expression "Now where did that one go."

[bombdoc]

So does the cordite sticks suffer from time ageing like the primers, I shot some cheap as dirt POF '67 vintage MK VII for a while (5 shoots) any one watching would have thought I was loading black powder rounds and using a flint lock instead of a Mk III hang fires and all the confetti in the world flew out the end of that barrel with the expected resultant expression "Now where did that one go."

Simple answer is yes.. although cordite in sealed small arms cart cases seems to last longer than that in artillery carts..
Cordite contains a stabiliser which works by soaking up any acid by products of oxidation. The reaction is auto catalytic so once the stabiliser is used up the breakdown can progress very quickly, leading at times to self ignition, although this is rare in small arms..

Cordite is light brown when first made and darkens with age. The best thing to do is to sniff the cordite when you open the container.. if you get a whiff of vinegar then breakdown is occurring.. The official way to test cordite is the Abel Heat test, details of which you can find on the internet..!