Gun Proof in India - An Historical Account

[Alfred]

"only 2,000 psi" doesn't sound like much till you take into account that these are Maximum pressures.
Besides which the Maximum Standard Deviation for the M118 Long Range Special Ball is 57,000 CUP.
How much farther does this exceed Maximum acceptable pressures?

Saying that its safe to fire loads that generate 62,000 psi in rifles like the 2A when some of these rifles could not even pass the standard proof testing for use with cartridges that generate pressures ten percent lower than that, and even the maximum acceptable levels for more modern NATO rifles is at a lesser pressure is unwise to begin with.
Add to that the Special Purpose rounds that can generate nearly a ten percent increase in that already beyond the pale pressure level and at the very least the best rifles will suffer increasing wear and damage and lesser rifles court disaster.

Theres already been one incident where a 2A owner was nearly castrated by a magazine blown out by escaping gas when he fired .308 ammunition in his rifle.

When a British Sniper reports the sort of failure to cycle of an Enfield action under the described combat conditions, a failure that might well have cost lives had not a alternative weapon been available, then its an indication that the ammunition and rifle combination has problems not easily detected by target shooters or police snipers in less arduous conditions.