A Gift of Old Milsurp Ammo and Attempt to Identify.

[Entry Level]

I was given some old .303 ammo since it is known I shoot an old Enfield. I took examples of three of the four cartridges apart to photograph, weigh bullets and powder. I identified the headstamps but would like to know if someone can help me with issue ammo from the dates identified. I also wonder what value this has as practice range ammo. I got two bandoliers of FN ammo from 1948 and 1950. This is Fabrique National de Armes de Guerre Belgium. The 48 headstamp Cartridge was 3.040 in. OAL, it has a 174 FMJ BT, the boat tail is long, relatively and compared to what I reload. The powder weighed 43 grains and was flat square flakes. The 50 FN stamp was the same length The bullet weighed the same but the powder weight was 39 grains yet looked similar, it also tasted the same...just kidding. The third cartridge RG 62 Z8 is Royal Ordnance Radway Green UK. The Z8 indicates Ball ammo and might be nitro cellulose but this crimp was very tight and I failed to separate the components. This cartridge was 3.030 OAL. This ammo was in a roll in some type of sling. The last of the cartridges AOC 1340 was 3.035 OAL This is Bombrini Parodi Delfino Rome Italy and was made for Egypt in the 40's and 50's. It came in boxes. This had a neat flat base FMJ bullet weight 174 grains and 37.5 gr of a long grain powder. I don't shoot milsurp ammo but would consider trying this out if there is some experience or wisdom regarding these gifts. I enclose pictures. thanks for the look.

Information

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[TonyE]

The FN ammo was made for the Lee-Enfield No.4 rifles and Bren guns supplied to the Belgian army post war. the companion red tipped tracer rounds are also commonly found. In addition, FN made .303 for export to other countries (including the H Mark 7z grenade discharger round for Britain).

The Radway Green ball Mark 8z (not Z8) is some of the last ball ammunition loaded for the Vickers gun which the army retired in 1968. It is nitrocellulose loaded (which is what the "Z" means) and has a 175 grain boat=tailed bullet. Contrary to what is often stated it is not some super hot ammo. It gives marginally higher pressure (20.5 tons compared to 19 - 20 tons for Maerk VII) and has a slightly higher MV. However, British military rifles are proofed at 25 tons. The point of this ammo was that with the improved ballistic coefficient of the boat tail bullet the Vickers could range out to about 4,000 yards in barrage fire. The "sling" you mention is the Mark 4 stripless belt for the Vickers gun.

The BPD rounds made for Egypt and stamped "AOC" were artificially aged and dated with a spurious date of 1320 which is equivalent to 1922 in the western calender. They are the equivalent of the British Mark 7 ball.

I suspect that if you tried to fire it there might be a fair few click-bangs, but that would depend on where and how it had been stored for the last 50-60 years.

Regards
TonyE

[Capt Mil Coll]

I thought that looked like a machine gun belt. Good going Tony.