identify the links

[Gil Boyd]

Here is a P40 on the doing ground firing tests during the war:



and a Mustang in more recent times propped up to hit the target:

[browningautorifle]

Watching that P51 would make a guy want to take it out for a bit of a gun run Gil. Out over the farms that have derelict vehicles and tractors out behind the barn...maybe a used car lot..

I have a set of 99x .303 links here...maybe I should take some pics just because...

[RCS]

Old photo shows a number of BMG M1919A6's that were collected from each company and all set-up to go to the range. The M1919A6's in the photo have had the bipods removed and are mounted on the M2 tripod, at the range, sandbags were placed around the tripod legs for better support.

The armorer in the photo has checked the headspace in each weapon and will be at the range during firing in case of any problems (there were no problems) I was the armorer.Attachment 54249

[CINDERS]

I have tried a Nato round in them and wont fit, the person I procured these off many years ago informed me they were links from an aircraft armed with the 303 round hence why I put 2 singles one of each to show you.
Other aircraft news bit there were 303 rounds that were specifically designed for aircraft only with 3 - 4 stabs in the primer hole to hold the primer in place, there were reports of the Spits pulling 10G but tended to crinkle the wings a bit though Reginald Mitchell designed a plane that even today endures and inspires

[Brit plumber]

Other aircraft news bit there were 303 rounds that were specifically designed for aircraft only with 3 - 4 stabs in the primer hole to hold the primer in place, there were reports of the Spits pulling 10G but tended to crinkle the wings a bit though Reginald Mitchell designed a plane that even today endures and inspires

I think that may either be specific to a country other than the UK or there's been some confusion, according to TonyE who is a well known 303 ammunition author who I quote here

"Air service ammunition for synchronised guns (Red Label) was normally marked "Not to be used in Synchronised guns after (date)", this usually being two years after manufacture. The ammunition could be retested for hangfires and if satisfactory given a new service date. Otherwise it was relegated to "Special for RAF" and could be used in non synchronised guns. I have seen no evidence that relegated ammunition was ever transferred to the army.

In any case, in WW2 all this was obsolete, mainly because there were virtually no synchronised guns left in service. In 1939 a decision was taken that ALL .303 inch ammunition was to be made to Air Service standards and marked with the full four digit date. In 1942 a further directive stated that from 1st january 1943 ammunition would continue to be made to the same standard but only marked with two digit dates.

Thus from 1939-1942 all ammo had four digit dates which explains why you find them on army ranges, nothing to do with the RAF."

So from 1939 (1 year after the limited introduction of the Browning MkII) all .303 ammunition was made to the same Air Service Standard regardless.

[CINDERS]

Here is a picture of the round I was referencing I was given a few by a friend and was told the story anyway they are WRA (Winchester Repeating Arms!) 1941 with a domed primer as per Mk VI round, and the 4 stabs holding the primer firm I guess when being slammed into the chamber.

Anyway that's about all I know on these as I cannot remember if it is listed in Temples books.
TIA

[CINDERS]

Post script ~I have an empty packet of the referenced Air Ministry ammo packet dated 10/28.

[browningautorifle]

From what I've been led to believe, the crimp was to hold primers in after firing, keep them from backing out.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The crimp is quite important in machine guns.

In Browning-type guns, the cartridge, whether rimmed or rimless, is guided down the face of the bolt by a pair of "slots", one either side of the bolt-face.

When any centre-fire primer ignites, it tends to back out of the pocket. (The forces involved are sufficient to drive a rimless case forward enough to push the shoulder back a couple of thou.) The (hopefully) subsequent firing of the main propellant charge slams the case rearwards, thus "re-seating" the primer (and blowing the shoulder forward again and slightly stretching the web.

Amongst the LAST things you need in a Browning-type gun is loose primers. The case if fairly firmly retained at the instant of firing, but Murphy was an optimist.

In the event the primer fires, but the main charge does not, and the primer is not firmly "retained", there MAY be sufficient extra drag from the "backed out" primer to interfere with the air-powered re-cocking mechanism in a wing-mounted gun. Furthermore, the next LAST thing you need in said gun is a bullet forced into a "worn" throat by primer ignition alone and followed up by the successful firing of a fresh round after "re-charging; Brownings are TOUGH, but there are limits....... Hence "aviation-grade ammo".

With a wing-mounted MG, it also gets a little tricky to "lift the feed cover and clear the stoppage", especially at 300 Knots and 15,000 ft Altitude.

[browningautorifle]

Amongst the LAST things you need in a Browning-type gun is loose primers.

That's what I understood Bruce...