Winchester Production 1943 303 Ammunition in box of 48

[Aragorn243]

Got a box of this in a trade today and would like to know what it is, whether I should shoot it or keep it.

The box has seen better days but is complete. The cartridges look good.

Is this surplus or commercial ammo. Looks like ball ammo to me.

Is it corrosive?

Is it more valuable as a collectible or should I just go ahead and shoot it.

Will it shoot?

Why would Winchester be producing 303 ammo in the middle of the war? Would this be going to Canada or England or would it be used by the US military in some capacity?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Ammo was produced by all sorts of companies during the war. The ammo you have was likely part of a lend lease contract or to feed some of the weapons the U.S. had been supplied(such as Ross rifles). I don't think it's corrosive, but you can always scrub as if it is and you'll be OK, just boiling soapy water is all. I don't think it's collectable, unless the box is perfect, and you say it's hooped. It will likely work fine if it all looks in as good shape as you suggest... Worst case, you can use the powder and bullets in new primed cases and the brass should be ok... Try it and see...

[Aragorn243]

I was just surprised. The guy said he had surplus 303 ammo and I just assumed it would be British. Never expected Winchester. I would have thought their production lines would be tied up with 30-06 and 30 carbine. Never really thought about them continuing to supply other countries but I guess it make sense. The US supplied all sorts of other things so why not ammo.

[Aragorn243]

I put it away this morning so I don't have it in front of me. It's in a tan box, two part, base and lid. The lid originally would have been taped on. Centered on the top of the box, large flat top, is an old style Winchester label. Cartridges are laid flat inside the box with wax paper between layers. I have some British produced stuff that is packaged the same way. Kynoch I think.

I will take some photos and post them here later. I have a lot of other surplus so figured I'd use this last or just keep the box as is. I have an old 7mm Mauser Winchester box also, Not sure it is surplus but it does not look like commercial packaging. The ammo that was in that was total crap. Reloads and all but one neck out of 18 were cracked. I gave them away as part of the trade as the other fellow reloads and I figured he could pull the bullets and maybe use the powder. I kept the box.

[ActionYobbo]

its military contract ammo
its Mk7z (it has powder)
the brass is boxer primed but it has a problem with the primers leaking. when fired gasses escape around the primer. I have fired around 100 of these and they all went bang and they all leaked. when reloaded with WLR primers they still leak

[Brian Dick]

I shot quite a bit of WRA 1943 Mk.7z when I was a kid in Florida. A local gun and pawn shop had it for sale packed in the blue Interarms boxes. I still have a few casings left and never experienced the primer leakage problem with any if memory serves. I reloaded most of it until the heads popped off with the last firing! Hey, I was just a kid and knew nothing about excessive headspace, oversize chambers and all that crap folks seem to worry themselves to death about when it comes to the .303 round now. I just took a broken case extractor, pulled out the front halves properly and drove on! The primers are crimped in so I just swaged the pockets with an RCBS swager and they worked just fine for me. Got my money's worth out of them for sure.

[Aragorn243]

Sorry it took so long to get photos up. I had some difficulty locating my camera. I also included the box of 7mm Mauser ammo.

[browningautorifle]

The .303 ammo looks fine. I'd at least give it a try. Even if you grab a few at random through the box and just see...

[Seaspriter]

For what it's worth, I would preserve the unfired cartridges and sell them to collectors to go with their Savage Stevens Enfields. With the 1943 date on them, they are better as a collector's item that as a shooter. I'd buy a couple of rounds to go with my two Savage Enfields, one which was built in 1943.

If you want to shoot old cartridges, think about buying some of the Greek surplus from CTD for ~$.30 a round; these shoot really well, are non-corrosive, and reloadable.

[Aragorn243]

At present, I have an entire case of the Greek surplus along with two 48 round boxes of British surplus to go with a bandolier of British surplus.

I'll probably hang on to it for last resort, zombie appocalypse needs or do as you suggest and keep or sell it as collectible, may shoot a few just to confirm they are good. I don't know why they wouldn't be, they do look fine.