+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
Results 11 to 18 of 18

Thread: ww2 303 ammo. use or hoard?

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #11
    Legacy Member bombdoc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Last On
    03-14-2024 @ 05:12 PM
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    170
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    08:23 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by CINDERS View Post
    So does the cordite sticks suffer from time ageing like the primers, I shot some cheap as dirt POFicon '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..!

  2. Thank You to bombdoc For This Useful Post:


  3. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  4. #12
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 12:35 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,813
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    01:23 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by CINDERS View Post
    all the confetti in the world
    The confetti is the over powder wad that they all have. I use new primers and it all lights for me. The old primers have had the bun and either hang or fail.
    Regards, Jim

  5. Thank You to browningautorifle For This Useful Post:


  6. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  7. #13
    Legacy Member HOOKED ON HISTORY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Last On
    03-14-2024 @ 05:56 PM
    Location
    MS/USA
    Posts
    3,988
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    03:23 AM
    Don't shoot any Ranger boats. (Local reference).

  8. #14
    Legacy Member ActionYobbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Last On
    02-23-2024 @ 01:28 PM
    Location
    Flippin Arky
    Posts
    417
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:23 AM
    Thread Starter
    wish me luck. I have 5 belts loaded. 4 are RG45 and 1 is RL 64.
    I keep buying this old ammo because I think I will use it in my rifles but I never do. I always use newer ammo or reloads because of the cleaning which I just dont have the time to do properly after the range and before I have to be at work. So this weekend I will put a dent in the old ammo pile then spend my day off cleaning.
    1ATSR 177AD & 4/3 RNSWR

  9. Thank You to ActionYobbo For This Useful Post:


  10. #15
    Legacy Member Bruce_in_Oz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 05:39 AM
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    2,232
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    06:23 PM
    From my experiences with POFicon, that interesting "lag" is what my IT-savvy mates call an "undocumented feature". Some of it has been quite good ammo; the rest?

    I think our American cousins would refer to it as "a crap shoot", in both meanings of that phrase.

    As I have noted before, there is usually a GOOD REASON ammo gets "surplussed", and it is often NOT because someone has too many warehouses full of the "good stuff" and want to "share the "lurve".

    It is why all halfway decent military systems have ATOs; Ammunition Technical Officers, and an "ordnance system" to control acquisition, storage, handling and distribution of ammo.

  11. Thank You to Bruce_in_Oz For This Useful Post:


  12. #16
    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 08:42 AM
    Location
    South West Western Australia
    Posts
    7,730
    Real Name
    CINDERS
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:23 PM
    Mr E no wonder you do not have any time loading by hand 250 round belts good luck and have fun.........
    Last edited by CINDERS; 10-23-2016 at 09:02 PM.

  13. #17
    Legacy Member ActionYobbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Last On
    02-23-2024 @ 01:28 PM
    Location
    Flippin Arky
    Posts
    417
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:23 AM
    Thread Starter
    so it went like this
    RG45 had only 20 hangfires for 500 rounds fired
    RL64 had 15 duds and the 235 were all hangfires with spaghetti confetti
    1ATSR 177AD & 4/3 RNSWR

  14. Thank You to ActionYobbo For This Useful Post:


  15. #18
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 12:35 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,813
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    01:23 AM
    So...looks like you have lots of disassembling to do...I did some of that about two days ago and don't regret it a bit. No punk primers that way. Imagine hoarding it for a rainy day?
    Regards, Jim

  16. Thank You to browningautorifle For This Useful Post:


+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2

Similar Threads

  1. Big ammo ????
    By mmppres in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 11-18-2014, 06:50 PM
  2. Not Your Usual .303" SAA Milsurp Ammo- (Link to the Ammo Forum)
    By jmoore in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 06-05-2011, 10:51 PM
  3. Bad Syria 7.5 ammo French ammo reloaded
    By rayg in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-27-2009, 12:08 AM
  4. 30 cal ammo
    By c east in forum M1/M2 Carbine
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 04-18-2009, 04:41 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks