Thread: .303 ammunition

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

HG marks, the 8 is for new plymouth, the 1775 is the inventory number supposedly so it could be returned to its owner.
This is the only one I have with both metal and wood stamped, some can be a real mess of renumbering, armoury and inspection marks but thats half the appeal, as every stamp tells a story.

@Marty Henry

Yes, so much history in your hands. So the two opposing broad arrows -><- they refer to sold out of service, is that correct? (Not that NZDF are looking for any missing ones from their armouries).

I thought sold out of service, was opposing broad arrows with SS in the middle, not NZ? I will have to look on one of mine.

Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway

I thought sold out of service, was opposing broad arrows with SS in the middle, not NZ? I will have to look on one of mine.

Yes, the broad arrows are sold out of service. The S marks refers to serviceablility.

Originally Posted by Cordite

@Marty Henry

Yes, so much history in your hands. So the two opposing broad arrows -><- they refer to sold out of service, is that correct? (Not that NZDF are looking for any missing ones from their armouries).

Two broad arrows head to head with or without the s s was the end of service mark. @Tertle runs the all about enfields website and has helped me in the past with a few unusual marks.
Its definitely worth looking at if you have an interest in the best main battle rifle ever manufactured.
NZ stamped on it means it was accepted into NZ service after inspection. Its usually accompanied by one or two numbers on early rifles the one closest to the nz being the last two didgets of the year, and the other one being the acceptance number, the one in the photo was accepted in 1898 and was the 47th one inspected.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Two broad arrows head to head with or without the s s was the end of service mark. @Tertle runs the all about enfields website and has helped me in the past with a few unusual marks.
Its definitely worth looking at if you have an interest in the best main battle rifle ever manufactured.

like you Marty Ive also consulted Tertle and fairly near drowned in my own drool as I took in his collection.wow!i also owe a big debt of gratitude to GunDoc when he had the shop in brisbane st for his taking of valuable time to explain the idiosyncrasies of the old girl.303 and showing me how to set the scope up properly etc plus shortening the barrel.i was a virgin then not the hoary pig headed potbellied grunter i am now
for 30yrs she wore a bentley scope kindly renovated for me by richard wilhems from wilhems arms &optics-he did the 4x40&the 4x28 replacing reticles with duplex ones and regassing
both .
the 4x40alas passed away 18months ago from old age but that wee 4x28 still sits in the safe as a spare.
gentlemen as a firearms owner and user i feel a duty to acknowledge those craftsmen who have assisted me over the years-a little extra goes a bloody long way in my book!

Ive got a no4 mk1* .303 longbranch 1943 in the safe.had it for 30+yrs.She has the 2 groove barrel -spits 150gn rds like a mad womans shit,but them big old 180 gn round noses..holy shit no way would I play wicket keeper to one of those.
Ive heard before they require a flat base slug in 150 gn to run properly.
CAC and ex mil ammo got at least 4 boxes sittin in me ammo store.old girl dont get used much now as Ive switched to the wee soviet equivalent a 7.62x39.from what I ve read the ballistic data shows bugger all difference between .303 150gn and 7.62x39 125 gn anyhow.
in fact the animals hit so far generally fall over dead without need for a 3rd umpires review or TMO's decision.Nor have i heard any complaints from the recently deceased -then again im half deaf so I probably wouldnt anyhow.
Ive got another mongrel .303 built up from parts i had lying about-barrel interior is smoother than a babys arse ,so dont think anything will travel down thereagain.
I had at various times considered a rebarrel and synthetic stock ,but both now appear rarer than rocking horse shit to source in NZ.
Im strictly a budget hunter -all weapons 2nd hand and low range (usually scoffed at by self appointed experts or those whose credit cards turn into molten magma whenever a fancy new bit of gear is outed!then after getting sexy superduper home ,spend endless hours fretting about hiding it from the laser vision of she who lives indoors,she who does the finances,and she who on discovering hubbies wee secret purchase arrives on scene like a geriatric boar with a bad case of PMT plus hangover to boot
.How do i know such things been married for 36 yrs luv her to bits except when i hear the fatal words.........WHATS THIS????????
cant retreat to me mancave anymore -uits being demolishedas we subdivide and put a new 4bedroompondersoa up for out retirement .bloody pity only 430sqm odd id have liked a duckpond for shooting .
anyone know what CCC regs are re private underground rifle ranges!!-the bang -no bloody different to a friggin earthquake!

These are surplus to my requirements. Maybe of some value to someone? Both full boxes

Originally Posted by sneeze

These are surplus to my requirements. Maybe of some value to someone? Both full boxes

Attachment 80729

@sneeze Are these still available? How much are you after for them if they are? Cheers

As a student of history, it always pains me to see the decline of a New Zealand "institution". Someone recently lent me a book that chronicled the advent of the Colonial Ammunition Company (CAC). Whilst not able to recall the events specifically or chronologically It is very much a struggle of hope to disappointment then despair then hope and for a time fortune and then loss.

In essence, the Colonial Ammunition Company and its wares were a remarkable achievement for a country so isolated from anywhere "civilised" at the time, the pioneering spirit and the attention to detail in the final product speaks volumes, in my opinion, for the people that produced it.

Do you have the book title?

Sent from my GT-I9506 using Tapatalk

I might get roasted for this, but didn’t CAC pretty much disappear when the massive tariffs on imported sporting goods were removed? I.e. They could sell locally for about a third of the price of imported ammo - as soon as this changed people switched in droves to the likes of Norma, which was a far superior product?

The high flyer shotshell incident was I believe what tipped the balance in the end.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

The high flyer shotshell incident was I believe what tipped the balance in the end.

Never heard of it, care to elaborate? Sounds “exciting”?

There were a number of firearms blown up and attendent shooter injuries associated with CAC hi flyer shotgun ammunition in the late 70s. Compensation was made, the ammo was withdrawn but after extensive testing no definitive explanation could be found. Boxes still turn up in auctions and some of it is probably shot still. Neil Hayes was involved in looking for the cause and has written a few articles over the years on this, and I recall that guns and hunting magazine had a question on it published some time ago.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

There were a number of firearms blown up and attendent shooter injuries associated with CAC hi flyer shotgun ammunition in the late 70s. Compensation was made, the ammo was withdrawn but after extensive testing no definitive explanation could be found. Boxes still turn up in auctions and some of it is probably shot still. Neil Hayes was involved in looking for the cause and has written a few articles over the years on this, and I recall that guns and hunting magazine had a question on it published some time ago.

I remember that I shot some in my Remington 1100 it bent the action rails and locked up the action no permanent damage the local gunsmith straightened the rails still works fine
took the ammo back for a replacement never used CAC shot shells again,
My shooting mentor worked at CAC during WW2 for the Army as quality controller had some great stories to tell about the place knew more about .303 ammo than anybody,
he said the main reason that CAC folded was that the machinery was worn out and was too expensive to replace