Thread: Old .303 Ammunition

A mate asked if I wanted any .303 Ammunition as he had some lying around in his shed. I said I would grab it, but what a pile it was when I picked it up. I'd say only the Highland stuff would be any good. But what I wanted to know is if anyone can tell me how old the stuff is with the deer on the cover?
Cheers.

Greetings,
I bought some of the CAC stuff in boxes like that in the late sixties, cost thirty bob ($3.00) a packet. Likely to be Berdan primed. There may be collector interest in it, perhaps a lot. The stuff on the rear left would be 1970's and boxer primed. The CAC stuff in likely to be loaded with AR2201 which is inclined to deteriorate in the heat.
Grandpamac.

@gundoc

The CAC would be over 40yrs old. I have some of that red stuff. I would have no problem using the CAC stuff. Ive shot off ammo from the Boer War Cordite loaded but it still went bang.

I'm not sure what the origins on the small brown box is...It's in a forign language.

Originally Posted by Kudu

I'm not sure what the origins on the small brown box is...It's in a forign language.

It is Fabrique Nationale Belgium AKA FN. I was given a pile of once fired brass many years ago. The lot I had was all boxer primed.

Probably has more worth as collector stuff. I'm sure someone with a proper gun room like @40mm would like a wee display

Take out a round and examine it. CAC ammunition will have a date as part of the head stamp. I have some from 1956 and it shoots as good as when it was produced.

I'm keen on a box of both the CAC stuff and the FN stuff if its not opened please.

The 'Deer & Mountains' packet came out in the late 60's and are quite collectable in good condition. The FN box is part of a large batch that the NZFS imported from Belgium for culler use. It was made for the Belgian Army for use in Bren guns. Another collectable item. The CAC 'Deer & Mountains' and the later red, black, and white packets are boxer primed and are not known for their storage qualities, cracked necks and corrosion being common. They were made after CAC lost their military contracts (and a lot of their skilled staff) and the company went through a period of restructuring which caused many quality control problems, not long before they went completely tits up. Another classic case of letting accountants and people with business degrees fuck a good business up!

Originally Posted by gundoc

The 'Deer & Mountains' packet came out in the late 60's and are quite collectable in good condition. The FN box is part of a large batch that the NZFS imported from Belgium for culler use. It was made for the Belgian Army for use in Bren guns. Another collectable item. The CAC 'Deer & Mountains' and the later red, black, and white packets are boxer primed and are not known for their storage qualities, cracked necks and corrosion being common. They were made after CAC lost their military contracts (and a lot of their skilled staff) and the company went through a period of restructuring which caused many quality control problems, not long before they went completely tits up. Another classic case of letting accountants and people with business degrees fuck a good business up!

Sad that a country, even combined NZ/AU, would/could not keep even its small arms ammunition manufacture domestic.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Sad that a country, even combined NZ/AU, would/could not keep even its small arms ammunition manufacture domestic.

When the changeover to 7.62mm occurred in 1960 the factory made a mistake by not upgrading to new machinery and tried to make do with retooling the old .303 machines that were 70 years old. The fact that only the cases and bullets were made here (on outdated machinery), the raw metal strip, propellant, and primers all being imported, it was not possible to compete with much larger overseas factories (Australia, Singapore, etc). The 7.62mm production only lasted about 5 years and it was all downhill from then on. CAC did expand their range of calibres (.243, .270, .30/30, .30/06, and .303) and were exporting to the USA but price and quality were real problems. There mainstay 12 gauge production also suffered quality control problems and the debacle of the High Flyer ammo blowing up a few guns was the final nail. They tried expanding into plastics and deep-drawn products like lipstick tubes but without real success.

Nice pick up, yes I would like a nice packet of the CAC Deer & Mts to for the shelf, I have a bashed up/faded packet, my Dad & Uncle used to use this when I was a Kid, funny nearly all the hunters we knew had a 303 only really serious guys had a .308 or 250/3000 & a few 44/40 !

Interesting Gundoc, pity CAC went away, I have a packet or two of High Flyer & will never shoot it but I almost shot a couple off that were in a old cartridge belt at a possum the other night, in a hurry & eyes aren't great close up, bit of a worry that, on both lol !

Originally Posted by gundoc

The 'Deer & Mountains' packet came out in the late 60's and are quite collectable in good condition. The FN box is part of a large batch that the NZFS imported from Belgium for culler use. It was made for the Belgian Army for use in Bren guns. Another collectable item. The CAC 'Deer & Mountains' and the later red, black, and white packets are boxer primed and are not known for their storage qualities, cracked necks and corrosion being common. They were made after CAC lost their military contracts (and a lot of their skilled staff) and the company went through a period of restructuring which caused many quality control problems, not long before they went completely tits up. Another classic case of letting accountants and people with business degrees fuck a good business up!

Greetings,
The Deer and Mountain packet cartridges I have have the large diameter, and I assume Berdan primers. They are head stamped CAC, 303 and NZ same as the ones I had over 50 years ago. These last were definitely Berdan. Possibly early production?
Grandpamac.