Cool Meuse Argonne souvenier

[Chris Boonzaier]

When I was down at Verdun a friend gave me some clips of Ammo he found on the Meuse Argonne battlefields...

I guess the ammo belt rotted away, but there were 6 full clips of ammo (Now emptied of powder)...

what was kinds cool was the round with what I assume was a shell splinter hit...

When I got them they were just a couple of days out of the ground, they are a bit cleaned up now...

[Kev in Deva]

Hi Chris,

simple question for you what type of ammo is it?

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Chris,

simple question for you what type of ammo is it?

Kevin in Deva.

Hi,

Its for the US Springfield... looks like Mauser at first glance....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is what French rounds look like still packaged and out of a bunker...

2 German Mauser rounds laying on top with rusted heads

[Chris Boonzaier]

Single round in a ploughed field, and the remains of a stick grenade...

[Chris Liontas]

AWESOME Chris!

How do you remove the powder from them?

[Chris Boonzaier]

AWESOME Chris!

How do you remove the powder from them?

Hi,

there is a special reloading hammer that allows you ro remove the heads, empty the powder out and replace the heads looking as good as new.

best

Chris

[Tony]

Hi,

there is a special reloading hammer that allows you ro remove the heads, empty the powder out and replace the heads looking as good as new.

best

Chris

Have you ever tried it on a .303? If you have, how did you get on removing the cordite?

I have a few that need doing.

Tony

[Chris Boonzaier]

Have you ever tried it on a .303? If you have, how did you get on removing the cordite?

I have a few that need doing.

Tony

When you hit the hammer the head flies out, then you have to tap out the powder. Is a bugger when the powder is sticky.

The advantage of the hammer is, when you put the head back, it is just as tight as it originally was.

Best

Chris

[Tony]

But on a .303 the cordite is packed in tight strands.

Where did you get the hammer and what's the correct name for it? I need to get one too.

Tony

[Kev in Deva]

But on a .303 the cordite is packed in tight strands.

Where did you get the hammer and what's the correct name for it? I need to get one too.

Tony

Hallo Tony

if I recall correctly .303 Ammo with strands of cordite is actually .303 Mk 7z

and used in machine guns, its more powerful than a normal .303 rifle round,

due to the pressure required to re-cock the machine gun for the next/continuing shot.

I remember in my time in the Irish Army attending a Reserve Defence Force Battalion Rifle Shoot, when a .303 Mk 7z was mistakenly introduced into a .303 Rifle, upon shooting the entire bolt of the rifle was blown to the rear and off the weapon, taking the lower right ear lobe of the young chap using it.

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

[Tony]

Hallo Tony

if I recall correctly .303 Ammo with strands of cordite is actually .303 Mk 7z

and used in machine guns, its more powerful than a normal .303 rifle round,

due to the pressure required to re-cock the machine gun for the next/continuing shot.

I remember in my time in the Irish Army attending a Reserve Defence Force Battalion Rifle Shoot, when a .303 Mk 7z was mistakenly introduced into a .303 Rifle, upon shooting the entire bolt of the rifle was blown to the rear and off the weapon, taking the lower right ear lobe of the young chap using it.

Kevin in Deva.

That sounds nasty Kev.

I only know of .303 MK. VII rounds which were standard cordite filled rounds in WWI.

I've just found a reference to the MKVII Z. stating Z meant the round has a nitro cellulose charge.

Chris, do all US rounds from that period have powder? What's stamped on the base? I've found a page with several US maker stamps.

Tony

[Chris Boonzaier]

here you go...

http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/product/854b17b16465b91639054077/RCBS+Kinetic+Hammer+%2728RCB09415%2729/

They are lots of fun...

Head fits back in as if it had never been out...

[Tony]

Ta Chris.

Tony