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HXP 1970's in bandoliers... |
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Mayhem 
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Joined: February 06 2016 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 335 |
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 Posted: April 05 2025 at 5:51pm |
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HXP is definitely made in Greece using Olin machinery. When US contract was initially mentioned, I missed the part that asked if it was made in the US. Instead, I assumed made for the US.
One question I have asked repeatedly but never received an answer on is what year did the British government initiate a contract with HXP to purchase ammunition, given that English language labeled boxes pre-date the official adoption of the HXP produced L1A1 ball round for cadets in 1983. I suspect they did but I cannot find any evidence to support this. From Tony's site:  Source: https://sites.google.com/site/britmilammo/-303-inch/-303-inch-cordite-ball-mark-vi-to-viiiz I have HXP .303 British rounds from 1969 through 1989, including a grenade launching blank dated 1984.
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.303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: April 06 2025 at 10:41am |
I went through all my HXP today and have nothing later than 89.
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Mick
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Shamu
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Posted: April 06 2025 at 1:14pm |
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I remember some time in IIRC 1968, being issued wooden crates of .303 British in 32 round boxes. It was dated 1916! I'll never forget our instructor at the end of the day firing the last round before departing the range & turning round with a huge grin & a totally fake "plummy accent" loudly proclaiming: "EGAD, CARRUTHERS! THERE GOES THE LAST OF THE '16 VINTAGE"!
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: April 06 2025 at 1:43pm |
One of our church wardens (now gone to a better place!) once told me that after the war one of the home guard in the village tried to give the local policeman a sealed box of .303 that had been in his shed. The policeman refused to take it with the words, bury it somewhere! Which the ex home guardsman duly did. I've since been waiting for one of the local metal detectorist's to dig it up. My range box.  |
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Mick
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A square 10
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Posted: April 06 2025 at 3:49pm |
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my radway green 762x51 ammo supply came in those , its sandbox vintage
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britrifles
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Posted: April 06 2025 at 4:46pm |
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While we are on the subject of “old” .303 British cartridges, I found this in my father’s considerable supply of various makes of Mk 7 and 7z ammunition.
Mick, I’m hoping you might recognize it? Headstamp is K 62. Perhaps Kynoch cases, 1962.  |
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Mayhem
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Posted: April 06 2025 at 5:08pm |
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Correct - Kynoch made in 1962. Is there a 7 in the 6 o'clock position?
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.303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: April 07 2025 at 2:37am |
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Geoff, yes agree with Mayhem.
I have no idea what Sandhurst & M60 "Royal" Enfield's are...possibly models that Cogswell & Harrison made and marketed given that Kynock obviously packaged the rounds for them? Footnote: When the HXP started to dry up over here Kynoch stepped into the breach and started to make .303 FMJ, something I don't believe they had done for a long time. My other memory of it was the price!
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Mick
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britrifles
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 1:18pm |
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The two 300 round tins of HXP from Max Arms arrived today. I’ll open one of them and run some thru the chrono with No. 4 with the new CBI barrel. Maybe dig out some Canadian 1943 Defence Industries (DI) Mk 7z to compare to as well.
I’ve not seen tins like this before, they must have been stored in good conditions, no rust or stains on the tin or on the paper label. $233.95 per 300 round tin, shipped to the door, no tax either. That’s $0.78 per round, not bad considering today’s ammo prices. |
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Strangely Brown
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 1:25pm |
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Geoff, check to see if any of the chargers are MkII's.
From memory it was the 1973 year batch that had quite a few in.
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Mick
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britrifles
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 1:46pm |
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I will do Mick. These are 1971, Lots 26 and 27.
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Mayhem
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 4:12pm |
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I too would be interested in seeing which chargers were used.
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.303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889
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britrifles
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 5:32pm |
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I opened one of the tins, the chargers are pretty “crusty”. Had to use steel wool to clean one. It’s a TF&S Mk IV. They are thinner than the circle B Mk IV clips I have. The cartridges look quite clean though.
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Sapper740
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 5:44pm |
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I should be getting my order early next week so I'll have more info on chargers and headstamps then.
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Enfield trader
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Posted: April 10 2025 at 6:47pm |
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Mine came today
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britrifles
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Posted: April 11 2025 at 5:05am |
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I pulled the bullet on one of the HXP 71 cartridges, from Lot # 26, 1971 manufacture date:
Case with Primer - 187.5 gr, 2.215” long, rim thickness 0.062” Powder - Ball, 41.4 gr Bullet - 173.4 gr, 0.3114” dia. 1.222” long, flat base hard point, bullet sealed in case with black “tar” OAL - 3.016 - 3.038” (sample of 10 rounds) Plan to shoot and chrono some on Sunday, will report results. |
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Mayhem wrote: