303 Br ammuntion

[Light Infantry]

Sorting through my ammo and have some ammo i am looking at moving. This is the first batch that i have questions on.

I have a bunch of 303 ammo. Headstamp is 1945 at 12 oclock, DI at 7 oclock and Z at 5 oclock. Brass case, copper bullet. They came out of a box of 48 (not at all sure that is the original box).




Box marked

L-120613 D.I.
48
CARTRIDGES
303 INCH
D.I. M (superscript K) VII (superscript Z).
"C" with an upward pointing arrow
C.I.A.

What is this ammo? Shootable or collectable? Corrosive or not? Lastly, value?

 

[Reg# 43897]

It's service ammunition for No.4 rifles (or SMLE's) made at or near the end of WWll. Perfectly fine ammunition to shoot as I have done many times w/ my rifle. I don't believe that it would be corrosive but better folks than I would know more. It was made in Canada.

-John.

 

[LawrenceN]

Excellent ammo and the brass is very good for reloading; I have a bunch of it. Hereabouts, good surplus ball like that (presuming it's been properly stored) will run about $1-$1.25/rnd.

 

[Light Infantry]

Next ammo

Box laebeleld:
15 rds
.303 Cartridge MK*8Z
Powder
Nitro-cellulose
MBL73116

To the left is marked PPU7305

Red/orange primer sealant.

once again: What is this ammo? Shootable or collectable? (im sure its not coolectable). Corrosive or not? Relaodable? Lastly, value?

 

[Pblatzz]

Sorting through my ammo and have some ammo i am looking at moving. This is the first batch that i have questions on.

I have a bunch of 303 ammo. Headstamp is 1945 at 12 oclock, DI at 7 oclock and Z at 5 oclock. Brass case, copper bullet. They came out of a box of 48 (not at all sure that is the original box).




Box marked

L-120613 D.I.
48
CARTRIDGES
303 INCH
D.I. M (superscript K) VII (superscript Z).
"C" with an upward pointing arrow
C.I.A.

What is this ammo? Shootable or collectable? Corrosive or not? Lastly, value?

DI is Defense Industries (Canadian Made)
1945 is self-explanatory
7 is for Mk 7 ball

C broad arrow is Canadian, in cardboard boxes or 48 rounds. It's good ammo. It's also very collectible as it's boxer primed.
Pictures are always better.

 

[Pblatzz]

It's service ammunition for No.4 rifles (or SMLE's) made at or near the end of WWll. Perfectly fine ammunition to shoot as I have done many times w/ my rifle. I don't believe that it would be corrosive but better folks than I would know more. It was made in Canada.

-John.

Both Canada and Britain made corrosive .303 up until the 1950s. If it berdan primmed consider it corrosive..

 

[Pblatzz]

more on .303 ammunition

ht tps://stephentaylorhistorian.com/2020/09/19/british-303-cartridge-case-identification-headstamps-and-much-more/

 

[enefgee]

Next ammo

Box laebeleld:
15 rds
.303 Cartridge MK*8Z
Powder
Nitro-cellulose
MBL73116

To the left is marked PPU7305

Red/orange primer sealant.

once again: What is this ammo? Shootable or collectable? (im sure its not coolectable). Corrosive or not? Relaodable? Lastly, value?

Prvi Partisan ammo, boxer primed great ammo and the best modern brass for reloading. The DI is probably the best 303 ever made, Prvi is second in my books.

 

[M1-Garand]

Prvi Partisan ammo, boxer primed great ammo and the best modern brass for reloading. The DI is probably the best 303 ever made, Prvi is second in my books.

I still have half a case of DI marked 303 ammo. boxer primed, non corrosive, excellent ammo.
Wooden case steel liner, label on the outside of the case...."Not to be fired from synchronized guns after December 1945"

 

[Light Infantry]

Here are some pics:

WW2 ammo:

Yugo:

 

[bdft]

Why was ammo packed in 48 round boxes when the guns had 10 round mags? Although it does seem like something a government would do.

 

[green]

Why was ammo packed in 48 round boxes when the guns had 10 round mags? Although it does seem like something a government would do.

26 48 round boxes gave 100% fill density in the standard ammo crate.

 

[Baribal]

CIA means it was sold by Century International Arms, in St-Laurent (Montreal), Qc.

 

[Mike Webb]

CIA means it was sold by Century International Arms, in St-Laurent (Montreal), Qc.

I was kinda thinking Canadian (something) Arsenals. Maybe I'm mistaken but Century Arms wasnt even around until the late 60's - early 70's.

 

[Janeau]

CIA was a big surplus distributor and dealer in the 70´s.

 

[green]

CIA Chief Inspector of Ammunition placed on pack at factory
Nothing to do with Century Arms or that other CIA either

 

[Light Infantry]

So both the DI and red primer sealed ammo are non corrosive for sure?

 

[enefgee]

So both the DI and red primer sealed ammo are non corrosive for sure?

There's more than one "red primer sealed" ammo out there - the boxer primed ammo is all non-corrosive. Fire a round and look down the hole.

 

[bjmurata]

At one time I had several hundred rounds of PPU 303 BR headstamped MK8z 7305 as shown above. Very good quality ammunition that I purchased from International Firearms. I'm not sure when PPU switched over to boxer primers but all of my rounds were Berdan primed and corrosive.

 

[Light Infantry]

I also dug this 303 ammo out. On a belt, 250 rds. Any ideas?
Again: What is this ammo? Shootable or collectable? Corrosive or not? Lastly, value?