303/7.7 headstamp help please

j-man

j-man

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Need some help with a headstamp. I picked up some 303 years ago that I've long since shot but am now clearing out the brass. It is stamped:

AB1
7.7 R1 M3Z (or maybe M32)

Any idea where this stuff comes from? Is it safe to reload? I've tumbled the brass and it looks good but would appreciate any insight. Thanks.
 
7.7 Brass

I was called one day and the guy told me that a store had boxes of 7.7 Japanese ammo that they wanted to get rid of. He asked me to go over and buy it if I was interested. Went over and they said they would give me all 250 rounds for $30. I didn't have a 7.7 Arisaka but took it without looking at it.
Got home and opened a box and the stuff had a rim. I knew the 7.7 Arisaka ammo was rimless so I thought about it for a few minutes and determined it was the metric equivilant of 303. It's still new in the boxes now it sits in a sealed ammo box until I go to the range. I think it was manufactured in the Czech Republic or Yugoslavia. I will check it out tomorrow and see where it was manufactured. Good deal for $30 so I couldn't go wrong.
I must have a couple of .50 cal ammo boxes of different examples of ammo. I keep anything that is interesting or different, I would like to start an ammo collection.
 
I think it is South African. 8Z, rather than 3Z? IIRC, this South African ammuntion was surplused by the SA prison service after they scrapped their Vickers guns.
 
I've got some of that that I got at a gun show a while back. It is quite hot ammo too. Someone told me that it was hot stuff for the Vickers machine guns and NOT to fire it in the No1 mkIII's just the No4's and 5's. I've reloaded some of the brass with no issues.
Al
 
j-man said:
Need some help with a headstamp. I picked up some 303 years ago that I've long since shot but am now clearing out the brass. It is stamped:

AB1
7.7 R1 M3Z (or maybe M32)

Any idea where this stuff comes from? Is it safe to reload? I've tumbled the brass and it looks good but would appreciate any insight. Thanks.
Click to expand...

OK, it SA for sure. Should be non-corrosive....

A = Pretoria West Metal Pressings, Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA
81 = year of manufacture

7.7 is the metric caliber for .303 British
R1 is the SA designation for ball ammo

The rest I have to make an educated guess and say...

M3 = ????
Z = nitro cellulose powder.
 
goldidig said:
I've got some of that that I got at a gun show a while back. It is quite hot ammo too. Someone told me that it was hot stuff for the Vickers machine guns and NOT to fire it in the No1 mkIII's just the No4's and 5's. I've reloaded some of the brass with no issues.
Al
Click to expand...
---- I bought about 500 rds. of this ammo, 7.7 R 1 M3Z, about 8 years ago, never had any problem with it, seems like real good stuff. It,s from South Africa, never shot any out of a #1 mk 111, only #4 & #5,s. Any one else know anything about this being too " Hot " for a #1 mk 111 Enfield ????? Would really like to know !!!!!! Thanks.
 
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