"vintage" .303 questions

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Just picked up three older boxes of .303 ammo.

Two boxes of 174 grain in plain, printing only, beige boxes "Winchester Repeating Arms Co." Rounds are headstamped "WRA 303 British". That's all. Just curious about what vintage these might be.

Third box was marked 150 gr. M.C. from Remington Arms, but turned out to be filled with 1940 and 1943 dated "DA C-broad arrow" Canadian Mk VII.

These will be cordite and possibly corrosive-primed, correct?

I also note the 1940 rounds have what appears to be an aluminum bullet while the '43 are copper-jacketed. When did they change?
 
The DA '40 & '43 ammo is almost certainly corrosive primed. I have a bunch the same. The Winchester maybe. Depends on vintage, ball ammo etc??? Pics would help alot!

The silver projectiles are not aluminum but most likely cupro-nickle washed. Not sure why they did that? Maybe to cut down on copper fouling?
 
I wouldn't be to sure about the Remington stuff being corrosive. Much of the WWII procuction ammunition that was built in the US was loaded on "boxer" primed brass, with non corrosive priming and used BLC powder. Quite often, the bullets used were of .308 diameter as well.

It makes sense, the US manufacturers were set up for non corrosive, boxer priming. The rest of the allies weren't about to reload battlefield pick ups, so as long as the ballistics are the same no problem.

When surplus ammunition was readily available, back in the good ole days, I used to be on the look out for US or Canadian manufactured ammunition. Lack of corrosive priming and BLC ball powder was the main reason. Winchester, Remington, Dominion, Lake City and Western Cartridge Co were my holy grails. The ammunition available at the time was in various calibres as well, 7.62x54, 30-06, 8x57, 303Brit, 9mm, 45acp, 30m1 carbine, and the list goes on.

It was one of the reasons why so many people got burned when the North American stuff dried up and only off shore stuff was available. Many people used to the North American stuff, didn't realise the off shore offerings were corrosive primed or Berdan primed or that the UK used cordite as propellant and that there was a difference.
 
The Remington box was just to keep the rounds together, as all inside were DAC-marked, so not Remington production.

Here's a photo of one of the Win boxes, with a round pulled out. They're FMJ.
Sorry for the poor quality. Only have the camera phone handy.

attachment.jpg
 
Dandy picture. Clear and just the right size.
Winchester did make ammo for Commonwealth countries during W.W. II. It not being made by a government arsenal is why there's no date. Might be a date on the box. Mind you, the Olin reference, I think, makes it post-war. Forget when Olin took over Winchester. No cordite from Winchester.
Mk VII and Mk VIII ammo could have boxer or berdan primers.
"...cupro-nickle washed..." Cupro-nickel jacket, not washed. It was an early jacket material. Seems to me it caused fouling issues so it was replaced with copper.
"...US manufacturers were set up for non corrosive, boxer priming..." Nope. M2 ball used corrosive primers until 1952ish. Only U.S. made .30 Carbine never used corrosive priming.
 
Well I just checked a bunch of spent DA C/l\ 1950 Mk 7, DA C/l\ 1950 Mk7z and DA C/l\ 1951 Mk7z rounds and they are all berdan primed so treat as corrosive. I've got some 1940's stuff I'll check once it's fired but am fairly sure it'll be the same. My understanding was DA ammo was berdan primed & corrosive whereas the DI ammo is boxer primed & non corrosive. I have yet to see any DA ammo that was boxer primed. Doesn't mean it isn't out there, I just haven't ever seen any, ..........for what it's worth. Hope that helps.
 
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