60-96 year old mil-surp .303, and something I've never physically seen in my day

[philbert001]

Being used to what we all consider powder to look like, these plastic stick looking deals are quite strange!

 

[indy1919a4]

Cordite was used in England for Small arms into the 1960s and I think Indian & Pakistan used in into the 1970s... And Even the 1st atom bomb used Cordite to get its start

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Thank you kindly! Pughead has already googled your answer, done the legwork, and filled me in! I assume it was a euro-thing? (All my American old mil-surp has been copper jacketed!)That's what most of this is. (Probably explains why it shows the copper in photos!)

I've had a lot of milsurp ammo with those cupro-nickel jackets, from 8mm, 7mm, even 7.62x51. Not necessarily a euro-thing, but not an American thing. That's very cool about the cordite! I've never seen it before either.

 

[indy1919a4]

You call that cordite???.. Now this is Cordite!!

On a serious side then you think about what those small strands of Cordite will do to a bullet, Think of bundling larger rods all day in the factory

 

[philbert001]

And Even the 1st atom bomb used Cordite to get its start

That I didn't know! Very cool additional chunk of history! Thanks! I think sharing on INGO makes us all a little smarter! Collectively, we're a pretty bright bunch!

 

[philbert001]

Your SMLE doesn't shoot these!?...Hmm...

 

[philbert001]

I read that people actually chewed cordite back in the day! Said it tasted sweet, and gave similar effects to alcohol! I don't know about you, but I smoke when I drink! That could end badly!

 

[BogWalker]

I read that people actually chewed cordite back in the day! Said it tasted sweet, and gave similar effects to alcohol! I don't know about you, but I smoke when I drink! That could end badly!

Gonna give it a try? Report back with your findings.... I might have to repeat the experiment if result seem promising. For purely scientific reasons, of course!

 

[philbert001]

Gonna give it a try? Report back with your findings.... I might have to repeat the experiment if result seem promising. For purely scientific reasons, of course!

Lol! That would be one desperate Sunday!

 

[Leadeye]

As I remember Cordite is about half nitroglycerin, maybe chewing it was dropping their blood pressure.

 

[philbert001]

As I remember Cordite is about half nitroglycerin, maybe chewing it was dropping their blood pressure.

Yup! I believe in it's original format, it was over 60% nitroglycerine!

 

[BogWalker]

So, I've been reading. Some say it intoxicates you, some say it makes you sick. I think it either comes down to what formulation you have, how much you chew, or if you swallow it or not. I need to take the bullet puller to some 1960s Paki I've got and try it. I'm quite curious now. Hopefully it turns out as a mild intoxicant so I can tell people I don't drink or smoke, I chew on explosives.

The things I do to sound like a badass.

 

[philbert001]

So, I've been reading. Some say it intoxicates you, some say it makes you sick. I think it either comes down to what formulation you have, how much you chew, or if you swallow it or not. I need to take the bullet puller to some 1960s Paki I've got and try it. I'm quite curious now. Hopefully it turns out as a mild intoxicant so I can tell people I don't drink or smoke, I chew on explosives.

The things I do to sound like a badass.

Lol! Gunpowder makes my dogs mean, but cordite gets me drunk!

 

[philbert001]

(No dogs were harmed in the writing of the above B.S. post!)

 

[Mgderf]

This thread got me wondering about some mil-surp .303 I had in the ammo closet, so yesterday I pulled out a stripper clip of it and the inertia bullet puller.
Much to my surprise, I found Cordite!

Is this stuff still safe to shoot?
Mine is not all corroded, and my SMLE is a 1945 model in pristine condition.

 

[BogWalker]

This thread got me wondering about some mil-surp .303 I had in the ammo closet, so yesterday I pulled out a stripper clip of it and the inertia bullet puller.
Much to my surprise, I found Cordite!

Is this stuff still safe to shoot?
Mine is not all corroded, and my SMLE is a 1945 model in pristine condition.

It just depends. The cordite should be fine. If the cases aren't corroded like in OP that is a good sign. Your biggest issue will be primers. Primer degradation is the main cause of surplus malfunctions in .303 British. That is why Pakistani surplus is so unreliable. The cordite is just fine, but the primers are degraded. I'd try a few rounds and be very, very, very cautious about hang fires.

 

[indy1919a4]

The only thing I have ever read about problems with Cordite is if the long strands get all broken up while in the case, that the round can produce higher pressures.. (But as of today, I have never read anything proving that.. As of Yet it is just School yard gossip)

Just another fun Cordite fact, they load the cordite in the shell then form the neck afterwards.

 

[Mgderf]

Just another fun Cordite fact, they load the cordite in the shell then form the neck afterwards.

I wondered about that!
It was no easy task getting it out with an inertia puller! LOL

 

[Who Dares Wins]

If it helps, all the cordite that I broke down was internally clean. No signs of corrosion. I'll probably keep it, just because it's kinda cool to have! Unfortunately, all I'm seeing on the receiver is an engraved date of 6/47, and a 4 digit serial number. Pretty shallow and hand engraved. I'm assuming it's an arsenal rebuild date. Seen a "47" stamped in a couple places, but also seeing "12" here and there. Removed the forend, and still nothing obvious. I took pics. I'll get a thread up tonight after the kids are in bed. If you are a SMLE guy, please keep an eye out for it! I do see a couple of crown stamps, so I kinda assume it's a SMLE, not an Ishapore.

If you have multiple date stamps and one of them says "FTR" in front of the date, I was told that this stood for "Factory Thorough Rebuild". This would be a full overhaul and maybe a new barrel etc, after WWII most likely.