TOPIC:

I have a 577.450 martini casing, and have wondered around what time it was produced. It has a uniform dark brown "patina", and it was made by Kynoch. It is stamped with the roman numeral for 2. Does this stand for the fact that it was made with drawn brass rather than rolled foil? Or does it stand for a cordite load (which I believe is unlikely).

I have added a diagram of the headstamp as I don't currently have a photo of it.

Thank you:
J.I.W




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J.I.W.
Known during its service life as "Cartridge S.A. Ball Rifle Martini Henry Mark II Solid case" (or these days as .45" Martini Henry Solid Case Mk.11), the rounds with the headstamp you illustrated were made by Kynoch, Ltd, Birmingham on contract commencing 1885 and until1902; when Cordite rounds for the military were introduced in that calibre. Charge of the Mk.II .45 MHR round was 85 grains of black powder, it featured a 485 grain lead bullet with a white paper patch and had a muzzle velocity of about 1350 fps. While specified for Rifles, it could also be used in the .45" Maxim MG. BTW, Cordite loaded rounds had the letter "C" in the headstamp as an ID.
Such rounds would have been widely distributed throughout the old Empire before the ABW - and probably later as well.
Regards
IL..

I have two interesting headstamps which require identification. Both items are from a box of field found artifacts I am cataloging for an organization. One of the casings belongs to a .303 round, and the the other to a .455 Webley round. The fired casing is the .303. It appears to possibly have a postwar primer.

Thank you:

J.I.W





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J.I.W.
The uppermost headstamp is of a round manufactured on British Government contract by Grenfell and Accles. From the limited information supplied, the round appears to be a .455" Webley Powder S.A. Ball Mk.1; approved 7/1891. The device between the letters "G" and "A" is a trademark of that manufacturer. Examples might be found with/without the cypher.
The second headstamp is - due to the angle of photography - difficult to read. The only marking partially legible is what appears to be the letter "II" at 3 o'clock in your pic. Most likely denotes a .303" Cardite Ball Mk.11. I suggest you illustrate it again so the markings are clearer.
IL.

One iofmy problems in identifying the .303 myself was the fact that the headstamp was very faint. I have attached a photo where I have added the markings I can confirm are correct, but the marking circled in white is too faint to identify, and looks like it could have even been a misstrike. It could be a C, G or even a J as I have previously noted aswell.

Thank you:

J.I.W



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The symbols I, C, and II are likely correct, and if so, Ron Bester has your cartridge listed as a round nosed cordite mark II .303 round, made by Birmingham Metal and Munitions Company. Examples have been found in a reloaded Maxim belt, Kimberly, Jammerbergdrift, Norvalspont, Paardeberg, and Ficksburg.