303 stripper clips

[Torch]

Hey guys,does anyone know of a good reference/database for WW2 303 stripper clips?

[TonyE]

What is it you would like to know? Manufacturere's codes?

...and as an Aussie you should not be calling them "stripper clips"! They are chargers!

Cheers
TonyE

[Torch]

New Zealander working in aussie and I've always called them stripper clips..but the info I was chasing was manufacturers codes 4 80 and IV MO,thanks

[TonyE]

The "4" and "IV" refer to the fact that they are Mark IV chargers which were approved in List of Changes Paragraph 19786, 30 Oct 1917. Nomenclature for mark numbers was changed from Roman to Indo-Arabic numbers in 1944.

I suspect the "80" on your first one is a date and it may be from the Greek HXP .303 that was being manufactured at that time.

The other "IV MO" is WW2 and made by the Maribyrnong Ordnance Factory, Australia.

Regards
TonyE

[Torch]

Thank you very much for the information Tony,very helpful..I'm searching through an old range very near my home where I believe there was a WW2 firing range that was attached to the original airport,no cases found yet but will hire a metal detector and have a dig.

[4md]

Thank you very much for the information Tony,very helpful..I'm searching through an old range very near my home where I believe there was a WW2 firing range that was attached to the original airport,no cases found yet but will hire a metal detector and have a dig.

good luck, hopfully you find somthing

[GIZMO8Z]

When I get home, I'll take a look at my "chargers" and ask about their markings, too!

[TonyE]

Here are the four marks of British .303 inch charger, pictured left to right together with the details of their approval.

Mark I, approved in List of Changes Paragraph 11753, 16 Jan 1903
Mark II, approved in List of Changes Paragraph 13465, 24 April 1906
Mark III, approved in List of Changes Paragraph 18973, 15 Feb 1916
Mark IV, approved in List of Changes Paragraph 19786,30 Oct 1917

A Mark V was proposed by Hinks and Wells in 1918 which was an adaptation of the Russian Mosin charger to suit the .303 inch rim dimensions but it never went into production. Examples do exist though.

Regards
TonyE