7.62 X 35 LAHTI L-43
During 1943 the Finnish authorities began showing a passing interest in an assault rifle/SMG concept like the 7.92 Kurz. They however did not have neither the time or the inclination to start the development of a whole new assault rifle/cartridge concept smack bang in...
7.62 X 34 US CASELESS FA XPL
This was part of the US caseless design program during the late 60’ and early 70’s
7.62 X 33 CETME Regaña
Spanish sub caliber training round for the M65 Instalaza rocket launcher Relatively...
7.62 X 28 TYPE III XPL
The U.S. Air Force Armament Technology Lab modified the 221 Multi-Purpose Weapon during 1973 with a .30 Cal barrel fitted with a silencer. Three different versions were tested of which this is the third version that is, like the second version, based on the 5,56 NATO...
7.62 X 26 RUSSIAN GERASIMENKO CASELESS
The 7.62 Gerasimenko was developed during the early 1970’s by Vladimir Gerasimenko (1910 – 1987), a researcher from Kiev, which at that stage was still part of the old USSR. The cartridge consisted of a machines steel projectile with a...
7.62 X 25 CHINESE SILENCED SMG M-64
Type 64 submachine gun is one of the first domestically designed Chinese submachine guns. It was designed as a special purpose weapon for clandestine operations, and therefore is fitted with integral silencer (sound moderator) of significant size. Standard ammunition...
7.62 X 24 INSTALAZE (REGANA)
This is a Portuguese development dating from 1973 used as a sub caliber training device for a rocket launcher to simulate the flight of the rocket. ...
7.62 LIQUID PROPELANT
This is the front bullet of the 7.62mm Liquid Propellant Caseless. It is item 662 from Buttweiler Auction XII, No. 1. It is unprimed with a steel inner body and a bronze outer body. The grooves are for the polyethylene O-rings. This was a Winchester development....
7.62 HUGHES LOCKLESS
The 7.62mm Lockless Plastic Encapsulated cartridge was developed as an internal experimental cartridge by the Hughes Tool Co during 1971. The design is similar to the 5.56mm design, but according to HWS 3:424 was not submitted to any US Military agency for testing....
7.62 COMBINED CARTRIDGE (S.C.B. 7)
The RPG series (RPG-2, RPG7) use a vertical firing pin, hit by a swinging hammer in the trigger guard-pistol grip unit. This strikes a primer in the rocket's tail (also vertical ie, diametrical).The rocket has a positioning key located at the muzzle of the launch...
7.5 X 99 FRENCH XPL
This was part of a ballistic study done by France based on the 50 Browning case.
7.5 X 58 FRENCH Mle.24
The 7.5x58 was designed in a search for a replacement for the French 8x50R Lebel round at the end of WW 1, which, although being one of the first smokeless rounds, had a shape that was not suitable for semi-auto of full auto weapons. The French, not trusting the peace...
7.5 X 55R EINSATZLAUF (SUBCALIBER)
Sub caliber spotter for artillery designed in the 1950’s for the Swiss PAK 50 and PAK 57 anti-tank gun. Although no longer produced, they are still in service with the Swiss Army infantry. Both the PAK 50 and the PAK 57 anti-tank guns are very useful in built-up...
41 SPECIAL
The 41 Special is a shortened version of the 41 Magnum, in the same vein as the 44 Special is a lighter version of the 44 Magnum. With the development of the 41 Magnum in 1964, the idea was to have two different strength loadings for law enforcement and civilian use...
450 No.1 BLAND
British development for a revolver by the firm Thomas Bland & Sons, which had offices in London and Birmingham with cartridges made for them by Eley. The shape of the bullet is the same as for the 476 Enfield Mk. 3 (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 453)
375 WINCHESTER
The .375 Winchester was introduced in 1978 in the Winchester Model 94 XTR Big Bore carbine as a modernized version of the old 38-55 Winchester. Against the hopes of Winchester, the 375 was not a success and was discontinued during the mid 90’s.
6.5mm BLACK MESA EXPRESS
10.6mm SCHULHOF
This was a design by Josef Schulhof (1824 - 1890), gunmaker from Vienna. He patented a repeating rifle in 1882 and was credited with having developed several types of repeating pistols around 1884. All required a manual movement to chamber and discharge the cartridge....
24 NOSLER
The 24 Nosler was designed by Mike Lake, who is the Senior Manager of Engineering and R&D at Nosler. He was also responsible for the development of the 26 Nosler (2013), 28 Nosler (2015), 30 Nosler (2016), and the 33 Nosler (2017), all of which are based on the...
260 HEAVY EXPRESS SHORT ACTION MAGNUM
375/280 SQUEEZE BORE
- info to follow -
375 CHEYENNE TACTICAL
Minerva Tactical .375 Chey Tac This is a necked down version of the 408 Chey Tac. It is based on the 505 GIBBS case that was strengthened to handle the pressures of these specialised rifles. The 375 Chey Tac is capable of extreme accuracy. On the 22nd of November...
35 WINCHESTER XPL AUTO RIFLE
This was an experimental automatic rifle cartridge that was based on the 30-40 Krag base. The case length was the same as the .33 WCF case and utilised the shoulder angle of the .35 WCF case. Also discussed on p. 163 of WRACO Vol. 1. The specimen on...
338 LAPUA MAGNUM
Accuracy International AXMC338 Rifle THE STORY OF .338 LAPUA MAGNUM – FROM AN AMERICAN DREAM TO A FINNISH SUCCESS STORY. (From www.lapua.com) - This story enlightens the history of the .338 Lapua Magnum from a Finnish point of view. The purpose is not to...
345 WINCHESTER MACHINE RIFLE
This was an internal project by Winchester during the 1st World War period. It is basically a rimless version of the 351 WSL cartridge. It was designed for aircraft use, but there was also an alternate barrel with bayonet attachment for ground use. The rifle was the...
416/338 U.S. NAVY-HASKINS SNIPER
In 1985 Jim Shultz wrote a "Big Brass Busters" article in "Gung Ho Weapons Handbook" describing the Research Armament Industries Inc. new sniping rifles. One was a .50 Browning, the other chambered in the new .416 /.338 cartridge developed by RAI. The white cardboard...
32-70 USN RIMMED
The rimmed version of the 32-70 was known as the “Type A” as part of the US Navy search to replace the .45-70. This is a replica by OPM in South Africa made for cartridge collectors.
32-70 USN RIMLESS
This was the rimless version of the 32-70 WCF and was known as the “Type B”. This was part of the US Navy Contract but was not adopted in favour of the 236 cal USN.
308 WINCHESTER “FAT CASE” EXPERIMENTAL
This was a development by Western Cartridge Company during the latter part of the 1950’s. It was called the 308 Winchester Magnum and developed with military applications in mind. It was based on the commercial 308 Win case with case diameter increased for improved...
303/55 BOYS XPL
With the introduction of the 55 Boys, it also became necessary to consider the development of suitable training ammunition. There were fears that firing the Boys on normal ranges exceeded safety standards and could penetrate the backstops and increase the danger area...
303 RIMLESS ENFIELD EXPERIMENTAL
British military experimental cartridge as described in a Royal Labs drawing #RL29339A that was tested between 1920 and 1927. According to Hoyem Vol. 3 p. 165 about 5 000 were manufactured. This specimen has a neck crimp.
303 SEMI RIMMED “LEWIS”
In 1918 there was a demand for a more powerful .303 inch cartridge from both the Army and the newly formed Royal Air Force. The Army's primary interest was for an armour piercing round to defeat German loop holes and sniper shields, whilst the Air Force wanted a more...
303 BRITISH – OTHER COUNTRIES
CZECHOSLOVAKIA / CZECH REPUBLIC With the fall of communism, the country of Czechoslovakia split in two, with the Slovak Republic adopting their own flag, whereas the Czech Republic retained the original flag adopted in 1920. ...
303 BRITISH – COMMONWEALTH ex RSA
2023-01 - testing formats on this page, setup will change over time. Sources: Edwards A.O., (2011) Headstamp Guide: .303 inch British Service Ammunition. Solo Publications. ISBN 978-0-9568528-0-9 MacDonald C.R., (1995) Canada and the .303 British, 1892 – 1992....
303 BRITISH – ENGLAND
HISTORY In J.R.R Tolkien’s book The Lord of the Rings, there is a chapter where the Hobbits meet Treebeard. Pippin, one of the Hobbits mentions a hill and Treebeard responds by saying that it is a hasty word for something that has stood there for such a long time....
450/303 PLATE TEST
This was a plate test cartridge dating from around 1932 when the UK Design Department utilised a .450 Nitro case that was necked to .303in. the bullets were standard 174gr. .303 Mk. 1 W (Armor Piercing) although lighter bullets as well as aluminium were also used....
300 WHISPER
The AAC 83 headstamp in 5.56x45 and 7.62x51 was a made by Igman of Yugoslavia for Nordac Manufacturing Corp. (NMC) in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the initials stand for "American Armaments Corporation". This was a deceiving contract intended for El Salvador. D B on...
300 LAPUA MAGNUM
The History of the 300 Lapua Magnum (from www.lapua.com) Since its introduction, the .338 Lapua Magnum has been used as the parent case for a series of cartridges, in a number of different bore sizes. Some of these are similar to other existing wildcats, which are...
300 FLAME THROWER IGNITER
Development of what was to become officially known as the Flame-Thrower, Portable, No. 2 Mk I, began during 1941. lt appears to have been influenced by the German Flammenwerfer 40, but the basic design of any portable flamethrower is fixed by physical constraints....
375 WHISPER
According to the SSK website, a “Whisper®” cartridge must be capable of sub-sonic extreme accuracy with very heavy bullets for its caliber. The 375 Whisper is based on the 7mm Bench Rest case together with the 338 and 416 caliber to convert 308 case head size actions...
375 WHELEN IMPROVED
This is the improved version of the 375 Whelen that was developed in 1951 by L.R. "Bob" Wallack and named in honor of Colonel Townsend Whelen. The shoulder angle on the original Whelen retained the 17º 30’ shoulder angle whereas the improved version has a 40° shoulder...
236 REMINGTON
300 MATCH LOADS – POSSIBLE MILITARY
These loads might have been used by the military at some stage. Further info to follow. 300 WEATHERBY CASE 300 HOLLAND & HOLLAND CASE 300 H&H case, but necked to 300 Weatherby. Bullet has a non-magnestic insert that was...
300 ACKLEY MATCH AMU
This was a long range target cartridge (AMU = Army Marksmanship Unit). According to available information, the staff and facilities at AMU were utilised to help develop and improve sniper weapons, systems and tactics, but as far as could be ascertained no AMU...
41 S&W MAGNUM
Elmer Keith, together with Phillip Sharp and DB Wesson developed the 357 Magnum in 1935 which was a stretched 38 Special and that set the standard for handgun performance for many years, until Keith developed the 44 Magnum from the lengthened 44 Special case in 1955....
CAL. 50/30 HV TEST
This is a .50 cal. Browning case necked to .30 cal. For ballistic tests. It resembles the specimen 829(b) on page 553 of HWS 3, but has a shorter case. Apparently, these were done by Aberdeen Proving Ground.
30-40 KRAG
The development of smokeless powders during the late 1880’s and the subsequent move by the major European powers to smaller bore cartridges led the US Army Ordnance Office to start the search for a cartridge that can shoot a lighter weight bullet more accurately over...
450 MARS (SHORT CASE)
One of a series of experimental cartridges and smallest of the 45 calibers made by H.W. Gabbet-Fairfax for a Mars semi-auto pistol, in all probability between 1895 – 1903. These cartridges were to be submitted for military trials but were ultimately not...
375 WEATHERBY MAGNUM
Designed by Roy Weatherby as an early ‘improved’ version of the 375 H&H, it was obsolete for a long time before being re-introduced by Weatherby in 2001.