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.375/303 WR Accelerated Express | ||||||||||||||||
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Type | Rifle | |||||||||||||||
Place of origin | England | |||||||||||||||
Production history | ||||||||||||||||
Designer | Westley Richards | |||||||||||||||
Designed | 1905 | |||||||||||||||
Produced | 1905–1910 | |||||||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||||||
Parent case | .375 Flanged Nitro Express | |||||||||||||||
Case type | Rimmed, bottleneck | |||||||||||||||
Bullet diameter | .311 in (7.9 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Neck diameter | .343 in (8.7 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Shoulder diameter | .390 in (9.9 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Base diameter | .457 in (11.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Rim diameter | .505 in (12.8 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Case length | 2.5 in (64 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Overall length | 3.36 in (85 mm) | |||||||||||||||
Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||||||
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Source(s): Cartridges of the World. [1] |
The .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express, also known as the .375/303 Axite, is an obsolete medium bore rifle cartridge.
It was a high velocity, rimmed, bottlenecked cartridge. It was loaded with Axite, a new smokeless powder developed by Kynoch and said by them to be "comparatively free from erosion and corrosion effects". The cartridge's power was considered about the same as the .300 H&H Magnum.
The .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express was designed by Westley Richards and introduced in 1905, being listed in Westley Richards' catalogues for several years thereafter. In 1909 it was also listed in Charles Lancaster & Co's catalogue and the Webley & Scott trade catalogue of 1914. The cartridge was chambered in double rifles with Lancaster oval-bore rifling, as well as single shot falling block rifles and in Lee-action magazine rifles manufactured by both Westley Richards and Lancaster. [1] [2]
The inclusion of ".375" in the cartridge's name leads to some confusion, [3] but a comparison of case base diameters suggest it refers to the older .375 Flanged NE 21⁄2, a naming consistent with other British hunting cartridges of the era such as the .450/400 Nitro Express, .577/500 Nitro Express, etc. [1] Since .375 Flanged NE is itself a necked-up and lengthened .303 British, .375/303 appears to be its second-generation derivative.[ citation needed ]
Upon its introduction the .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express was considered one of the highest velocity cartridges available. This attracted military attention and in 1906 it was demonstrated to officials from the War Office and Admiralty, as well as representatives from the Japanese, Russian, Italian and other governments. [4]
The case length is given as 2+1⁄2 inches (64 mm) total length 3+3⁄8 inches (86 mm) inches, with a spire point bullet. An Axite charge of 44.5 grains behind a 215 grain bullet, giving a pressure of 18 tons per square inch. Muzzle velocity is given as 2,500 ft/s (760 m/s) and a muzzle energy of 2980 foor-pounds; at 100 yd (91 m): 2,248 ft/s (685 m/s) and 2409 ft-pounds. [5]
The cartridge did not have a long life because in 1907 British authorities banned military-calibre rifles in India and Sudan. It was superseded by the more powerful .318 Westley Richards in Westley Richards catalogues from 1910. [6]
The Nitro Express (NE) series of cartridges are used in large-bore hunting rifles, also known as elephant guns or express rifles, but later came to include smaller bore high velocity British cartridges.
The .577 Nitro Express is a large-bore centerfire rifle cartridge designed for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in single-shot and double express rifles for hunting in the Tropics or hot climates in general and is a cartridge associated with the golden age of African safaris and Indian shikars.
The 9.5×57mm Mannlicher–Schönauer (MS) cartridge was adopted for the M-1910 MS rifle and carbine in 1910. The 9.5×57mm MS is also known as the 9.5×56mm MS, the 9.5×56.7mm MS, and the .375 Rimless Nitro Express (RNE) × 2¼. The cartridge may have been created by Westley-Richards and Eley in 1908, but no production rifles in this caliber have been found prior to the M-1910. This development by or on behalf of Steyr was probably an answer to the development by the noted British gunmaking firm of Holland & Holland in 1905 of their .400/375 Belted Nitro Express, designed for their specially modified Mannlicher–Schoenauer rifle. Whether the development of the 9.5×57mm Mannlicher–Schoenauer cartridge originated with OWS or with Holland's British competitor, Westley Richards certainly was the principal promoter of the new 1910 Model Mannlicher–Schoenauer rifle as evidenced by catalogs of the time. The 9.5×57mm MS is the last pre-war proprietary cartridge by Steyr and their most powerful until the recent advent of the .376 Steyr, which has its antecedents in the 9.5×57mm.
.450 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 31⁄4-inch is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting dangerous game such as elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion, and leopard. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in double rifles for hunting in the Tropics or hot climates in general and is associated with the Golden Age of African safaris and Indian shikars.
The .240 Magnum Rimless Holland & Holland is a centrefire sporting rifle cartridge developed in English gunmakers Holland & Holland no later than 1919, primarily for use in hunting deer and plains game.
The .333 Jeffery and .333 Jeffery Flanged are medium-bore rifle cartridges developed by W.J. Jeffery & Co and introduced in 1908.
The .318 Westley Richards, also known as the .318 Rimless Nitro Express and the .318 Accelerated Express, is a proprietary medium bore centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Westley Richards.
The .350 Rigby and .350 Rigby No 2 are proprietary medium bore rifle cartridges developed by John Rigby & Company.
The .400/350 Nitro Express, also known at the .400/350 Nitro Rigby, is a medium bore rifle cartridge developed by John Rigby & Company.
The .375 Nitro Express 21⁄2 inch Velopex , was a nitrocellulose (smokeless) powder cartridge introduced in 1899.
The .369 Nitro Express, also known as the .369 Purdey Nitro Express, is a centerfire, rifle cartridge developed by James Purdey & Sons and introduced in 1922.
The .450 Black Powder Express, also known as the .450 31⁄4-inch BPE, was a popular black powder cartridge in the late 19th and early 20th century.
The .400 Purdey, also known as the .400 3-inch Straight and .400 Purdey Light Express 3-inch, is an obsolete rifle cartridge developed by James Purdey & Sons.
The .400/360 Nitro Express cartridges are a number of very similar, but not interchangeable, centerfire rifle cartridges developed by James Purdey & Sons, William Evans, Westley Richards and Fraser of Edinburgh, all at the beginning of the 20th century.
The .360 No 2 Nitro Express is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Eley Brothers and introduced in 1905.
The .461 No 1 Gibbs and the .461 No 2 Gibbs are two obsolete proprietary rifle cartridges developed in 19th century Britain.
The .280 Flanged Nitro Express, also known as the .280 Lancaster, is an obsolete rimmed bottleneck centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Charles Lancaster and introduced in 1906.
The .297/230 Morris Short and .297/230 Morris Long are two obsolete centerfire firearm cartridges developed as sub-caliber training rounds for the British Martini–Henry rifle.
The .600/577 Rewa, also known as the .600/577 Rewa Nitro Express, Holland's .600/577 and the .577 Rewa, is an obsolete big bore rifle cartridge.
The 20/577 Alexander Henry, also known as 20/577 Express, is an obsolete rifle cartridge.