M1917 Enfield

 Index of Illustrations


AMMUNITION FOR UNITED STATES RIFLE, CALIBER .30, MODEL OF 1917.

BALL CARTRIDGE, MODEL OF 1906.
 

The CALIBER .30 BALL CARTRIDGE, Fig. 155, consists of the case, primer, charge of smokeless powder, and bullet. The case is of cartridge brass. It has a conical body joined to the neck by a sharper cone, called the shoulder. The neck is the seat of the bullet and is very nearly cylindrical. The front end of the case is called the mouth and the rear end the head. The mouth edge of the case is crimped on the bullet, when the cartridge is assembled, in order to keep the bullet secure in the case. The head of case is grooved to provide for extraction of cartridge from the chamber of the rifle and is provided with a primer pocket and vent. The initials of the place of manufacture, the number of the month, and the year of its fabrication are stamped on the head of case.

The primer consists of the cup, percussion composition, disk of shellacked paper, and anvil. The cup is of gilding metal and contains 0.46 grain of nonfulminate composition composed of tersulphide of antimony, potassium chlorate, and sulphur. A disk of shellacked paper covers the composition to protect it from moisture and to prevent electrolytic action. The anvil is of brass and is assembled over the paper. After the primer is assembled to the case, a drop of shellac is placed on the head of the primer to make the joint waterproof.

The charge is of pyrocellulose composition very similar to the powders used as propelling charges in field and seacoast guns. The grains are cylindrical, single, perforated, and graphited. The normal charge weighs from 47 to 50 grains; varying with the lot of powder used.

The bullet has a core of lead and tin composition inclosed in a jacket of cupro-nickel. It weighs 150 grains, and the point is much sharper and offers less resistance to the air than that of any previous model in the United States service. The bullet is cannelured to receive the crimp of the case, and the base of the bullet is flat. The neck of the case is shellacked before loading, and a pressure of at least 75 pounds is required to seat the bullet in the case; this, with the addition of the above-mentioned crimp, makes the case waterproof.

The cartridge complete weighs about 395.5 grains, its weight varying slightly with variation in the weight of the powder charge.

Five Cartridges are packed in a clip.

The CLIP, Fig. 156, consists of the body A and the spring B, both of brass. On the exterior of the sides of the body are the stop lugs C, which seat the clip in its slots in the receiver of the rifle. The top edges of the slides are folded inward, forming flanges, which, fitting into the grooves in the heads, hold the cartridges in place. The spring is secured to the ,bottom of the body by two sets of interlocking lips E. The spring is provided with narrow tongues D, which, when the clip is filled, are pressed into the grooves of the outside cartridges, holding the cartridges securely in the clip. The clip body can be used a number of times, but the springs only once.

The gallery practice and dummy clip is provided with a strong bronze spring without tongues.

Sixty ball cartridges in 12 clips are packed in a bandoleer.

The bandoleer is made of olive-drab cloth and contains six pockets, each holding two clips. The clips can be readily taken out by forcing back the fold of the pocket.

The bandoleer is provided with a shoulder strap of olive-drab webbing by which it is carried over the shoulder, and a safety pin is provided to afford an adjustment of its length to suit the convenience of  the soldier. When packed, the bandoleer weighs about 3.88 pounds.

In each bandoleer is placed an identification card showing the number of cartridges, the caliber and model of ammunition and rifle, place and date of manufacture, kind and lot of powder, and muzzle velocity. The shop symbols of loaders, inspectors, and packers are also given. In case of defective ammunition this card should be returned with report.

Twelve hundred cartridges are packed in a terneplate-lined packing box, hermetically sealed. Each box contains 20 bandoleers of 60 cartridges each. The packing box measures 34.5 by 9.5 by 8.25 inches and weighs about 100 pounds when filled.

The lid is held to the box by five brass bolts and can be easily removed without the use of tools. Two wire seals connect the cover with the sides of the box.

When the lid is removed, the lining may be torn open by means of a wire handle on the metal cover.

A metallic packing chest is also in use. It is made of tinned sheet iron painted olive drab. This chest holds 1,200 cartridges packed in 20 bandoleers of 60 cartridges each. It has a terneplate cover under the lid and is hermetically sealed.

The chest measures 8 by 16 ¼  by 14 inches and weighs about 95 pounds when filled.

A tin seal locks the hasp to the lid. By opening and closing the fold of this seal several times it will break thus permitting  it to be easily withdrawn. When the lid is opened, the cover can be torn off by means of an iron handle attached thereto.
BLANK CARTRIDGE, MODEL OF 1906.
 

The BLANK CARTRIDGE, model of 1906, Fig. 157, differs from the ball cartridge in the charge of powder and in the bullet and in the fact that the case is tinned. The bullet is of paper, hollow, and contains a charge of 6 grains of "E.C." smokeless powder, which insures the breaking up of the bullet on leaving the bore. This charge is retained in the bullet by a drop of shellac. A coating of paraffin on the outside of the bullet prevents the absorption of moisture by the paper. The propelling charge is 10 grains of "E.C." powder.

The cartridge is made 0.1 inch shorter than the ball cartridge. This is a measure of protection against the accidental assembling by the machine of a ball cartridge in a clip of blank ones.

 
THE BLANK CARTRIDGE, MODEL OF 1909.
 

In the manufacture of these blank cartridges, Fig. 158, cases are used which have been fired, or which have slight defects, rendering them unsuitable for use in ball cartridges The charge is 12 grains of  "E.C." powder. The case is closed by means of a paper cup inserted in the mouth of the case and shellacked to render the ammunition waterproof.

 
DUMMY CARTRIDGE
 

The case of the DUMMY CARTRIDGE, Fig. 159, is tinned and provided with six longitudinal corrugations, also three circular holes in the corrugated portion.

The tinning, corrugations, and holes afford unmistakable means for distinguishing the dummy from the ball cartridge, both by sight and touch. The bullet is the same as in the ball Cartridge. The dummy primer has cup and anvil, but no percussion composition.
 
GUARD CARTRIDGE.
 

This cartridge, Fig. 160, differs from the ball cartridge in the charge of powder and in the fact that second-class bullets having slight imperfections are used. Five cannelures encircle the body of the case at about the middle, affording means for distinguishing it from the ball cartridge by either sight or touch.

The charge, about 9.1 grains bull's-eye powder, or 16.7 grains Du Pont Rifle Smokeless No.1, gives a muzzle velocity of 1,200 feet per second. This cartridge gives good results at 100 yards and has sufficient accuracy for use at 150 and 200 yards. The range of 100 yards requires a sight elevation of 450 yards, and ranges of 200 and 300 yards require elevations of 650 and 850 yards, respectively.

The guard cartridge, Fig. 161, as now issued, differs from the old issue, Fig. 160, in that six longitudinal corrugations 3/16 inch long start from the shoulder of the case. This affords means of distinguishing this cartridge from the ball cartridge. This cartridge has the same charge of powder, muzzle velocity, etc., as the old issue.