.303 inch Drill - British Expedient
In addition to the formally approved drill rounds used in both World Wars, demand for rounds with which to train the thousands of new recruits meant that a number of expedient drill rounds came into service. These were not formally approved but were an official issue to units.
Blanch Tin Dummy
"Cartridge (Tin) S.A. Dummy Drill .303 inch" was not formally approved for service or shown in Lists of Changes. Six million rounds were ordered in February 1915 from J.Blanch and Sons of London under contract
The Blanch design was unique in being constructed from rolled tinned iron sheet. There was an open seam along the length of the case and the base was crimped on. Some are headstamped with "BLANCH" whilst others have a small or large depression formed in the base.
They were found to be too fragile in service and no further orders were placed. In addition to the .303 inch dummies, similarly constructed drill rounds were made in .256 inch Arisaka and .44-40 for the Royal Navy.
Right: headstamp on some blanch dummy rounds.
Expedient WWI Mark VI Type
There was no formal approval for this expedient drill round.
Due to the fragility of the Dummy Drill Mark III these expedient drill rounds were brought into service in WWI and utilised a reject cupro-nickel jacketed Mark VI service bullet. They may be found with any contemporary British or Commonwealth ball headstamp, with one or two neck cannelures and with or without a wood distance piece to support the bullet. The case was untinned with four holes and had an empty cap chamber with both anvil and fire holes.
Expedient WWI Mark VII Type
There was no formal approval for this expedient drill round.
Due to the fragility of the Dummy Drill Mark III these expedient drill rounds were brought into service in WWI and utilised a reject cupro-nickel jacketed Mark VII service bullet. They may be found with any contemporary British or Commonwealth ball headstamp, with one or two neck cannelures and with or without a wood distance piece to support the bullet. The British version had the case untinned with four holes, but the Canadian pattern had a tinned case. Both types had an empty cap chamber with anvil and fire holes.
These were the forerunners of the Dummy Drill Mark V..
Expedient WW2 Drill
This type was not formally approved but seems to have been widely used judging by the number surviving.
Two types exist, both on Greenwood & Batley cases. One has a brass case with three vertical flutes painted red, the empty cap chamber has the anvil set down and it has a cupro-nickel service Mark VII ball bullet secured in the case with three long indents.
The other has a chromed case with four small holes, no cap but with anvil and fire holes. It has a cupro-nickel service mark VII ball bullet on a plain wood distance piece, secured by three indents.
Thomas French Expedient Drill WW2
These rounds were not formally approved but were issued from 1940 onwards. They had been made by Kynoch in the immediate pre-war years for Thomas French and Sons of Manchester.
The round consists of a one piece drawn brass case and mock bullet. There is no cap chamber but a small depression in the base for the weapon firing pin.
Several minor variations exist. Examples are known that are tinned or have flutes in the case and there is another type with a wood plug in the base
Plastic Bullet Expedient Drill WW2
This round was not formally approved for service but were issued on a limited basis.
The round consists of a fired case with any ball headstamp fitted with a red plastic bullet of Mark VII form. The case is untinned without holes and the fired cap is left in place. Headstamps seen have ranged from WWI to WW2 and have been of British and Canadian manufacture, but this is not considered significant as it appears any empty case on hand was used,