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Indoor short range training with the Lee Metford Magazine Rifle was normally carried out using the Morris Tube with miniature ammunition but it was desired to have a training cartridge for outdoor use with a maximum danger space behind the butts of 500 yards.
Trials were held at Hythe with both lead and jacketed bullets and as a result a jacketed design was chosen and approvd for service in 1895.
Short Range Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Ball .303 inch Cordite Short Range Practice Mark I" was approved to design RL 8045A in March 1895 and shown in LOC Paragraph 7930 dated September 1895. "Cordite" was dropped form the title after 1912.
It used a standard Berdan primed case with the upper two thirds stained black. The headstamp included the letter "C" and the numeral "I" but a few were made from Mark II Ball cases with the headstamp ring cancelled.
The bullet had a lead/antimony core and cupro-nickel envelope. It was of blunted semi-pointed shape with a flat base and one cannelure. Weight was 150 grains.
The propellant was originally 9 grains of size 3 3/4 cordite but this was changed in 1896 to size 2 1/2 Cordite. Two wads were added above the propellant from November 1896 and a paper cup inserted between the primer and propellant.
Right: Bundle wrapper for hort Range Practice Mark I.
Short Range Mark II
"Cartridge S.A. Ball .303 inch Cordite Short Range Practice Mark II" was approved to design RL 9646 in March 1899 and shown in LOC Paragraph 9876 dated November 1899. "Cordite" was dropped form the title after 1912. The bullet was to design RL 9406.
The case of the Short Range Mark II was similar to that of the Mark I and had the top two thirds blackened. The headstamp included "C" and the numeral "II".
The bullet was round nosed with a lead antimony core and a cupro-nickel envelope secured in the case with three indents. It had one cannelure and weighed 188 grains
The propellant was 12 grains of Cordite tape with one glazeboard wad and one strawboard wad.
Short Range Mark III
"Cartridge S.A. Ball .303 inch Short Range Practice Mark III" was approved for Naval service at certain Coastguard stations in May 1912 and shown in LOC Paragraph 16585 dated November 1913. Use was stopped almost immediately after approval.
The case of the Short Range Mark III was similar to to previous Marks and had the top two thirds blackened. The headstamp included the numeral "III"
The bullet was round nosed with a lead antimony core and a cupro-nickel envelope secured in the case with three indents. It had one cannelure and weighed 188 grains
The propellant was 18 grains of Cordite MDT 4-2 with one wad.
Short Range Mark IV
"Cartridge S.A. Ball .303 inch Short Range Practice Mark IV" was approved for Naval service at certain Coastguard stations in January 1913 and shown in LOC Paragraph 16585 dated November 1913.
The case of the Short Range Mark III was similar to to previous Marks and had the top two thirds blackened. the headstamp included the numeral "IV"
The bullet was round nosed with a pure lead core and a cupro-nickel envelope secured in the case with three indents. It had one cannelure and weighed 188 grains
The propellant was 18 grains of Cordite MDT 4-2 with one wad.
Gaudet Short Range Practice
Much interest was expressed in Britain in 1902 regarding a lead bulleted short range practice cartridge developed by Major Gaudet, a Canadian officer. He claimed it was as good as the issue short range cartrdige but was cheaper because it used old ball cases reloaded with lead bullets.
A number of British versions of this cartridge were subjected to trial and the Gaudet was preferred although it was never adopted here. Full details of the Canadian development are given here.
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