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Ball Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Revolver .380 inch Mark I" and "Cartridge S.A. Ball Revolver .380 inch Mark Iz" were approved to design DD/L/1055 in November 1930 and shown in Lists of Changes Paragraph A.6480 dated January 1932. The Mark Iz was shown as obsolescent in Lists of Changes in October 1934 and the Mark I in June 1938.
The case was straight sided and rimmed with a Berdan primer and a purple primer annulus. Most had a case cannelure to position the bullet. The headstamp included the code "I" or "IZ", although the only Mark Iz rounds known were made by Kynoch in 1931.
The bullet was round nosed and of lead alloy with two cannelures. The weight was 200 grains.
The propellant of the Mark I was 4 grains of Cordite size 1/.05 and that of the Mark Iz 2.5 grains of nitrocellulose.
The muzzle velocity was about 590 fps at a pressure of 7 tsi.
There was still considerable official concern that the lead bullet contravened the generally accepted conditions of warfare, especially in view of the German complaints about the .455 inch lead bullet during WWI. The Royal Tank Corps were particularly vociferous in their protests and as a result, steps were taken in 1936 and 1937 to produce a jacketed bullet.
A number of designs were tested of various weights, including half jacketed bullets, but in 1937 a design based on DD/L/5876A was approved for service.
Ball Mark II
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Revolver .380 inch Mark II" and "Cartridge S.A. Ball Revolver .380 inch Mark IIz" were approved to design DD/L/8237 in October 1937 and shown in Lists of Changes Paragraph B.1559 dated June 1938.
The case was as for the Ball Mark I except that not all cases had the neck cannelure. The headstamp included the code "II" or "IIZ" until 1944 when they became "2" or "2Z".
Left: Cupro-nickel envelope but no case neck cannelure. Right: Gilding metal envelope with case neck cannelure.
The bullet had a blunted round nose with a cupro-nickel or gilding metal envelope and a lead/antimony core. Until 1963 the bullet had two cannelures but after that date only one was used. Weight was 178 grains.
Propellant was either 4 grains of cordite size 1/.05 or 3 grains on nitrocellulose.
Muzzle velocity was about 600 fps and chamber pressure 8 tsi.
Left: Ball Mark 2z made at Royal Laboratory in November 1949. Right: Ball Mark IIz made at Cartucheria Orbea in Argentina on British contract.
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