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The memory of the Indian Mutiny lingered long in the minds of the British and so they ensured that the large native militia and police units were always armed with weapons inferior to those of the Indian and British armies yet were effective enough to do their job.
For many years these units had been armed with smooth bore versions of British weapons and this continued with the introduction of the .410 Indian Musket in the 1920s. These were SMLE rifles smooth bored to .410 inch calibre and converted to single shot./
.410 inch Ball Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Breech Loading Smooth Bore .410 inch Cordite Mark I" was approved to design KF360 for service in Indian
Army Lists of Changes Paragraph A.445 dated February 1929.
The case consisted of a straight sided un-necked .303 inch cartridge.
The bullet was a round ball of .409 inch diameter made of an alloy of 95% lead and 5% antimony. It was held by the mouth of the case being turned over the ball projectile and a single cannelure below the ball.
The propellant was about 14.5 grains of chopped Cordite size 1/.05. There was a thin glazeboard disc below the bullet and a similar one immediately above the propellant. The space between these discs was filled with two felt wads separated by a millboard wad between them.
Muzzle velocity was about 1,700 fps.
.410 inch Blank Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Blank Breech Loading Smooth Bore .410 inch L Mark IT" was approved to design KF534 for service in Indian Army Lists of Changes Paragraph A.1042 dated June 1930.
The case consisted of a straight sided un-necked .303 inch cartridge, closed with a rosette crimp.
The propellant was 15 grains of G.20 black powder or any other approved powder. Above this was a wad of sheep's wool and above this was a felt or jute wad covered by a paper disc.
.410 inch Buckshot Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Buckshot Breech Loading Smooth Bore .410 inch Mark I" was approved to design KF516 for service in Indian Army Lists of Changes Paragraph A.1042 dated June 1930.
The case consisted of a straight sided un-necked .303 inch cartridge, closed with the mouth folded over the shot.
The shot consisted of eighteen buckshot with one glazeboard disc above and a millboard disc below.
The propellant was 17.5 grains of Cordite size 1, above which was a glazeboard disc and felt wad.
Page from Kirkee Ammunition Manual dated January 1945.
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