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Rifle Rolled Case Cordite Ball
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Martini Henry Rifle Rolled Case Cordite" was approved in 1917/18 and shown in Indian Army LoC Paragraph 9462 dated July 1918.
The case was that of the blackpowder coiled case Mark III but surviving examples do not have the sight hole. It may be that the improved case introduced with the Contract "E" case had been replicated in India. The base disc was of brass not iron and the arsenal monogram was stamped in the side if the case.
The bullet was the usual lead allow and weighed 480 grains; it had a white paper patch marked with equidistant thin black longitudinal lines.
The propellant was about 33 grains of Cordite size 3 with a tuft of guncotton weighing 0.6 grains over the fire holes.
Carbine Rolled Case Cordite Ball
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Martini Henry Carbine Rolled Case Cordite" was approved in 1917/18 and shown in Indian Army LoC Paragraph 9461 dated July 1918.
The case was that of the blackpowder coiled case Carbine Mark III but the base disc was brass and not iron.
The bullet was the normal lead alloy carbine bullet weighing 410 grains but had a red paper patch with equidistant longitudinal thin black lines.
The propellant was 32.5 grains of Cordite size 3 with a 0.6 grain tuft of guncotton over the fire hole.
Rifle and Machine Gun Solid Case Ball Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Rifle and Machine Gun .45 inch Mark I (Solid Case)" was not shown in Lists of Changes but is detailed in the 1887 "Treatise on Ammunition" as being manufactured for use in India.
The description shows it to be similar to the Martini Henry solid drawn case Mark II with 480 grain bullet and a charge of about 85 grains of blackpowder. Despite this similarity it was obviously considered a separate mark as it was allocated a separate pcking symbol on boxes of a red oblong with a red triangle above, Normal solid drawn rifle cartridge boxes only had the red oblong.
Rifle Solid Case Cordite Ball Mark II
No Cordite Mark II ball round was approved for British service but as rounds exist it is assumed they were manufactured for use in India or elsewhere in the Crown Colonies.
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Martini Henry Rifle Solid Case Cordite Mark II" was not approved or shown in Lists of Changes.
The case is the same as the Cordite Rifle Mark I with a single neck cannelure. The headstamp was either "K C II" or "Kynoch C II".
The bullet is the normal 480 grain usually with a white paper patch.
The propellant was 49 grains of Cordite.
Machine Gun Ball Mark I
Once drawn cases had been introduced for the Martini Henry and cordite propellant for the .303 inch rifle efforts were made to find a Martini Henry cartridge that could be used in both rifles and machine guns. These trials took place in 1893/94 but in the end it was concluded that it was not practical to use the machine gun cartridge in the rifle and no Martini Henry Cordite cartridge was introduced in Great Britain until 1902.
However, a cordite cartridge was approved for service in India in 1898.
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Martini Henry Rifle Cordite" was approved in November 1898 for service only in India and shown in LoC Paragraph 9300 dated December 1898. despite the original title it was a machine gun cartridge and the title was later changed to "Cartridge Machine Gun Ball Martini Henry Chamber Cordite Mark I".
The case was the normal drawn case with Berdan primer but did not have the paper lining of the earlier blackpowder cartridge. The headstamp included the letter "C" for Cordite and the numeral "I". If made in India or with brass supplied to Woolwich by India the headstamp included the Indian government ownership mark.
The bullet was of lead alloy and weighed 480 grains and had an orange paper patch. there was on millboard wad between the bullet and powder charge.
The propellant was 41 grains of Cordite size 3.
Machine Gun Ball Mark I
Cordite Blank Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Blank Martini Henry or Carbine Rolled Case Cordite Mark I" was approved to design RL 7481 in June 1892 for service in India and shown in LoC Paragraph 7003 dated March 1893.
The case was similar to the Rolled Case Rifle Mark III but only 1,55 inches long with the neck closed over a wad.
The charge was 28 grains of Cordite with one wad.
Sealed Pattern of the Blank Cordite Mark I, courtesy of the National Firearms Centre, Leeds.
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