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When the Gardner gun was recommended for adoption in 1881 a different cartridge was introduced, being slightly longer than the original Gatling case.. This Gatling ammunition was not authorised for use in either the Gardner or the later Nordenfelt but Gardner ammunition could be used in Gatling guns correctly "set" to use such ammunition.
Machine Gun Ball Mark I
"Cartridge Machine Gun Ball Gardner and Gatling 0.45 inch Mark I" was approved to design RL3694 in September 1882. It was not shown in Lists of Changes.
The case was of solid drawn brass with Berdan primer. It differed from the following Mark II in having a deeper cap chamber and a primer cap of thinner brass. It is believed they were unheadstamped.
The bullet was of lead alloy and weighed 480 grains with a white paper patch. Between bullet and powder was the usual arrangement of a thick beeswax wad with two glazeboard discs above and one below.
The propellant charge was about 84 grains of RFG2 blackpowder.
Only a small number of Mark I rounds were manufactured, the only significant issue being in 1882/83.
Machine Gun Ball Mark II
"Cartridge Machine Gun Ball Gardner and Gatling 0.45 inch Mark II" was approved to design RL3776 in November 1882 and shown in LoC Paragraph 4193 dated January 1883. The title was later changed in June 1886 to
The case was solid drawn brass with Berdan primer holding 0.3 grains of cap composition. The headstamp was "R/|\L" with the last two numerals of the date, either "85" or "86".
The bullet was lead alloy and weighed 480 grains with a single cannelure and white paper patch .Between bullet and powder was the usual arrangement of a thick beeswax wad with two glazeboard discs above and one below.
The propellant charge was about 84 grains of RFG2 blackpowder.
The Mark II round superceded the Mark I almost immediately and was isued from 1883/84 to 1886/87.
Machine Gun Ball Mark III
Due to a number of case head separations occurring with the Ball Mark II round a stronger case was introduced. "Cartridge Machine Gun Ball .45 inch Mark III (Gardner, Gatling and Nordenfelt except MH Chambered Guns)" was approved to design RL5234 in August 1886 and shown in LoC Paragraph 5074 dated November 1886.
The case was similar to that of the Mark II but had thicker case walls. The headstamp was "R/|\L" with the last two numerals of the date, from "87" or "90".
The bullet and wad were unchanged from the Mark II as was the propellant, 84 grains of RFG2 blackpowder.
Most Mark III was made by Woolwich but in 1890 Kynoch received a contract for 1,004,170 rounds. The Mark III was issued from 1887/88 to 1890/91.
Visually it is not possible to distinguish between the marks once removed from their bundle.
Kynoch packet label for .45 inch Machine Gun rounds.
Machine Gun Ball Mark IV
There were difficulties experienced in feeding the Ball Mark III cartridge so a new Mark was introduced with with a slightly different shoulder angle.
"Cartridge Machine Gun Ball .45 inch Mark IV (Gardner, Gatling and Nordenfelt except MH Chambered Guns)" was approved to design RL7019A in June 1891 and shown in LoC Paragraph 6544 dated November 1891. the use of the Ball Mark IV was later extended to gardner Gatling chambered Maxim guns.
The case was broadly similar to the Mark III but had a very slightly changed shoulder angle. From May 1892 copper caps were introduced instead of the previous brass type. The headstamp included the numeral "IV" but not the last two digits of the date.
The bullet and wads were as for the previous mark.
Propellant was 84 grains of RFG2 blackpowder.
Machine Gun Ball Cordite Mark I
When Cordite became available the Admiralty, who were the main used of .45 inch machine guns, requested the development of a Cordite machine gun round. After trials a cartridge to design RL7849 was approved as "Cartridge S.A. Machine Gun Ball .45 inch Cordite Mark I" in September 1894 and shown in LoC Paragraph 7663 dated January 1895. However, soon after it was recommended that this be replaced by an improved cartridge. Further trials ensued and eventually a new "Cartridge S.A. Machine Gun Ball .45 inch Cordite Mark I" was approved to design RL8738 in March 1896 and shown in LoC Paragraph 8365 dated August 1896.
The case was solid drawn brass with a Berdan primer holding 0.7 grains of cap composition. It was approximately 2mm shorter than the Mark IV case and was not varnished internally. The headstamp included "R/|\L", the letter "C" for Cordite and the numeral "I". It appears to have been made only by Woolwich.
The bullet was similar to the Mark III weighing 480 grains with a single cannelure and an orange paper patch.
The propellant was 38 grains of Cordite with a single wad to give a muzzle velocity of about 1520 fps.
Left: Cordite Ball Mark I
Right: Bundle wrapper for Cordite Ball Mark I. Note "N" symbol at top left denoting Naval issue.
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