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The default .303 Brit round for GURPS: High Tech is the Cartridge S.A. Ball, .303 Inch, Mk VII (c).
This is a 1.1 inch long, 174gr spitzer bullet at 2,440 fps.
Plug that into Gun Stats and it comes very close to what High Tech says for the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III.
The numbers for Mk I through Mk VI don't match well.
It's interesting to compare the numbers between this and 7x57mm and seeing that GURPS agrees with the Boer out-ranging the Brits. NEAT!
Gun Stats says .303 British Mk VII is 6d+2 pi at 870/3,300. Published was 6d+2 pi, 800/3,300.
7x57mm Mauser from a Mauser 93/95 calculates to 6d+1 pi, 1,150/4,800.
This tastes right from reading period accounts of those shooting at each other.
The .303 Mk VII had a reputation as a very good manstopper. This was usually attributed to the unique design of the bullet, with a lightweight front core (usually aluminum, but sometimes compressed wood fiber) followed by a lead core. This made it light at the nose and heavy at the base, so it would fly straight in the air but would start tumbling when it hit flesh.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, that combination of light nose & heavy base is very similar to current match hollowpoints, and may have contributed to the Lee-Enfield’s surprising long range accuracy.
I believe McThag was at Jacobsen's when I bought my first Lee Enfield, a No 4 Mk1*. There were 3 of them in the rack, a very nice looking one, an OK looking one and a kinda ratty looking one. Oddly, the prices weren't what you'd expect, the ratty one being the most expensive and the nicest looking one the cheapest. Knowing Paul not to do things without a reason I inquired as to why that was. He just smiled and handed me a bore light and told me to look. On inspection of the three it was obvious, and the next words out of my mouth were, along the lines of I'll take the ugly one,
ReplyDeleteAnd I was not disappointed. McThag can attest that it validates your comment about surprising accuracy.
The other Lee Enfield I have is a No1 Mk III patern made at the Ishapore arsenal. It's pretty and a good enough shooter but no equal to the other one.
-swj