}}The .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express, also known as the .375/303 Axite, is an obsolete medium bore rifle cartridge.
Overview
The .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express was designed by Westley Richards and introduced in 1905, being listed in Westley Richards' catalogues for several years thereafter. In 1909 it was also listed in Charles Lancaster & Co's catalogue. The cartridge was chambered in double rifles with Lancaster oval-bore rifling, as well as single shot falling block rifles and in Lee-action magazine rifles manufactured by both Westley Richards and Lancaster.[[3]]
Upon its introduction the .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express was considered one of the highest velocity cartridges available. This attracted military attention and in 1906 it was demonstrated to officials from the War Office and Admiralty, as well as representatives from the Japanese, Russian, Italian and other governments.[4]
The .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express did not have a long life, being superseded by the more powerful .318 Westley Richards in Westley Richards catalogues from 1910.[5]
The .375/303 Westley Richards Accelerated Express was a high velocity, rimmed, bottlenecked cartridge. It was loaded with Axite, a new smokeless powder developed by Kynoch and said by them to be "comparatively free from erosion and corrosion effects". The cartridge's power was considered about the same as the .300 H&H Magnum. The inclusion of ".375" in the cartridge's name leads to some confusion as it was not derived from any existing {{convert|.375|in|mm|abbr=on}} calibre cartridge.[[3][8]]
See also
- .303 British
- List of rifle cartridges
References
1. ^1 Cartridgecollector, ".375/303 WR Accelerated Extress (Axite)", cartridgecollector.net, retrieved 14 June 2018.
2. ^1 Don Davie, "The other .303 cartridges", acant.org.au, retrieved 25 January 2015.
3. ^1 2 The Spanish Association of Cartridge Collectors, ".375-.303 Axite", municion.org, retrieved 14 June 2018.
4. ^1 Henry Sharp, [https://archive.org/stream/modernsportinggu00sharuoft#page/n9/mode/2up Mordern sporting gunnery: a manual of practical information for shooters of today], Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co Ltd, London, 1906.
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