Ammunition Nfiff$ tres$ The Big ang of the Big Bang By Tbrry'V'ieland

In the utorld of rifles and shotguns, progress cotnes mostly in small incremmts, It is rare to pinpoint the exact date when a rnornentouschange occurred, but tbosegreat old British Nino Express car*idges are tbe rare excEttion,

smokelessgunpowder. necessaryfor the job. 'While TOP: The .500 Mtro Expresscartridge. Of course, necessityis always the mother of famousprimarily for their shotguns(this BELO\|4 The .450 Nitro Expresscartridge. invention, and the technical aspectsaside, the was also the era of the fabulous shooting parties, main impetus behind the development of the gunning driven grouseand partridgesin England .450 and,its offspring was the fact that British and Scotland), the British gunmakerswere well hunters were going out to Africa to hunt accustomedto outfitting big-game hunters. For dangerous animals, and not all of them were more than a century, soldiersand administrators coming back. Given the intense competition by the thousandshad been sailing for India and among British gunmakersin the latter half of the coloniesin the far east,where they hunted tigers, 19th century, and their dismay at losing elephant, rhinoceros,and various buffalo. It was customers(either to eachother or on the horns of through use in India that the double rifle had a buffalo), it is not surprising that firms such as really beenperfected. Rigby, Holland & Holland, and JamesPurdey Demanding as this game was, howevet it was wereall busy trying to perfectmore effectiverifles neither asplentiful nor aspurely dangerousas the and cartridges. wildlife of Africa. The Cape buffalo was tougher, Although southern Africa had been colonised more truculent, and deadlierthan any Asian wild since 1648, the modern era of big-game safari ox; the rhinos were bigger,and lions and leopards hunting is relatively recent. It began in 1836 were widespreadand threatening to both man when \Tilliam Cornwallis Harris mounted a four- and beast.But it wasthe African elephant- huge, month safariinto the interior from the Cape,and aggressive,numbering in the millions, and returned home to write an account of his possessinga very valuableset of tusla - that both he era of the nitro expressbegan in July, adventures.The Vild Sports of southern Africa definedAfrican hunting and setnew standardsfor 1898, when John fugby & Co. unveiled was a sensation.It inspired others to follow in rifles. In 1850, there were several million the .450 Nitro Express,and usheredin Harris's footsteps,and from that time forward the elephants roaming the continent. There were the modern ageof the elephantgun. exploration of the Dark Continent was many reasonsfor hunting them: to make room Although the introduction of the .450 was a inextricably tied up with big-game hunting. for settlement,to eliminate a threat to crops and specific event, and the cartridge was quickly Sometimesit was hard to tell which waswhich. people,and for their valuableivory. \(/hatever the acceptedand changedthe hunting world almost Someof the greatestnames in hunting headed motivation, however,you neededa good rifle if overnight, it was not the product of a single for Africa after 1840: Samuel Baker, lTilliam you wanted to come back alive. inspiration. Rather, it was the end result of a Comon Oswell, the inimitable RoualeynGordon At first, the elephanthunter's standardfirearm number of changesthat had been taking place Cumming, and Frederick Courteney Selous. was a large-boremuzzle-loadet rypically four- or over the course of the previous 50 years - the Many of these men also wrote about their eight-bore (using shotgun terminology) firing a development of the breechloadingrifle, the exploits, and each new book inspired still more lead ball weighing severalounces. This was a perfecting of rifling techniques,the evolution of hunters to head south. A.lmost to a man, before short-rangeweapon, but then elephanthunting is the brasscartridge caseand the jacketed bullet, boarding ship for the Cape,they would visit their a short-rangeproposition. As breechloaderswere and most important, the development of favourite London sunmaker and order the tools refined, and centrefiretechnology was perfected, K{}; -t' l::. tot]r$ess "#:WJ" #

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Thefamous .500 Nin'o Expresscartridges

the gunmakers developed cartridges like the .577 blackporvder. the word "nirro" n'as added, '!7ith and .500 Express. blackpowder and lead denoting the nitrocellulose and nrtroglvcerin base bullets, however, rhese were suitable only for the of the new propellanr. In technical terms, "Nitro big cars and large antelope, not lor elephant and Express" means "smokelessand fasi' and bv the rhe like. standards of the dav, rhev certainly rvere. Generally, blackpowder elephant guns were In the breechloading blackporvder era. several classified like shotguns, with bore diameter calibres became standard. The.i77 was one; equated to the diameter of a lead ball, numbering others included the .400, .4j0, and .i00. Nor so many to the pound. A l2-bore (12-gauge) is surprisinglr', although there rvere perhaps a dozen .729 inches, the same as a lead sphere weighing different cartridges, there *,as onlv a handful of one-nvelfth of a pound. A24-bore (24 balls to the basic cartridge cases from rvhich rhev were pound) is .577 diameter, and the.577 has been a formed. For example, there rvas both a.100 standard bore all along, from muzzleloader davs, Express and a .5771500; rhe latter rvas a .577 case through the earll' breechloaders,and is still made necked dou'n ro .500. There *.as a .4i0 Express, rooayas tne .) l\ttro Lxpre\\. and a.4501.400. It rvassimpler for ail cor-rcerned The "express", term when applied to cartridges, to start rvith one basic case rvith standard head was derived from the last trains that transformed dimensions and rvork lrom rhere. \(/hr. reinvent travel in the late 1800s.James Purdey applied it to the wheel? This is an important principle to one of that company's small-bore blackpowder remember as\\'e mo\re into rhe era of the big Nirro cartridges, to emphasiseits high velocity. Soon rhe Express cartridges, because ir explains much of name was being attached to any high-velociw what happened later. cartridge. \7hen smokeless powder replaced Rigbv's .450 NE N.asan insrant sensation, and Ammunition

'45.70.403 }'IARLIN AND \'vINCHESTER '500/'450 No. I NITRO 50)' laf reFalit& drd siogie{hol rillet, ctc- li$ boxs of'l(}), I"or lllnox Pawot* F:{l)r($ ritles {in lxrxr* cf 5 ard parceb o1 ldsll ol .5€, ?1'.

'(}5 57 gs. Black F{'Nd.t, gr. l,cad, Sitiitt ituilet,

.450 NITRO.EXPRESS 4: {rs. tittrokcl&\ prnvdcr' 3{i5gr. Nlrlal'boscd' Sdlicl or tl)pFn"rubd billkl' lir'llx'riing !ili$ {ir hxs ol 5 rnd parrrit ol Sl}). Li:ryih of r$c, :11' |ilil') \.i{ot in ltodilttiltn- \tnililtb ortb alib i)tkt

gr. S{,tid. liofLnixaal' S}}lil 70 tF- Strdkela* prwdcr, 4{i0 Nrrlll(t}v.Yed. '500/'450 ot Wrstlcr Richardr' Olppcd t,olict- No. I BLACK POWDER FXPRESS ol ll{"" lin spoiling fifles 1it1 hoxrs of 5 and pnrccls ol 50l. l'crgth cac' .450N rTRO for tJL\ck ll)wDiR Iixpr.rs ri{]$ liil i)o\(s (,f:r ard l,ar':cis ol :01- l.rngth d.asr, 3l'.

()'pper'tubr:d hrllct' I l0eri, ttl&:k lprtler. ?7t) gr' h'ad.

I l(l gr{. l}ldck lnNd,:t. i}liJ sr' Inard. Solid hulld' 5: grc. Snrokclss powdfr. 365 gr. f1{t{l.lt;Nd. Solid or lbppcr'iulrcd bulk1,

.450 BLACK POWDER EXPRESS '500/'450 MAGNUM NITRO'EXPRTSS ror sporting riRff (in lbxes of li and pattrts ol 50i. 1,.'rgl[ ol cat, :]{'. ': fi.u $poflitts rill$ iil hox* ol ard Jraret:ls ol 50)' l'cDgth ol 'aq:' :il"

120grs. lllack potder, !70 gr. L(ad. Qtppcr-tuhrd bollct l!0grs. lllack powder,3l0gr, L.ad. solid bull{, Soli-nGcd' $Plil 120gr$. tllack po$ilr, 32:i qr. l,erd, ft'ppct-tubed btri'(l 75 grs. S'nok.l(ss p('wdHl'ft{) sf. lltrtal-corrrtcl, Solid. 120grs. Elack powdcr, il$5 gr. l,cad' lioli.i bullcr' or Wstk'v lli(harls CapFd Lulhr.

its ballisticsbecame the standardby which all tigers, but not so widely used in Africa. It was proprietary,which is to saythat only the inventing otherswould be - and to a great extent still are- seriously underpowered for elephant. It used a gunmaker offered them, and you purchasedyour judged.The .450 firesa 480-grainbullet at 2150 straight, rimmed case3112" long. ammunition from him. Regardlessof the nameon feet per second, for a mvLzle energy of 4930 As the Nitro Express concept took hold, the box, however,most ammunition was made by foot/pounds.The caseis straight,slightly tapered, someone (and no one now has any idea who) took Eley Brothers or Kynoch, which later merged to with a rim. Originally, it had been a blackpowder the old blackpowder round, loaded it with cordite becomeEley-Kynoch. Non-proprietary cartridges cartridge,but with cordite powder (the traditional and a 570-grain bullet, and called it the .500 were available direct from the ammunition English double-basesmokeless powder extruded Nitro Express. Around the same time, someone makers. into long strands,hence the name) the ballistics else did likewise with the old .577 blackpowder The transition from blackpowderto smokeless were transformed.This was a rifle that, as John round. Suddenly, there were three distinct power was not without problems. Not all the existing Taylor wrote 50 years later, would "handle any levels to be had in a cordite elephant rifle: the casescould safely be loaded with cordite. The animal under any conditions".The day of the .450s, at around 5 000 ft.lbs. energy, the .500 at brasson many of them was paper-thin, because single-shotblackpowder behemoth was over. close to 6 000, and the .577 NE with a750-grain blackpowder generates far lower pressures. Someof the greatBritish gunmakersspecialised bullet at 7 000 ft.lbs. Subjectedto the greater pressureof nitro loads, in shotguns (Purdey, lor exampie) while others As you can imagine, rhe .577 was not for the casestended to stick in the chambers.This \Westley making them (fugby, fuchards,Jeffery) were primarily everyone. Rifles weighed about 14 pounds, and problem was overcomelargely by riflemakers.Holland & Holland was famous for even then the recoil was pretty fears ome.The .577 from heavierbrass. both. tX/henRigby announcedtheir .450, H&H became,and remained, the tool of the professional In early 1903, however,Eley Brothers decided quickly produced a cartridge of its own: the elephant huntet for use in special circumstances' to introduce a cartridge themselves(a rare .5001450Nitro Express.Not a greatdeal of work The huge casewas never really used as the basis for occurrence,since most were developed by rifle was required, since the cartridge actually any other cordire rounds, mainly becausea better makers) and releaseit to the trade, to be originatedaround 1BB0as a blackpowderround. alternative existed: the .500. chambered by anyone who wished. The new It was basedon the .500 straight,rimmed case, tVhen the .500 was established as a smokeless cartridge was the .450 No. 2 Nitro Express,so neckeddown rc .450. Ballistically,it was the twin round, two versions emerged - one with a 3" case, named to differentiateit from the popular Rigby of the fugby cartridge, although the slightly the other 3'lz" . The three-inch case became round. The .450 No. 2 was a completely new roomier casedid the work with a tad lesspressure. dominant, and probably 90 percent of ail .500 creation. It had a thicker rim, heavierwalls, and The real significancelies in the fact that the NE rifles are chambered for it. Three-inch-case was long and massive.In spite of its impressive .5001.450originated with the .500 case. ammunition can be used in the longer chamber, appearance,the new round's ballistic performance As we have seen, the .500 Express was a but ofcourse, not the reverse. mirrored the existing .450s.It did so, however,at blackpowderround, popular in India for hunting During this time, many British cartridges were lower pressures,and the new cartridge was Ammunition

-re\ CENTRAI.FIREI{TTAILIC AXMU}IIT]ON CENTRAL-rIREHETArLlcAMMuNrrroN \:7

,5001.450t'lAGl{Um NITRO .577,.45OSOLID MARTINI-HENRY Irol tl*c( I'ow$s !)xpres dllu rin lloxrs oi 5 and parcrls of 50J. Itr nilittul and slsrlisg rifl6 (in boxs,!f I{i and parccL of }0t}). {,mg& 0l cric,3l'.

52 grs. iirnokek'sr yrowdcr. llG5 gr- l.l.h1-bas.d, Solid rr tirpprr.tllnl tj5 g*" Ith.k p!*dcr, 480 gr, [.ead, iiolid bullct. llulld. g0 gtr, Bls.k p$dcr, 325 gr. l-sd, (bppcHobcd bsilet, l,\7t h ln0lat;ba-4ni{nhlt tub a'hih.ilek! lan.) 3{il g!$. ljmokds powd.r, 4111.}gr. l,r&1, iiolid bu|{. i!4gK- Subkel{x* grwdcr, ll{isgr. .li{eltrl.lrded, Solid or Orpper-lubcd hullri. '500i.450 MAGNUH BLACK pOWDER EXpRFSS Itoe CARtlsts. 3,t gN. Sxdokcicsipor!d*r'. 410 gr. lbr sl)orlilrg ritlN liir bor$ rl i'r ard parcds of 50). l,eilgrh of case. 31", I"c{d, Sotid hulkr. .577,, .450 COILED MARTINI.HENRY

lor ftilkary and sp0rrirrq rllk: iin paclcl{ al l0 ard,}arcfls of lt)0).

140ga" lllack y;\dr:r, 325 gr. Lr*d, Coptrcrrubwl bullei. l.l0 gr:. Blacl prrdcr. 365 gr. k'ad, Sdid lullu.

'450 No. 2 NITRO-EXPRESS l.or qrortirrg rillrt (in box$ ol r't anil ltrrrls of ji0l, l,ergth of r:arc, 3,I' 85 grs. l!lar:} pr*lcr, 480 {r. Lead, Solid bullet. glack tlO&!s, fl{drr. :i25 gr. I"oad. C:opFrnutxd buttct. FoR CARsrNrs. 70 9t. Black prwdrrr. ,[10 gr. ]fad, Solid butl',t. .455 80 grs. Srnokclnr l)owdrr.4{10gr, I'ttrol-covcrd. soliC. so{i"no$.d, Splir REYOLVER or \{csLlty l{i(harls' (lapp.l bull{. lbr Sritish Sen'icr W.bhiv rnntve$. cr.. lirr box* of5ill. '500r'450No.2 MUSKET

lBWWry g*. $loch pmdcr, 265 gr, Lr:ad. lioiid l,ullct, Also $upilinl a$ Shor rrr lliank ca{ridqr:-r.

7fi gr*. Biar:kpowdr:r, 4tt0 gr. Lcad. tnid bulld. ili gs, Smokclc$ pr^!(lcr, ,i80 gr, ln:rd. |iolid hrllct. .1 i.Not iil ln.ludioil^ailuilabb nilb a:Iilt ild:*! hn, qrs. \il,uk, hs. 1"'wd' r. 2li1 gr. l,cnd, \ol;d ln,ltil

imperviousro case-sticking. were cartridgesthat would deliver the ballisticsof early. The nexr wave of cartridge innovation, The same year, rhe riflemaker WlJ. Jeffery the .450 NE, with reasonablerecoil in a ten- beginningaround 1!10, saw rhe creationofthe decidedto go everyoneone beter, and introduce pound rifle. Halfivay berween.450 and .500 is most Amous rimlesscartridges for magazinerifles, a new cartridge that would be the last word in .475, and that is what most of them settledon. includingthe .375 H&H, the .416Ngby, and rhe power.The .600 Nitro Express,like the .450 No. The most convenienrapproach was ro take the .404 Jeffery. 'Westley 2, wasa completelyoriginal creation,not basedon .500 and neck it down. fuchards created More than a century haspassed since the Nitro any blackpowderround. It fired a 900-grain bullet the .476 NE from the 3" case, while H&H Express era began, and there have been huge at 1 fps, for 950 a muzzle energlr'of 7 600 fr.lbs. createdthe .5001.465from the 3'lr" case.Joseph changesin every aspectof ballistic performance. It was, and remainedfor half a cenrury,the mosr Lang did likewise,and createdthe great .470 NE. On paper, the .450 NE, now looks decidedlyold powerful sporting cartridgemade. Someoneelse - no - '\7ith one knows who createdthe hat. All kinds ofnewer cartridges,both largerand all the basesseemingly covered, probably .475 NE, a straight, rimmed casevery similar to smallerin bore diameter,deliver performance that there v/ould have been few additional Rigby's .450. Finally, Eley necked up their .450 eclipsesthe .450 and everythingin the .470 class. developments in the Nitro Express universe. No. 2 and crearedthe .475 No.2. But appearancescan be deceiving. Around 1907, however, political events Since 1907, many gunmakershave merged or The British gunmakersof 1900 knew a great intervened.There was an uprising in India, and gone out of business,and their recordshave been deal, not only about making rifles, but alsoabout unrest in the Sudan. There were still tens of lost or destroyed,so exact details of how, when, the problemsof maintaining a rifle in the tropics. thousandsof .450 Martini-Henry rifles floating and by whom everycartridge was introduced are In hunting dangerous game, reliability was around. To prevenr insurgents obtaining not always available. It is generally believed, everything. It still is. A rifle must perform ammunidon, the British government banned all however,that all the big Nitro Expresscarrridges perfectly shot after shot; in a colony, far from .45}-calibre rifles in both regions. Obviously, wereintroduced between 1898 and about 1908- London and a competent gunsmirh, it also must none of the sporring cartridgescould be jammed a decadeof innovation unlike any other in rifle perform year after year with a minimum of into a Martini-Henry chamber, but the bullets history. professionalsewicing. A London "best" double could be pulled and reloaded,so the edict is not Very quickly thereafter,the Mauser bolt-action rifle, by Rigby or H&H, was built to perform completelyludicrous by governmentsrandards. rifle began to gain a following. The Mauser 98, flawlesslyunder the harshestconditions. India, of course,was a major market for big perfectedthe sameyear as Rigby's .450, was the The cartridgesfor which they were chambered rifles. No longer allowed to sell .450s,the English first bolt action really suitable for cartridges played a largepart in this reliabiliry. Featuresrhat gunmakersbegan casting about for alternatives. capable of downing an elephant. It would take aresometimes sneered at by the uninformed were, The .600 and .577 NE were reallysuitable only many yearsfor rhe bolt acion to displacethe big in fact, advantages.And, if you are hunting a for African elephant,and even the .500 NE was double as the rifle of choice, especiallyfor wounded elephantunder a tropical sun, they still '{/hat too powerful for generaluse. they needed professionals,but the gunmakers,sawits potenrial are today,a hundred yearslater. ) Ammunition

For example, it is often pointed out that a cartridge like the .416 Remington delivers higher muzzle energy than the .450 NE, and does so in a smaller, more efficient cartridge. Under ideal conditions, that is true, but it does so at a price - a price that few Professional Hunters wou,ld want to pay. Unlike the Nitro Express cartridges, these modern high- performance, high-intensity creations are small, have almost parallel sides, and operate at vastly higher pressures. In tropical heat, they are unforgiving, and a bolt action can jam solid leavingthe hunter essenriallyunarmed. All the Nitro Express cartridges, on the other hand, are big and roomy, which means lower operating pressures.At the same time, they have a noticeable taper, which almost eliminates jamming regardlessof how the Pressure might peak in the heat. The greatest of the magazine cartridges, the .375 H&H, shares this trait, and jams with the .375 arc a\most unknown. This was especially important in double rifles, which do not have the camming power of a bolt to extract a stuck case, but the principle is sound regardless of the rype of rifle. There are about a dozen important Nitro Express cartridges. In the coming issues, we will look at the major offerings individually - their history, who used them, how useful they are today, and where you can obtain both rifles and ammunition. \7e will begin next issue with the most popular of them all, the .470 Nitro Express.