Westley Richards 318 rimless square shouldered ammunition.

[Chapuis]

Gundog are you aware that there is a very short mention of this round in the Cartridges of the World book?

[Gundog]

Thank you for your input Chapuis.
Yes I was aware that the 318 Rimless Nitro-Express is mentioned in Frank C. Barnes’s book Cartridges of the World, but this entry is not for the cartridge mentioned in my original post, the difference being is the entry isn’t the Square Shouldered cartridge.
My copy of the book is a first edition and I can’t say in complete certainty that the Square Shouldered cartridge could be mentioned in a later edition!
Does it mention it in your copy?

[Chapuis]

In the 12th edition when referring to the .318 Rimless Nitro Express (.318 Westley Richards/.318 Accelerated Express) and describing that round it just says-

"There was a square-shouldered version of this cartridge as well, designed to improve headspace control. Because this was not a major problem, the square-shouldered version did not last. It was fired in the standard chamber."

[Gundog]

I’ve been reliably informed that very few rifles were built and chambered for this particular round, these guns were produced just prior to 1914 and of course lots of gunmakers had then to convert to War Production at that particular moment in time. The production of rifles chambered for this ammunition seem to have been lost during the period of the Great War !

Thank you for your comment, my edition doesn’t mention it ‘at all’.

[dromia]

Sounds as though it was solution looking for a problem.

[Gundog]

Necessity is the mother of invention, as you say did the problem of headspace exist, at that particular moment in time Westley Richards thought it did and this was their way to combat the problem.

[Chapuis]

Certainly not the first time that a solution to a supposed problem has been resolved by over engineering.

[spikedueller]

It is referenced in George Hoyem's The History and Development of Small Arms ammunition who makes mentions it as being promoted in Richards February 1914 publication but abandoned shortly afterwards. Indeed he also mentions it being designed to assure accurate headspace but retained the same powder capacity internally due to a rounded internal shoulder.
An example is shown alongside the standard .318"

As for the .318" itself, a photocopy of Fenby's working notes (from 1908 onwards) and interestingly the details on the .318 Express shows an original description of .320" Express then crossed through. The line drawings also describe the round as Kynoch's .318 Axite cartridge
Proof charges are given as:
250 grain bullet 39 grains cordite
180 grain 45.5 grains cordite
A further note describes "180 grains copper capped bullets are to be lubricated to protect the ring where the cap joins for Westlry Richards & Co" 15-7-19
He also states that " Clips Blands use 7mm Mauser clips W.R uses 7.9 Mauser."

No mention of the .30-06 anywhere I think that's an Americanism that's crept in from cartridges of the World.
I shoot a .318 and whilst Woodleigh's are indeed very expensive, I size down Lapua .338"s in two stages as a cheaper option and despite various Internet sources claiming poor accuracy will result I find they shoot as well as I ever can.
I've also just obtained Lee's 208 grain mould for the 8x56 so that's another project in the making.

[Gundog]

Thank you for your reply, I will look into your reference to George Hoyems. You were quite correct about the dates and the abandonment of the round, it does seem that the logic behind it was ill founded, but then again the whole idea was to instil confidence in the user in that there would be no difficulties with extraction in the ‘heat of the moment’!

Enjoy shooting your .318, they do seem expensive to run but it sounds as though you have reduced your costs by reloading.