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HW .303 Brit (Read 2624 times)
Spud
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th
, 2005
HW .303 Brit
Jun 17
th
, 2018 at 1:06am
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When I posted a photo of this Highwall in .303 British a few days back, a few of you commented that this cartridge was seldom seen in HWs in the USA. So here it is again, close up. They are not common here in Australia either and I suppose there must be a few in Canada also.
It's a 1908 production and has a "Unicorn head" stamp on the butt indicating that it was imported & retailed by W. E. Ekins (a well known South Australian dealer & gunsmith 1882-1937). The #3 round nickel steel barrel has been shortened to 25.2" and this would have been done in the 1930's to comply with a ruling that all .303 target rifles used in full bore competitions had to have the same barrel length as the SMLE service rifle. It also has 1 lb of lead shot in the shotgun butt.
I was very lucky to find one in such nice condition and it is a great shooter.
Spud
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calledflyer
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Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #1 -
Jun 17
th
, 2018 at 2:13pm
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Thanks fer letting us have a look, Spud.
I was aware, from Campbell's list, that the caliber had been offered, but hadn't seen one. Few others that I haven't had the pleasure of either, so yours is a treat. And, other than the lopped down barrel, it sure does look like a nice one.
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DWT1885
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Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #2 -
Jun 17
th
, 2018 at 6:54pm
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Hey Spud, A very neat and interesting 1885. Bert Hartman on the Winchester Collectors forum has done a caliber survey on the 1885. He states that there were 91 different cartridges that Winchester chambered the 1885 for. The top 30 cartridges account for 106,299 (96.6%) of the 109,999 recorded in the ledger records. The .303 did not make it in the top 30. The last caliber listed was the 32 Ideal with only 267 made. So apparently not very many were chambered for the old .303. Dale.
35th Security Police Squadron, Phan Rang AB, RVN, May 70-71.
All gave some, some gave all.
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Redsetter
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Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #3 -
Jun 17
th
, 2018 at 9:15pm
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Wonderful rifle. But the best thing is...you're in a position to invoke, if you so desire, Rule 303.
«
Last Edit: Jun 17
th
, 2018 at 9:20pm by Redsetter
»
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JLouis
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Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #4 -
Jun 17
th
, 2018 at 9:26pm
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Lopped Down barrel? If it had to meet a certain length it probably could not excced a certain weight per the rules of it's intended competitve use as was described but I could also be wrong. One very lovely original rifle and thanks for sharing it.
JLouis
" It Is Better To Now Have Been A Has Been Than A Never Was Or A Wanna Be "
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bruce moulds
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Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #5 -
Jul 7
th
, 2018 at 11:51pm
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spud,
not sure if you are aware of hahndorf rifle club in s.aust.
highwalls were popular there, and as ekins was an s.aust dealer, it could be that it was a hahndorf rifle.
i remember ekins gunshop in adelaide in the late 60s/early 70s, then it disappeared.
i know why, because as a young guy they would not show me rifles, whereas hambly clarkes and sporstsgoods would.
guess where i and others went, and it was not to an elitest place that limited their market.
hahandorf club was where you shot if you did not want to be in the militia, and thus you did not have to practise marching and such to shoot.
keep safe,
bruce.
ventum est amicus meus
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Fazer
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th
, 2010
Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #6 -
Jul 11
th
, 2018 at 9:22am
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I've got an 1885 that was supposedly a hahndorf rifle. If memory serves, it has a chess piece rook stamp on the stock. That was for one of the department stores. Have to look it up again.
I'll verify when able.
It got the better of me and I just went and checked. It is a unicorn. The HW is pistol grip, in 38/56. Tang and globe with spirit level.
I thought that stamp was for a department store. Forerunner to David Jones type place.
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Last Edit: Jul 11
th
, 2018 at 9:32am by Fazer
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Spud
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th
, 2005
Re: HW .303 Brit
Reply #7 -
Jul 11
th
, 2018 at 5:25pm
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Frazer, you are 100% correct. I was at a Winchester Collectors meet last weekend with a couple of Hahndorf HWs and ran into someone who put me straight on the origin of the Unicorn stamp often seen on rifles out of South Australia. The were retailed by Harris Scarfe, a large store in Adelaide.
Thanks for that.
Spud
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