Fear & Loading: .303 British Walls

by
posted on October 11, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
prescott.jpg
Twitter Photo/@TheDailyCourier


A few years ago, I inherited my father’s Lee-Enfield chambered in .303 British, which is why a recent headline out of Prescott, Ariz., caught my attention. When a contractor began demolition of an addition to a garage on a home originally constructed in 1926, he discovered the outside wall was built out of World War II-era .303 British cartridge boxes.

They were empty, although he said it was surprising just how stout the crates remained. Stampings on the wood indicated they were made in 1943 and held 1,248 cartridges when they shipped from the factory, one reason for the rugged construction.

The mystery on how the empty crates—built the year before the D-Day invasion—wound up being used for building material on a distant Arizona high desert plateau may never be solved conclusively. The explanation probably isn’t as “exotic” as a transcontinental voyage, though.

Rifles in that chambering were produced here in America for some time. Bruce Canfield’s look at manufacturing in the U.S. for British troops during the early stages of World War I offers one connection. Winchester and Remington made the 1914 Pattern rifle, but when our nation declared war, the existing machinery there was re-tooled to churn out .30-’06 versions for our doughboys.

During World War II, Savage made Enfield No. 4s chambered in .303 British for English troops, too. The contract was assumed by the U.S. government under the Lend Lease Act, and those rifles wear a “U.S. Property” stamp. My father’s sporterized version is one of more than a million in that production run. The rifle in that chambering was also used until recently in arctic regions of Canada—largely because it thrived in the hostile environment.

When all those surplus guns hit the market, they were inexpensive and quickly grew popular with hunters. Matching specimens in decent and unmodified shape are becoming rare, unfortunately, and prices reflect the scarcity. I bet more than a few collectors would have been willing to buy one of those boxes in Prescott, unfortunately the contractor destroyed most of them.  

Latest

Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web
Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web

Gun Of The Week: Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine

This week, we're on the range with the Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine, a rimfire variant of the AR-15 that's designed for reliability and gives enthusiasts a way to shoot affordably.

The Armed Citizen® July 11, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Japanese Last-Ditch Small Arms Of World War II

The crude assortment of fighting tools used by the Japanese during World War II give clues of an unprepared and unmatched last-ditch fight that ultimately lead to Allied victory.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors.

2025 Optic Of The Year: Burris Eliminator 6

Even as new generation after new generation of Burris Eliminator continued to add more advanced technology and functionality, it remained odd-looking—until the launch of this year’s sixth-generation product, which is the first in the line that can mount atop a rifle using standard 34 mm scope rings.

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.