.333 Jeffery

.333 Jeffery
Type Rifle
Place of origin  United Kingdom
Service history
In service UK
Used by British Army
Wars World War I
Production history
Designer W.J. Jeffery & Co
Designed 1908
Manufacturer W.J. Jeffery & Co
Specifications
Parent case .404 Jeffery
Case type Rimless, bottlenecked
Bullet diameter .333 in (8.5 mm)
Neck diameter .365 in (9.3 mm)
Shoulder diameter .500 in (12.7 mm)
Base diameter .545 in (13.8 mm)
Rim diameter .543 in (13.8 mm)
Rim thickness .050 in (1.3 mm)
Case length 2.475 in (62.9 mm)
Overall length 3.500 in (88.9 mm)
Case capacity 84.0 gr H2O (5.44 cm3)
Maximum pressure 46,000 psi (320 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
250 gr (16 g) SP 2,500 ft/s (760 m/s) 3,480 ft·lbf (4,720 J)
300 gr (19 g) SP 2,200 ft/s (670 m/s) 3,230 ft·lbf (4,380 J)
Test barrel length: 28 inches
Source(s): Kynoch[1] & Barnes[2]
.333 Jeffery Flanged
Specifications
Case type Rimmed, bottlenecked
Bullet diameter .333 in (8.5 mm)
Neck diameter .356 in (9.0 mm)
Shoulder diameter .484 in (12.3 mm)
Base diameter .544 in (13.8 mm)
Rim diameter .625 in (15.9 mm)
Case length 2.50 in (64 mm)
Overall length 3.49 in (89 mm)
Primer type large rifle
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
250 gr (16 g) SP 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s) 3,200 ft·lbf (4,300 J)
300 gr (19 g) SP 2,150 ft/s (660 m/s) 3,090 ft·lbf (4,190 J)
Test barrel length: 28 inches
Source(s): Kynoch[1] & Barnes.[2]

The .333 Jeffery and .333 Jeffery Flanged are medium bore centrefire rifle cartridges developed by W.J. Jeffery & Co and introduced in 1908.

.333 Jeffery

The .333 Jeffery also known as the .333 Jeffery Rimless Nitro Express or as the .333 Rimless Nitro Express is a rimless bottlenecked cartridge intended for use in magazine rifles, derived from the .404 Jeffery, it could be used in both standard and magnum length Mauser 98 actions.[3]

.333 Jeffery Flanged

The .333 Jeffery Flanged or .333 Flanged Nitro Express is the rimmed version of the . 333 Jeffery, intended for use in single shot and double rifles. It is loaded to slightly lower velocities than the rimless .333 Jeffery.

Use

While the cartridge is not intended for dangerous game, it was successfully used on all African game species up to elephant due to the excellent sectional density of the 300 gr (19 g) bullet.[2]

In his African Rifles and Cartridges, John "Pondoro" Taylor wrote of the .333 Jeffery "Time and again have I driven it the length of an animal’s body, and cut the perfectly mushroomed bullet out of his hindquarters. I have never had one break up." [4]

The cartridge was very similar in performance to the .318 Westley Richards, it was somewhat overshadowed by the arrival of the .375 Holland & Holland.[3]

The .280 Jeffery was created by Jeffery by necking down their successful .333 Jeffery to .288 inches.

WWI service

In 1914 and early 1915, German snipers were engaging British Army positions with impunity from behind steel plates that were impervious to .303 British ball ammunition. In an attempt to counter this threat, the British War Office purchased a number of larger calibre sporting rifles from British rifle makers, including .333 Jeffery rifles.[5]

In his Sniping in France 1914-18, MAJ H. Hesketh-Prichard, DSO, MC, stated "I proceeded to try on these plates all kinds of rifles, from Jeffery’s high velocity .333 to heavy elephant guns of various bores, and was delighted to find the bullets from the .333, as well as the elephant guns, pierced them like butter."[6]

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Kynoch.
  2. 1 2 3 Barnes.
  3. 1 2 Roberts.
  4. ↑ Taylor.
  5. ↑ Tate.
  6. ↑ Hesketh-Prichard.

Bibliography

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