Snider mk 7 and 8

Standard mk 7 and 8 cartridge bullet

Official weight and dimensions (from List of Changes):

Weight: 480 gn (31.1 g)
Diameter: 0.573 in (14.5 mm)
Length: 1.040 in (26.4 mm)

The is the accepted mark 7 and 8 cartridge bullet, which was updated with the removal of the sycamore nose plug and the nose hollow being ‘spun over’, creating a solid looking nose. The process involved the bullets being manually inserted into a machine which adds the cannelures (by rolling it between two cannelure shaped edges) and forcing the top closed at speed with a curved former.

Alternate mark 8 cartridge bullet (listed in The Boxer Cartridge in the British Service).

Official weight and dimensions (from The Boxer Cartridge in the British Service)

Weight: 480 gn (31.1 g)
Diameter: 0.573 in (14.5 mm)
Length: 1.065 in (27 mm)

This bullet is referenced by B. A. Temple in the book The Boxer Cartridge in the British Service. It differs only in the length of the bullet (0.025 in longer). A small difference such as this might be measurable on pristine bullets but is very difficult to spot on recovered and damaged bullets.

Snider mk 7 and 8, unfired

Weight: 456 gn (29.5 g)
Diameter: 0.576 in (14.6 mm)
Length: 1.056 in (26.8 mm)

This mark 7 and 8 cartridge bullet shows the spun over nose.

Snider mark 7 and 8, fired

Weight: 479 gn (31 g)
Diameter: 0.586 in (15 mm)
Length: 1.027 in (26.1 mm)

The 5 groove Snider rifling is clearly visible on this example, especially in the view of the base (which is shown as a rounded pentagon).

Snider mark 7 and 8, fired

Weight: 472 gn (30.5 g)
Diameter: 0.583 in (14.8 mm)
Length: 1.060 in (26.9 mm)

This mark 7/8 bullet is unusual in that the nose has been spun-over, over a wooden nose plug. This is a situation that was not intended to occur – either the nose plug was exposed or the plug was omitted and the hollow spun over.