Chapter 7

11x59Rmm French Gras 11x59mm Vickers

Historical Notes This French cartridge was adopted in 1874 for the Gras single-shot rifle, a metallic cartridge, breech-loaded conversion of the Chassepot needle gun. This was the first modern French military cartridge. It was replaced in 1886 by the thenrevolutionary 8mm Lebel. Many Remington rolling-block rifles were chambered for the 1 1mm Gras and these, along with the Gras rifle, were used extensively in the Balkans and French colonial areas. Remington loaded this cartridge at one time. The Japanese purchased and used many of the Gras-modified rifles and the 11mm Gras cartridge. The 11mm Vickers was used by both the British and French during World War I in the Vickers aircraft machinegun to shoot down German artillery observation balloons. This cartridge is also referred to as the 11mm Vickers Balloon Gun cartridge. It uses the same case as the 1874 French Gras rifle cartridge and was actually developed by the French for their Hotchkiss anti-balloon gun. The more reliable Vickers machinegun was later modified to shoot the same cartridge. By 1917, it was found that the standard rifle cartridge was not as satisfactory for shooting dO'Ml balloons as a larger caliber carrying a heavier bullet. This was the reason for the development ofa cartridge. Rather than waste time, the French simply immediately available and adopted the Gras rifle these cartridges are head-stamped WESTERN 2-17,' these cartridges were manufactured in the UnitedStates Cartridge Co. in February 1917. General Comments Neither this rifle nor this cartri been used to any degree in the United States. It would for orth American big game hunting at short range, the other blackpowder military cartridges. It is vcT'f performance to the I Imm Mauser. The 1I mm Vickers appears to have a longer,heavier the original Gras cartridge. It is also of the full-jack some are brass covered. One should be careful wor . rounds because many have tracer/incendiary bullets.

11x59Rmm French Gras Loading Data and Factory Ballistics

Bullet 365 385 385 (grains/type) Lead Lead Lead Powder IMR 4198 IMR 4198 Blackpowder (Fg) Grains 36 33 78 Velocity 1420 1400 1493 Energy 1635 1675 1903 Source/Comm Lyman#446109

NA
Military load

11.15x60Rmm (43) Mauser (11 x60Rmm Mauser)

Historical Notes This was the first of a long line of military cartridges designed by Paul Mauser. The 11mm Mauser was adopted by the German military in 1871 with the M71 bolt-action, single-shot Mauser rifle. Later this rifle was converted to a tubular magazine repeater as the Model 71/84. This cartridge became a popular sporting cartridge in Europe and East Africa. It is no longer loaded in Europe. Canadian Industries Limited (Dominion Brand) once offered a smokeless powder version that was imported into the United States. General Comments A popular military and sporting the 1870s and '80s, the 11mm Mauser was loadediD States by Remington and Winchester. It enjoyed popularity here because our own 45-70 military load obtain. A modernized version using smokeles produced for H. Krieghoff of Suhl, Germany, andc Mauser bolt-action rifles in the 1920s. A few wereim United States. The I 1mm Mauser is still a potent cartridge for North American big game. Most military uses the Berdan primer, usually of 6.5mrn (0.2 Correct bullet diameter is 0.446-inch.

11.15x60Rmm (43) Mauser Loading Data and Factory Ballistics

Bullet (grains/type) 370 Lead 387 Lead 387 Lead 385 386 Lead Powder Blackpowder (Fg) IMR 4198 IMR 4198 FL ML Grains 77 32 35 Velocity 1430 1335 1510 1360 1425 Energy 1680 1530 1955 1580 1740 Source/Commenll Duplicates military load, paper-patched bullel

NA
Maximum load ClLfactoryload Military load

Mauser

Model 71/84

368

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