300 ROOK TARGET

Research notes

Introduced in 1902, this is the 300 Rook cartridge designed for "mid-range" target shooting. It has a longer bullet with external cannelures for lubrication. It was felt at the time that the 80gr. bullet of the 300 Rook cartridge was too light for distance shooting as the wind had an effect on the trajectory as well as bullet drop over longer distances became a problem. Kynoch changed the Rook cartridge to a Target cartridge by loading it with cordite and a heavier 110gr. loading. This is the cartridge on p.28 of Fleming that is listed with a MBLRN (Metal Based Lead Round Nose). The metal base was the equivalent of a gas-check we know today and was based on Kynoch Limited and Houseman's patent metal base. (British Patent 8707 dated 27 April 1901) Houseman was Kynoch's chemist and ballistic expert. The Kynoch version was no longer listed in the 1911 catalogue as well as the Eley version which was only listed up to the 1908 catalogue, but no longer in the 1911 list. The invention of the 300 Sherwood which was first listed in the 1909 catalogue in all probability replaced the 300 Target version as it was more powerful. The specimens listed below are headstamped CRB * .300 * and were loaded in Belgium.

The 300 Target on left compared with a normal 300 Rook on the right