The Nitro Express (NE) series of cartridges are used in large-bore hunting
rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...
s, also known as
elephant gun
An elephant gun is a large caliber gun, rifled or smoothbore, originally developed for use by big-game hunters for elephant and other large game. Elephant guns were black powder muzzle-loaders at first, then black powder express rifles, then l ...
s or
express rifle
The term ''express'' was first applied to hunting rifles and ammunition beginning in the mid-19th century, to indicate a rifle or ammunition capable of higher than typical velocities. The early express cartridges used a heavy charge of black p ...
s, but later came to include smaller bore high velocity (for the time) British cartridges.
Name
The term "Express" was coined by
James Purdey
James Purdey & Sons, or simply Purdey, is a British gunmaker based in London, England specialising in high-end bespoke sporting shotguns and rifles. Purdey holds three Royal Warrants of appointment as gun and rifle makers to the British and other ...
in 1856, derived from the express train, to publicise the bullet velocity of his double rifles and became common parlance for many rifle cartridges. The addition of the word "Nitro" stemmed from the propellant used in these cartridges,
cordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom since 1889 to replace black powder as a military propellant. Like modern gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burni ...
, which is composed of
nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose (also known as cellulose nitrate, flash paper, flash cotton, guncotton, pyroxylin and flash string, depending on form) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to a mixture of nitric acid and ...
and
nitroglycerine
Nitroglycerin (NG), (alternative spelling of nitroglycerine) also known as trinitroglycerin (TNG), nitro, glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), or 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane, is a dense, colorless, oily, explosive liquid most commonly produced by nitrating ...
.
Evolution
Early developments
The unveiling of the
.450 Nitro Express
.450 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 3-inch is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting dangerous game such as elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion, and leopard. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in double rifles for hunti ...
by
John Rigby & Company
John Rigby & Company (or John Rigby & Co. (Gunmakers) Ltd) is a gunmaking firm founded by John Rigby in 1775 in Dublin. The company was established by the first John Rigby in Dublin, Ireland, apparently in 1775; his grandson, also John, opened a ...
in 1898 heralded the beginning of the modern big game cartridge. Created from loading the already popular
.450 Black Powder Express
The .450 Black Powder Express also known as the .450 3-inch BPE was a popular black powder cartridge in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Design
The .450 Black Powder Express is a rimmed, straight walled, centerfire rifle cartridge desig ...
with cordite, the .450 NE was a fast and accurate cartridge capable of taking all African and Indian dangerous game.
Early extraction problems with the .450 NE was the catalyst for
Holland & Holland
Holland & Holland is a British gunmaker and clothing retailer based in London, England, which offers handmade sporting rifles and shotguns. The company holds two royal warrants.
History
Holland & Holland was founded by Harris Holland (1806 ...
to develop the
.500/450 Nitro Express and
Eley Brothers
Eley Limited is a British manufacturer of firearms cartridges. Historically the company has produced a broad variety of ammunition, but today specialises in .22 Long Rifle cartridges for competitive target shooting. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, si ...
the
.450 No 2 Nitro Express
The .450 No 2 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 3-inch was developed by Eley Brothers in 1903.
Design
The .450 No 2 Nitro Express is rimmed, bottlenecked, calibre cartridge designed for use in single-shot and double rifles, it ...
both with very similar ballistics and performance to the original.
[Hailey.] Rigby soon solved the problems with the .450 NE which quickly became the standard big-game cartridge used throughout Britain’s African colonies and India.
[
With the success of the .450 NE, various people (it is not clear who) decided to follow Rigby’s example and load the old .450/400 Black Powder Express, ].500 Black Powder Express
The .500 Black Powder Express was a series of Black powder cases of varying lengths that emerged in the 1860s.
Development
The cartridge was offered in several case lengths including 1-inch, 2-inch, 2-inch, 2-inch, 3-inch and 3-inch,several were ...
and .577 Black Powder Express
The .577 Black Powder Express is a series of black powder cartridges of varying lengths including 2-inch, 2-inch, 3-inch and 3-inch.
Development
The .577 BPE originated around 1870 with the 2-inch variant.
The 3-inch cartridge has survived to ...
cartridges with cordite, creating the .450/400 Nitro Express, .500 Nitro Express
The .500 Nitro Express is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting large and dangerous game animals in Africa and India. This cartridge was primarily designed for use in double rifles though various single shots were produced on the Farquarson act ...
and .577 Nitro Express
The .577 Nitro Express is a large-bore centerfire rifle cartridge designed for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in single-shot and double express rifles for hunting in the Tropics or h ...
, the latter two offering greater power than the .450s at the expense of greater rifle weight and recoil. In 1903 Jeffery & Co decided to outdo them all, creating the .600 Nitro Express
The .600 Nitro Express is a large bore Nitro Express rifle cartridge developed by W.J. Jeffery & Co for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant.
Design
The .600 Nitro Express is a slightly tapered walled, rimmed, centerfire rifl ...
, the most powerful sporting cartridge commercially available for over half a century.[Wieland.]
Whilst more powerful, the .500, .577 and .600 NE rifles were all too heavy for everyday use and remained specialist tools for the professional hunter
A professional hunter (less frequently referred to as market or commercial hunter and regionally, especially in Britain and Ireland, as professional stalker or gamekeeper) is a person who hunts and/or manages game by profession. Some professional ...
, the .450s remained the most popular, but political events were to soon change this.
Rise of the Mauser
In 1899 Rigby approached the engineers at Mauser
Mauser, originally Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik ("Royal Württemberg Rifle Factory"), was a German arms manufacturer. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols has been produced since the 1870s for the German arme ...
to make a special Gewehr 98
The Gewehr 98 (abbreviated G98, Gew 98, or M98) is a German bolt-action rifle made by Mauser, firing cartridges from a five-round internal clip-loaded magazine. It was the German service rifle from 1898 to 1935, when it was replaced by the Ka ...
bolt action
Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed).
Most bolt-action ...
to handle their .400/350 Nitro Express. The introduction of this rifle in 1900 was the birth of the magnum length bolt action, paving the way for such cartridges as the .375 H&H and .416 Rigby
The .416 Rigby is a rifle cartridge designed in 1911 by London based gunmaker John Rigby & Company, for hunting dangerous game. It is the first cartridge to use a bullet of .416 inch (10.57 mm) diameter. The rifles, as built by John Rigby & Co ...
[John Rigby & Co.]
The term Nitro Express came to be applied to many of these rimless cartridges also.
1907 British ban
In the late 1890s, the British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
was facing a series of internal insurrections in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and the Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, and the .450 calibre .577/450 Martini–Henry rifle was the most widely distributed firearm in the hands of the anti-British forces. In 1907 the British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
banned all .450 calibre (as well as .303 and .577, two other military calibres) sporting rifles and ammunition from importation into India and East Africa, the two major destinations for .450 NE rifles and ammunition. Whilst the .450 cartridges could not be loaded into a Martini–Henry rifle, it was feared the bullets could be pulled and used to reload expended .577/.450 cartridges.[
What resulted was a rush by British rifle and ammunition makers to develop a substitute, Holland & Holland created the .500/465 Nitro Express, Joseph Lang the ].470 Nitro Express
The .470 Nitro Express is a rifle cartridge developed by Joseph Lang in England for dangerous game hunting in Africa and India. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in double rifles. It is in wide use in the Southern and Central-East Afr ...
, an unidentified firm the .475 Nitro Express
The .475 Nitro Express is a British rifle cartridge developed in the early 20th century.
Design
The .475 Nitro Express is a slightly tapered, non-bottlenecked rimmed cartridge very similar in appearance to the .450 Nitro Express, that is des ...
, Eley Brothers
Eley Limited is a British manufacturer of firearms cartridges. Historically the company has produced a broad variety of ammunition, but today specialises in .22 Long Rifle cartridges for competitive target shooting. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, si ...
the .475 No 2 Nitro Express
The .475 No 2 Nitro Express is a British rifle cartridge developed by Eley Brothers in the early 20th century.
Design
The .475 No 2 Nitro Express is a rimmed bottle necked cartridge designed for use in single-shot and double rifles. The .475 ...
and Westley Richards
Westley Richards is a British manufacturer of guns and rifles and also a well established gunsmith. The company was founded in 1812 by William Westley Richards, who was responsible for the early innovation of many rifles used in wars featuring ...
the .476 Nitro Express
The .476 Nitro Express, also known as the .476 Westley Richards, is a British rifle Cartridge (firearms), cartridge introduced by Westley Richards around 1907.
Development
The .476 Nitro Express is one of several rounds (including the .500/465 ...
,[ with the .470 NE becoming the most popular.
]
List of Nitro Express cartridges
* .240 Belted Nitro Express
* .240 Flanged Nitro Express
* .242 Rimless Nitro Express
* .26 Rimless Nitro Express
* .280 Flanged Nitro Express
* .280 Jeffery Rimless Nitro Express
* .303 British Rimmed Nitro Express
* .318 Rimless Nitro Express
* .333 Rimless Nitro Express
* .333 Flanged Nitro Express
* .350 Rigby Nitro Express
* .400/350 Nitro Express
* .360 Nitro Express
*.360 No 2 Nitro Express
The .360 No 2 Nitro Express is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Eley Brothers and introduced in 1905.
Design
The .360 No 2 Nitro Express is a rimmed, bottlenecked cartridge designed for use in single shot and double rifles.
The .36 ...
* .400/360 Nitro Express
*.369 Nitro Express
The .369 Nitro Express, also known as the .369 Purdey Nitro Express, is a centerfire, rifle cartridge developed by James Purdey & Sons and introduced in 1922.
Overview
The .369 Nitro Express is a rimmed cartridge originally designed for use in ...
* .375 Belted Rimless Nitro Express
*.375 Flanged Nitro Express
The .375 Nitro Express 2 inch Velopex , was a nitrocellulose (smokeless) powder cartridge introduced in 1899.
Overview
A hunting cartridge produced for single-shot and double rifles, the .375 Flanged NE is a slightly longer version of the .303 ...
* .400/375 Belted Nitro Express
*.400 Jeffery Nitro Express
The .400 Jeffery Nitro Express or .450/400 Nitro Express 3-inch is a medium bore, bottlenecked, Nitro Express cartridge designed by W.J. Jeffery & Co in 1902, intended for use in single shot and double rifles.
Development
The W.J. Jeffery & Co ...
* .450/400 Nitro Express
* .404 Rimless Nitro Express
*.450 Nitro Express
.450 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 3-inch is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting dangerous game such as elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion, and leopard. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in double rifles for hunti ...
*.450 No 2 Nitro Express
The .450 No 2 Nitro Express also known as the .450 Nitro Express 3-inch was developed by Eley Brothers in 1903.
Design
The .450 No 2 Nitro Express is rimmed, bottlenecked, calibre cartridge designed for use in single-shot and double rifles, it ...
* .500/450 Nitro Express
* .500/465 Nitro Express
*.470 Nitro Express
The .470 Nitro Express is a rifle cartridge developed by Joseph Lang in England for dangerous game hunting in Africa and India. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in double rifles. It is in wide use in the Southern and Central-East Afr ...
*.475 Nitro Express
The .475 Nitro Express is a British rifle cartridge developed in the early 20th century.
Design
The .475 Nitro Express is a slightly tapered, non-bottlenecked rimmed cartridge very similar in appearance to the .450 Nitro Express, that is des ...
*.475 No 2 Nitro Express
The .475 No 2 Nitro Express is a British rifle cartridge developed by Eley Brothers in the early 20th century.
Design
The .475 No 2 Nitro Express is a rimmed bottle necked cartridge designed for use in single-shot and double rifles. The .475 ...
*.476 Nitro Express
The .476 Nitro Express, also known as the .476 Westley Richards, is a British rifle Cartridge (firearms), cartridge introduced by Westley Richards around 1907.
Development
The .476 Nitro Express is one of several rounds (including the .500/465 ...
*.500 Nitro Express
The .500 Nitro Express is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting large and dangerous game animals in Africa and India. This cartridge was primarily designed for use in double rifles though various single shots were produced on the Farquarson act ...
* .500 Jeffery Nitro Express
* .505 Rimless Nitro Express
* .577/500 Nitro Express
* .510 Nitro Express
*.577 Nitro Express
The .577 Nitro Express is a large-bore centerfire rifle cartridge designed for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant. This cartridge is used almost exclusively in single-shot and double express rifles for hunting in the Tropics or h ...
* .600/577 Rewa Nitro Express
*.600 Nitro Express
The .600 Nitro Express is a large bore Nitro Express rifle cartridge developed by W.J. Jeffery & Co for the purpose of hunting large game such as elephant.
Design
The .600 Nitro Express is a slightly tapered walled, rimmed, centerfire rifl ...
* .700/500 Rafiki Nitro Express
* .700/577 Sahar Nitro Express
*.700 Nitro Express
The .700 Nitro Express (17.8×89mmR) is a big game rifle cartridge. The cartridge is typically charged with around 250 grains of powder, in addition to a two-grain igniter charge (to reduce the tendency of the cartridge to hang fire from such ...
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
* Barnes, Frank C. & Amber, John T., ''Cartridges of the World'', DBI Books, Northfield, 1972, {{ISBN, 0-695-80326-3.
Grizzaffi, Leo, ''The 375 Flanged (Magnum) Nitro Express'', African Expedition Magazine
retrieved 01 Jan 15.
* John Rigby & Co,
History
, ''www.johnrigbyandco.com'', retrieved 7 December 2018.
( ttps://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1420140545960443 Archived2015-01-01), retrieved 31 Dec 14.
Haley, Charlie, ''The .450 Nitro Express''
retrieved 31 Dec 14.
Wieland, Terry, ''Nitro Express: The Big Bang of the Big Bang''
retrieved 31 Dec 14.
Cartridge families