11mm Vickers

[Rockindaddy]

Lots of work just to make up a cartridge you can't buy! Have a very special Colt gun that has an unusual history. This 1918 Colt shoots 11mm Vickers ammo. It is very similar to 11mm French Grau. Had to gather up a pile of 348 Winchester brass and anneal it. Made an expander die that opens the brass neck up to .40 cal from .35 cal. Then it gets another expansion to .448 Then squeeze it to form a new shoulder. The cast boolit is a scarce Lyman .446110 Takes a lot of Linotype, wheel weights and odd lead pipe to cast enough boolits in the 4-cavity mould. Slaving over an old Lyman Model 61 lead pot and a sore wrist. A lot of work for just a few seconds of fun in the spring when the weather breaks. I put up a few photos!

[Gewehr-Guy]

Now I have never heard of such a gun, you have to give us a history lesson on it. Is that Lyman 446110 a mould meant for a 71/84 Mauser? When you shoot that beast we will all watch your video!

[samari46]

Think it was used to shoot down, planes, and dirigables (spelling) as they used hydrogen gas. Frank

[Rockindaddy]

Yeah that bullet works in the Mauser Reichspatrone 1871/84 rifle and 11mm French Grau. Guess I will have to make a video when I shoot it with the cast boolits!!! The gun originally shot a hollow projectile filled with white phosphorus. The guns were mounted on Spade biplanes to deter the Zeppelins and observation balloons filled with hydrogen gas. The phosphorous would light the hydrogen envelopes. I will not have any Zeppelins or hydrogen observation balloons to shoot at but maybe find an old Asian made car to ventilate.

[challenger_i]

Lots of work just to make up a cartridge you can't buy! Have a very special Colt gun that has an unusual history. This 1918 Colt shoots 11mm Vickers ammo. It is very similar to 11mm French Grau. Had to gather up a pile of 348 Winchester brass and anneal it. Made an expander die that opens the brass neck up to .40 cal from .35 cal. Then it gets another expansion to .448 Then squeeze it to form a new shoulder. The cast boolit is a scarce Lyman .446110 Takes a lot of Linotype, wheel weights and odd lead pipe to cast enough boolits in the 4-cavity mould. Slaving over an old Lyman Model 61 lead pot and a sore wrist. A lot of work for just a few seconds of fun in the spring when the weather breaks. I put up a few photos!

Are you going balloon busting in your SPAD?

[steveu]

Very cool!!!

[Mike Duke]

I have the same gun. It’s a lot of fun. .348 is an excellent choice for a Gras substitute.
Bertram brass was importing brass in 11mm until a few years ago. I think they’ve stopped now.
.348 is better anyway because of the thick brass. I have been fire forming mine with a few grains of bullseye and cornmeal. You aren’t stuck with 11mm Gras. Keep in mind that all Vickers parts are interchangeable. You can shoot .303 Brit, 8mm Mauser, 30-06, .308, 7.62x54r and whatever else you can come across. I shoot mine in 45-70. I made 2 45-70 conversions a few years back. 1 for me and 1 for Mike Todd. You will have to make a belt for 11Gras as well. I would suggest a .50bmg belts with the pockets sewn tight. That’s what we used. As original 11mm Gras links are more rare that hens teeth. Good luck with yours. My aircraft Vickers is my favorite gun. If you need anything feel free to contact me.

[Mike Duke]

Here is a video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0nOylH_nz04

[Bigslug]

NICE!

I got to attend an armorer's course for the Vickers last summer as one of the perks for contributing to the Kickstarter campaign to helping get Dolf Goldsmith's new and improved book published. Truly beautiful machines!

There's an 11mm aircraft Vickers on display at the air & space museum in San Diego if anybody needs a peek at one.

The thought I had for burnt-out barrels was to cut them off at the trunion, then thread the inside of the trunion to use it as a "receiver" for whatever barrel blank you wanted to screw into it. This would make the feed block adaptation the harder part of caliber conversions.

[Rockindaddy]

Mike: Got around to seeing your video of your 11mm Colt Vickers gun. I too used 50 BMG belts sewn up. But my wife sews Maxim belts. Her belts are quite good. I have been using them for over 30 years. She made up an 11mm Vickers belt that I need to try. A hundred or so rounds of my 348 Winchester/11mm Vickers rounds and the old girl gets hot!! Going to try a 45-70 conversion. I load for a pair of Gatlings. One is a 10 barrel 1878 Model. The other is a 5 barrel Colt Bulldog. I have a Dillon Super 1050 set up to load 45-70's Gee they sure eat up a pile of lead!!! Scrap lead is down right now. Going to scarf up some..