Here is another good example of an English stalking rifle, in .318 Westley Richards (8x57mm).
Lee24-
The .318 Westley Richards cartridge is not the 8x57. They differ substantially. The .318 is described on p.370 of my copy of the 10th edition of
Cartridges of the World, with the dimensions given on p.392.
The 8x57 is described on pp.71 and 344, with dimensional data on pp.102 and 358.
Among other differences, the case of the .318 is 0.15" longer. Bullets for the .318 are .330" in diameter; the modern 8x57 shoots .323" bullets. Curiously, the rim and base diameters of the .318 are slightly smaller than the 8x57's.
The DWM cartridge number for the .318 is 570; for the 8x57 it's 366. The Germans perceived these as different cartridges.
The .318 was apparently known by various names: .318 Westley-Richards, .318 Westley-Richards Accelerated, .318 Axite, .318 Rimless Nitro Express, .318 WR Accelerated Express, and .318 WR Express.
While the 7x57 was named the .275 by Rigby, I cannot find any reference to a British redesignation of the 8x57. If you know of such, perhaps you could post a reference?
--Bob
