Britain's first magazine rifle and the immediate predecessor to the SMLE. Combined James Paris Lee's detachable box magazine and rear-locking bolt with William Metford's metford rifling designed for black powder loads. The .303 cartridge, initially loaded with compressed black powder, was the foundational British military cartridge for over 70 years. Replaced the single-shot Martini-Henry in British service. Type: Rifle Action: Bolt-Action Caliber: .303 British Capacity: 8 Year introduced: 1888, United Kingdom Weight: 112 oz Overall length: 44" Status: Discontinued Military use: Yes Intended use: military