GENERAL

The earliest dated clip I have is from circa 1956 and is the Mark 1 charger. The latest is a standard Mk. 3 from 1976. The clips previously thought to of been of Indian origin are in fact British made clips, examples have turned up in the UK complete with British type finish. After looking through some early L1A1 SLR manuals, I noted that in the photos showing magazine charger loading that the stripper clips were 'bright', and not dull like they would be if they were phosphated.  It struck me the charger was chromed to match the drill rounds. I've made the appropriate corrections to the chromed Mk.1 charger on this page. You can see a chromed Mk. 2 charger in this image.

Mark 1 Charger This Mk. 1 (LoC § C 8827) Charger is commonly referred to as the "Horse Shoe" 5 round Charger.  The example shown is undated but probably dates from 1956 and is designed to be used with either the Magazine Charging Adaptor (MCA) or in the charger guide on the X8 series of British Trials rifles. This example was made by Thomas French and Sons Ltd (T.F. & S. LTD).   Mk. 1 Charger fitted into the Charger loading guide of an X8E1 Rifle	A long time ago I was asked if I knew anything about an 8 round carton labeled for use with the "Horse Shoe Charger".  It sounded a little strange, 8 rounds is three too many for the standard X1E1 charger and 2 round short for the 10 round Chargers.  I was perplexed, until it struck me to ask the question "how tall is 8 rounds?". From the photo you can see that 8 rounds is approximately the same height as a X1E1 (Mk. 1) Charger.  What's happened is the British supply system has decided to utilize the cartons that would hold one loaded 5 round Mk. 1 Horse Shoe Charger and fill them with eight rounds of L2A1 Ball ammunition.
Mark 2 Charger The Mk. 2 (LoC § C 8827) Charger differs from the Mark 3 Charger in that it has two stops on each side. This charger dates from 1957.
Mark 3 Charger The Mk. 3 (LoC § C 8827) is the standard Charger for the British and with slight modification it was also made by Australia.  The end profile of these charger is different to that of the Canadian production clips.  I have classified this version of profile as 1.  UK chargers have a black phosphated finish similar to that on the .303 chargers.
Mark 4 Charger The Mk. 4 (LoC § D 287) was the production version of the experimental one-piece charger designed by Thomas French and Sons Ltd. The " QV66 " is the drawing number for the charger.
Experimental one-piece Charger The one-piece charger was made by Thomas French and Sons in 1960 and is discussed in the minutes of the Rifle Steering Committee (RSC) on the 14-15 November 1960 :- CHARGER, 5 ROUND U.K. - Present Position on T. French one-piece design U.K. - Trials in U.K. indicate complete satisfaction in magazine filling and top loading. Samples of the latest design should be available soon for Canada and Australia if they required. Finalized drawings were tabled by U.K.  New Zealand, Canada and Australia each request 1,000 samples.	Prototype one-piece Charger, Version 1   Prototype one-piece Charger, Version 2 (possibly the version mentioned in the RSC minutes)
7.62x51mm Adaptor for the No. 4 Lee Enfield Rifle Charger Bridge This simple stamped metal adaptor was designed to convert .303 No. 4 Lee Enfield Rifles to accept 7.62x51mm Chargers by fitting it into the .303 charger bridge.  This was part of the process to convert .303 rifles to 7.62mm.

DETAILS

Experimental, Prototype and Trials Chargers
Ser	Marking	No of Stops	End Profile	Stop Posn	Material	Finish	Colour	Manufacturer	Notes
1	T.F & S LTD	1	5	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Thomas French & Sons Ltd	Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1
2	T.F & S LTD	1	5	Middle	Steel	Chromed	Silver	Thomas French & Sons Ltd	Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1 chromed for use with drill rounds.
3	T.F & S LTD	1	6	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Thomas French & Sons Ltd	Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 2
Production Chargers
Mark 1 Chargers
Ser	Marking	No of Stops	End Profile	Stop Posn	Material	Finish	Colour	Manufacturer	Notes
1	P.C.C.1956	none	6	n/a	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Unknown	X1E1 Trails 5 round Horse Shoe Charger
2	T .F. & S. LTD	none	6	n/a	Steel	Phosphated	Gray	Thomas French & Sons Ltd	5 round Horse Shoe Charger
3	T .F. & S. LTD	none	6	n/a	Steel	Chromed	Silver	Thomas French & Sons Ltd	Chromed 5 round Horse Shoe Charger, only to be used with drill rounds
Mark 2 Chargers
Ser	Marking	No of Stops	End Profile	Stop Posn	Material	Finish	Colour	Manufacturer	Notes
1	B.P 57	2	1	Top	Steel	Phosphated	Black	British Pens
2	MB1957	2	1	Top	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Millard Brothers	Markings under spring
3	MTY    57	2	1	Top	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Mettoy Ltd
Mark 3 Chargers
Ser	Marking	No of Stops	End Profile	Stop Posn	Material	Finish	Colour	Manufacturer	Notes
1	B.P. 5 8	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Gray	British Pens
2	B.P. 5 9	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	British Pens
3	B.P. 68	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	British Pens
4	D.S.1959	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Davis Steel
5	D.S 1966	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	DK Gray	Davis Steel
6	D.S.1967	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	DK Gray	Davis Steel
7	D.S.1968	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	DK Gray	Davis Steel
8	D.S.1969	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Davis Steel
9	D.S.1970	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Davis Steel
10	D.S.1971	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Davis Steel
11	F.T.P. I958	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	FT Products
12	F.T.P. I959	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	FT Products
13	MB1959	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Millard Brothers	Markings under spring
14	MTY    60	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Gray	Mettoy Ltd
15	N.S.H I958	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Nettlefold Stanmore Hinges
16	N.S.H I959	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Nettlefold Stanmore Hinges
17	PCC 1958	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Gray	Unknown	Markings under spring
18	PCC1959	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Gray	Unknown	Markings under spring
19	R.G.58	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
20	R.G.59	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
21	R.G.60	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
22	R.G.61	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
23	R.G.62	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
24	R.G.63	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	DK Gray	Radway Green	Markings under spring
25	R.G.64	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
26	R.G.65	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
27	R.G.66	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
28	R.G66	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
29	RG67	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
30	RG68	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
31	RG69	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
32	RG70	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
33	RG7I	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
34	RG 74	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
35	RG 75	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
36	RG 76	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Radway Green	Markings under spring
37	T F & S 1 9 5 8	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Thomas French & Sons Ltd
38	T F & S 1 9 5 9	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	DK Gray	Thomas French & Sons Ltd
Mark 4 Charger
Ser	Marking	No of Stops	End Profile	Stop Posn	Material	Finish	Colour	Manufacturer	Notes
1	QV66.TF&S.I962	1	1	Middle	Steel	Phosphated	Black	Thomas French & Sons Ltd	One-piece Charger

Thank you to Mark Zillmann for IDing the D.S.1967 clip as being British not Australian.
Thank you to Tom Ready for the N.S.H. 1958 example.
Thank you to Loren Peterson for the D.S.1959 example.
Thank you to Scott Metzger for the RG 63 example.
Thank you to Finn Anderson for the D.S.1966 example.TF&S Mk.1 chromed horseshoe, Mk. 4 prototypes and Mk. 4 production examples from the Herb Woodend Collection.
Thank you to David Lansky for the BP58, PCC1958, PCC1959, MTY 60 examples.
Thank you to Peter Mackinven for the B.P. 68, MB1959, FTP 1959, RG68, D.S.1970 and many other examples and for identifying the manufacturers, DS, NSH, FTP and MB.

PHOTOS

back	back	back
end	end	end
marking	marking	marking
T.F & S LTD Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1	T.F & S LTD Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1 chromed for use with drill rounds.	T.F & S LTD Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1
Experimental, Prototype and Trials Chargers

P.C.C.1956 (X1E1 Trails Charger)	T.F.&S. LTD	T.F.&S. LTD (Chromed, only to be used with drill rounds)
Mk. 1 Chargers ("Horse Shoe Charger")

B.P 57	MB1957	MTY    57
Mk. 2 Chargers

Mk. 3 Chargers
B.P. 58	F.T.P. I958	R.G.60	R.G.69
B.P. 5 9	F.T.P. I959	R.G.61	R.G.70
B.P. 68	MB1959	R.G.62	R.G.71
D.S.1959	MTY     60	R.G.63	R.G.74
D.S 1966	N.S.H I958	R.G.64	R.G.75
D.S.1967	N.S.H I959	R.G.65	R.G.76
D.S.1968	PCC 1958	R.G.66	T F & S 1 9 5 8
D.S.1969	PCC 1959	R.G66	T F & S 1 9 5 9
D.S.1970	R.G.58	R.G.67
D.S.1971	R.G.59	R.G.68
Mk. 3 Chargers

Mk. 4 Charger
QV66.TF&S.I962

MEASUREMENTS

All measurements in millimeters

Experimental, Prototype and Trials Chargers
Ser	Markings	Length	Width	Width with stops	Depth	Retainer length	Material Thickness	Retainer Holes		Spring Profile	Notes
								Height	Width
1	T.F & S LTD	60.29	14.50	15.43	5.26	2.43	0.59	n/a	n/a	n/a	Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1
2	T.F & S LTD	60.30	14.53	15.50	5.30	2.43	0.61	n/a	n/a	n/a	Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 1 chromed for use with drill rounds.
3	T.F & S LTD	60.26	14.56	15.52	5.29	2.40	0.59	n/a	n/a	n/a	Prototype one-piece Mk. 4, Version 2
Production Chargers
Mk. 1 Chargers ("Horse Shoe" Charger)
Ser	Markings	Length	Width	Width with stops	Depth	Retainer length	Material Thickness	Retainer Holes		Spring Profile	Notes
								Height	Width
1	P.C.C.1956	93.37	14.54	n/a	5.44	1.90	0.60	n/a	n/a	n/a	X1E1 Trials 5 round Horse Shoe Charger
2	T.F.&S. LTD	93.27	14.40	n/a	5.33	2.07	0.60	n/a	n/a	n/a	5 round Horse Shoe Charger
3	T.F.&S. LTD	92.67	14.43	n/a	5.27	2.06	0.60	n/a	n/a	n/a	Chromed 5 round Horse Shoe Charger, only to be used with drill rounds
Mark 2 Chargers
Ser	Markings	Length	Width	Width with stops	Depth	Retainer length	Material Thickness	Retainer Holes		Spring Profile	Notes
								Height	Width
1	B.P57	60.34	14.50	15.38	5.30	1.90	0.60	3.30	5.20
2	MB1957	60.14	14.51	15.42	5.56	2.19	0.56	3.54	4.90		Markings under spring
3	MTY    57	60.35	14.51	15.26	5.40	2.30	0.63	3.43	5.04
Mark 3 Chargers
Ser	Markings	Length	Width	Width with stops	Depth	Retainer length	Material Thickness	Retainer Holes		Spring Profile	Notes
								Height	Width
1	B.P.58	60.33	14.34	15.04	5.29	2.34	0.60	3.38	4.18
2	B.P.59	60.30	14.35	15.20	5.25	2.20	0.60	3.42	5.16
3	B.P.68	60.00	14.50	15.34	5.20	2.11	0.60	3.21	5.18
4	D.S.1959	60.31	14.53	15.24	5.27	2.42	0.57	3.87	5.16
5	D.S 1966	60.15	14.54	15.33	5.26	2.08	0.60	3.90	4.98
6	D.S.1967	60.35	14.55	15.30	5.30	2.10	0.60	3.95	5.00
7	D.S.1968	60.19	14.54	15.30	5.28	2.08	0.61	3.66	5.10
8	D.S.1969	60.28	14.52	15.26	5.37	2.23	0.62	3.67	4.87
9	D.S.1970	60.31	14.44	15.26	5.34	2.14	0.64	3.67	5.05
10	D.S.1971	60.32	14.52	15.21	5.24	2.43	0.63	3.47	4.77
11	F.T.P. I958	60.32	14.52	15.43	5.39	2.39	0.59	3.51	4.82
12	F.T.P. I959	60.33	14.50	15.33	5.36	2.09	0.60	3.50	4.81
13	MB1959	60.19	14.51	15.28	5.23	2.10	0.58	3.38	4.93		Markings under spring
14	MTY    60	60.33	14.46	15.19	5.36	2.14	0.60	3.30	4.99
15	N.S.H I958	60.10	14.50	15.26	5.34	2.35	0.60	3.47	4.91
16	N.S.H I959	60.92	14.45	15.32	5.30	2.50	0.60	3.42	4.92
17	PCC 1958	60.38	14.50	15.11	5.35	2.38	0.60	3.78	4.98		Markings under spring
18	PCC1959	60.42	14.47	15.28	5.37	2.14	0.60	3.64	4.86		Markings under spring
19	R.G.58	60.28	14.52	15.07	5.27	2.34	0.59	3.58	4.98		Markings under spring
20	R.G.59	60.25	14.56	15.20	5.20	2.17	0.48	3.45	4.91		Markings under spring
21	R.G.60	60.34	14.66	15.09	5.10	2.36	0.58	3.48	4.92		Markings under spring
22	R.G.61	60.37	14.45	15.34	5.03	2.26	0.58	3.48	4.96		Markings under spring
23	R.G.62	60.22	14.45	15.30	5.11	2.30	0.58	3.49	4.91		Markings under spring
24	R.G.63	60.28	14.37	15.21	5.15	2.23	0.55	3.42	4.90		Markings under spring
25	R.G.64	60.30	14.47	15.13	5.18	2.15	0.58	3.49	4.91		Markings under spring
26	R.G.65	60.30	14.52	15.25	5.29	2.20	0.58	3.51	4.94		Markings under spring
27	R.G.66	60.31	14.47	15.31	5.18	2.07	0.60	3.50	4.94		Markings under spring
28	R.G66	60.23	14.44	15.34	5.15	2.16	0.56	3.44	4.89		Markings under spring
29	RG67	60.27	14.50	15.40	5.25	2.30	0.60	3.48	4.88		Markings under spring
30	RG68	60.32	14.40	15.20	5.16	2.10	0.59	3.55	4.89		Markings under spring
31	RG69	60.30	14.45	15.35	5.15	2.30	0.60	3.51	4.98		Markings under spring
32	RG70	60.23	14.50	15.30	5.30	2.30	0.55	3.54	4.98		Markings under spring
33	RG7I	60.27	14.45	15.30	5.25	2.20	0.60	3.49	4.96		Markings under spring
34	RG 74	60.45	14.53	15.24	5.34	2.34	0.58	3.63	4.97		Markings under spring
35	RG 75	60.40	14.50	15.30	5.34	2.30	0.60	3.55	4.91		Markings under spring
36	RG 76	60.30	14.60	15.24	5.38	2.20	0.60	3.58	4.97		Markings under spring
37	T F & S 1 9 5 8	60.45	14.45	15.19	5.30	2.10	0.60	3.77	5.14
38	T F & S 1 9 5 9	60.33	14.55	15.29	5.30	2.30	0.60	3.76	5.12
Mark 4 Charger
1	QV66.TF&S.I962	60.30	14.44	15.27	5.37	2.49	0.59	n/a	n/a	n/a	Mark 4 Charger
Ser	Markings	Length	Width	Width with stops	Depth	Retainer length	Material Thickness	Height	Width	Spring Profile	Notes
								Retainer Holes

All measurements in millimeters

PRODUCTION YEARS