This is why Late War regulars complain when FSO or other special events use Mk1 Early War equip that use .303's. They think the guns are crap, when in reality they have their convergence set way out, as if they are still flying their LW birds with .50 cal guns. They spray bullets at d400+ and wonder why they can't hurt the bad guys.
Convergence past 275 is useless for .303's and firing past d300 is futile.
The British Army used .303's from WW1 through to Korea and Malaya. The No4 Mk1 and SMLE rifles are recognised as phenomenally accurate and with strong hitting power, the Vickers .303 was a feared area weapon and the Lewis an excellent Light support Weapon. There is no doubt that the .303 was inadequate in terms of aerial combat, nevertheless if it would punch holes in 1/4 inch thick hardened steel helmets at range, it would shred aluminium skinned airframes, their control cables, fuel tanks, coolant tanks and the organic lump of hair and skin driving it. The film clearly shows impacts playing over the wings nose fuselage and control surfaces. I just feel that the community is entrenched in the notion that the rounds were weak. if they hit something they were going to damage it, if 153 a second hit something they are going to destroy it.
The point about convergence is, that the rounds had not run out of steam by 200 yards, or 400 yards, in truth they were almost certainly still in the acceleration phase at 200 yards. If they are calibrated to converge at 375 yards then you have a heavy cone of bullets striking in a relatively condensed pattern at that range. They certainly don't run out of impetus and drop to earth over such small distances as 300yds
