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Originally Posted by Icelander
That was my initial thought, but some research reveals that the British, for example, initially adopted the .303 as a black powder cartridge, three years later upgraded it to a double-base smokeless powder and then used that double-base powder alongside single-base powder and triple-base powder in the two World Wars.
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The advantages of smokeless were obvious, and a double-base powder gave more wriggle room for
avoiding existing patents.
Single-base powders were used in US-supplied ammunition during the World Wars; the US manufacturers of small-arms powder preferred to stick to single-base, since that was what the US Army wanted. Accepting that was expedient to get production running faster. Yes, the US made lots of .303 for British and Commonwealth use.
Have you a citation for triple-base powder in British small arms? I've only ever read of it being used in artillery, to reduce muzzle flash, which was especially important in naval combat at night.
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The British today issue rounds with double-base powder (e.g. 9x19mm Parabellum, new enhanced-effectiveness 7.62mm loads), single-base powder (e.g. the typical issue 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x51mm NATO) and triple-base powder (e.g. artillery ammunition).
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Nowadays they take what they can afford. The British Army is a shadow of its former self.