Anyone out there reloading the .303 british???

rastus · Guest

Hi,

Is any one out there reloading the .303 british for hunting. looking for some good hunting loads to use on pigs.

thanks

Gil Martin

I started loading for the .303 British back in 1971 and I know that Cal Sibley loads for this caliber. Mostly, I use 150 grain .311" spritzers ahead of a moderate charge of IMR4895. That works well at the range and in the deer woods. Never hunted hogs, but I guess it would work OK. All the best...
Gil

calsibley · Super Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 317

I never thought of my .303 as a varmint gun. It's not really that accurate.
If you're reloading your cases will last longer by neck sizing. The rifle was made to fire in some ungodly conditions so the chambers are rather large
and split cases are par for the course. I use 150gr. Speer PSP with IMR4895 42.0grs. It groups at 2.75" (5 at 100yds.) which isn't bad for an old military klunker. Probably the major users of this weapon are the Indians in the northern parts of our Provinces. It seems every Indian has one of these or an old .30-30. They're pretty good moose rifles. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Happy · Rookie Member Joined: Mar 28, 2005 Posts: 16

Yes the Lee collect dies work well on the 303 B good case life and inproved groups.

I was using WC775 over a 180 gr. bullet and getting good groups in my mark four.

Also 46 gr. of H 414 was not a bad load.

49grs of BLC-2 for the 150 gr was not bad , but I prefered the 180 bullet myself.
Watch out loading for these guns. a lot have head space issues etc and what might be fine in my rifle could blow up yours.
Have a smith give you some idea what you should and should not load up in your gun

robfromaz1977

I HAVE AN OLD SAVAGE BUILT MARK 4 THAT SOME ONE CUT THE BARREL TO 22 INCHES. THE HEADSPACE IS NOT SO GOOD SO I CAN FIRE FACTORY ROUNDS AND RELOAD THEM ONCE. I FOUND THAT 40 GRAINS OF IMR4064 PUSHES A 150 GRAIN HORNADY TO ABOUT 2450 FPS. ACCURACY IS AROUND 3 INCHES AT 100 YARDS WITH THE OLD FLIP UP PEEP SIGHT. IF I LOAD ANY MORE POWDER THAN THAT THE CASES CRACK JUST IN FRONT OF THE WEB AREA. I HAVE TRIED NECK SIZING ONLY BUT IT DOESN'T HELP MUCH. I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT SIZES OF BOLT HEADS OUT THERE THAT CAN BE INNERCHANGED TO ADJUST HEADSPACE BUT I CANT CONFIRM IT. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF THIS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

Gil Martin

robfromaz1977,
Bolt heads on the No. 4 Mark I Enfields are numbered from # 0, 1,2,3 and 4. Each is a few thousandths longer to take up excessive headspace. If you look at the bolt head of your No. 4 Savage, a number is stamped on it. I have replaced bolt heads with the next higher number. Sometimes it helps, but often the chamber is so generous that cases still stretch and swell. All the best...
Gil

robfromaz1977

HI GIL

THANKS FOR THE INFO. I WILL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT I GOT. IF I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE BOLT HEAD I WOULD STILL NEED TO KNOW WHERE I COULD GET ONE. IF YOU HAVE A SOURCE PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS AGAIN.

Al_Sohlstrom · Member Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 75

Hi

My leg's hurting too badly for me to get to sleep today.

My loss, your gain! Go Go Internet Ferret!!

Numrich Gun Parts Corporation has parts for the SMLE Mode No. 4 MK1.

The stripped bolt heads go for about $11.

robfromaz1977

THANKS AL
NOW IF I CAN DETERMINE WHICH ONE I HAVE I WILL SEE ABOUT GETTING THE ONES THAT ARE BIGGER. Pray

HOPEFULLY IT WILL REMEDY MY RIFLE. IF IT DOES I WILL PUT A SYNTHETIC STOCK ON IT SO IT FITS ME BETTER. I DONT THINK I WILL SCOPE IT BECAUSE ALL THE SCOPE MOUNTS I HAVE SEEN FOR IT MAKE FOR A REALLY HIGH SITTING SCOPE. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE INFO. Cheers

robfromaz1977

WELL IT LOOKS LIKE MY BOLT HEAD HAS A #3 STAMPED IN IT. GIL SAID THEY GO UP TO 4 BUT I DIDN'T SEE ONE LISTED BY THE GUN PARTS CORP WEBSITE THAT AL SHARED WITH ME. I HAVE LIVED WITH IT THIS LONG AND DONT SHOOT IT THAT MUCH ANY WAY. I STILL MAY BUY THAT SYNTHETIC STOCK IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANKS AGAIN GUYS.

Southpaw · Member Joined: Sep 12, 2005 Posts: 51 Location: Saskatoon

If you use hornady bullets , you souold have good results with 43 gr. of Accurate 2230 and 150 gr bullets. Killed lots of deer with that one. I also broke 1" at 100 yrds with 40gr. , who said the 303 isn't accurate. bfor small varmints you could also ues .32 cal hand gun bullets. I have an old load from Lee that uses 37.9gr of Nobel #3 with 100 gr. bullets. I don't know if that powder is still made, but there must be others. P.S. neck sizeing is the only way to go with this round.

Gil Martin

Southpaw,
Welcome to the Forum!

robfromaz1977,
There is another place that may have a #4 bolt head, that is Marstar at www.marstar.ca. As a last resort, there is Sarco, Inc. at www.sarcoinc.com. I have managed to back off the full length sizing die a fraction of a turn to avoid pushing back the shoulder on .303 cases. That seems to add a bit case life. All the best...
Gil

robfromaz1977

HI GIL

I WILL LOOK INTO THOSE PLACES WHEN I GET MORE TIME. I WILL ALSO TRY ADJUSTING MY DIE AGAIN. I REALLY LIKE THIS SITE AND THE PEOPLE HERE ARE GREAT. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND INFO.

nico21s · Rookie Member Joined: Jun 16, 2011 Posts: 3

Hi All,

I have just joined the forum. I possess a family heirloom 303 British (Mk3) that has downed a whole range of African antelope. It groups within an inch at 100m. It is a very decent caliber that got a bad name due to the many worn out military rifles around. Make no mistake - it is not perfect but as long as you use it in the right conditions and within its limitations it will be a trusted companion.

During the most recent hunt we got 2 Impala, warthog, a Kudu and a very decent blue wildebeest bull, all with a 150gr Rheinmetal PMP factory load.

I have taken other smaller game (mostly springbok) with the reloaded 150gr. Will upload my load data on the 150gr shortly.

Some good advice here on headspace and sizing! Thanks! Just got some 215gr bullets from Rhino (http://www.rhinobullets.co.za/) Cannot wait to try them out. Will need to start below the low end and slowly work up the load. Watch this space. I am surely going to take note of your advice while working up the 215 load.

Safe shooting and good hunting.

Aloysius

Nico, greetings and welcome to the nut(s). Look for Vince's tanker and grap a beer.

Alltough I have a LE in 303 Br (I think MK4 from 1916?) in my possession, I have to admit that I've never shot it. It's even in pretty good condition with a shiny barrel and sharp lands. One day I will do the efford to buy some dies...
meanwhile some advice I read on a SA-forum where the experts put an O-ring of about 1 mm thickness on the neck of the cartridge before the first shot, so they make sure the footh of the cartridge is completely laying against the bolt. Afterwards they remove the O-ring and do necksizing.
By the way: I heart the .303 Br doesn't do well at close ranges, they make beter groups at 300 yards and more. Has to do with stabilizing the bullet in its flight.