Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 303 velocities

For those whom might like such data, here it is.
In previous range outings, my 1899-B with 26" octagon barrel registered 2166 fps with Varget and 180 gr Sierra round nose bullets.
Recently acquired a 1926 99TD F with 20" tube, chronoyed today and got 2004 fps. The old rule of thumb says aprox 25 fps per inch, wich is perty dern close to what I got. I got lucky in the respect both love the same load. Thats nice so I don't have to have multiple loads for my 303s. My 5 shot group was 2.5 inches. At 100 yards peeped, I couldn't be more content. Good outing, and actually learned a thing or two.

Very nice! Early reading from Savage from 1897 to 1902 showed they stated velocities ranging from 1840fps to 2000fps, so you're ahead of the original ammo.

Good to hear about your 303s. I think I remember seeing your 303 1899 in an older post and it was an accurate one. Finding another 1899 in 303 for myself is near the top of the list. It was a very enjoyable cartridge to load and shoot and I really liked it in the full size 1899 rifle. I don't know if I tried that particular 180 RN or not. Yours sounds like a good combination, also in your 99TD. I do shoot a lot of the Sierra 170 FN bullets in several rifles and it's been an accurate one for me.

Thanks for the info. The last time I shot my 99F in .303 was with cast bullets. It seemed to love any bullet design and powder combination I threw at it. I usually find that to be a good sign. Thanks again!

I guess its a testimonial to Savage quality from the beginning. I've had 3 shot groups under an inch peeped at 100 yards with both 303s mentioned. I say its half luck, half good loads and half skill, in any order you want to list em. Have stated before, there is something bout the 303 that I really love. Funny, cause the 30-30 is almost identical twin, but have no love for it. Can't explain why.

Not to make a bad pun, but the 30-30 and.303 are neck to neck in performance. The reason I give a slight nod to the .303 is because it has a longer neck, providing a little more support for the bullet. I think that both are inherently accurate cartridges.

Cool. I clock 1860 fps with my 190 grain cast bullet hunting loads. A lot can be said about heavy-ish blunt .30 bullets at our velocity levels.

I picked up a bag of loose 303 cartridges yesterday, some miniatures and some regular loads. I like to pull one apart now and then. The 190 grain 303 cartridges look like they were cleaned at least once but I don't think they are recent reloads. Maybe someone more knowledgeable on Savage cartridges can fill in the details.



The Murray book shows this headstamp being either UMC loaded to 1900 or Savage Arms Co. to 1917 as far as I can tell. The bullet measures about .3085" and weighs 190.5 grains. The charge weighs 28 grains and looks to me like Laflin & Rand (later Hercules) Lightning or could be Laflin & Rand W.A. 30 Cal according to what I read in Sharpe's Complete Guide to Handloading as well as one other source. Both types of this powder using perforated black discs were introduced in 1898 if I've identified them correctly. I don't have a Savage powder pamphlet here but I do have a 1902 Winchester one to look at. They noted either 28 grains of DuPont 30 cal. or 28 grains of Laflin & Rand W.A. 30 Cal. I don not know what DuPont 30 cal. looks like for sure.

I'm guessing the "S" primer is for Savage. Does anyone have any ideas about the time frame of the cartridge, powder type etc.

As long as we are talking about the 303 I thought it relevant. I've been loading older smokeless cartridge rifles for period ballistics for the most part.

Now if only I could find a pound of Varget... Thanks for posting that load tho, 303 Savage reloading data is seriously hard to find. I ended up using something I found from the intraweb with 150 grn bullets.

I gave up on retail outlets, and have great luck finding Varget and other powders at shows, usually at retail prices. Good luck.

Never checked the velocities from my .303's OR 30-30's but the result of said velocity has been somewhat impressive.

Gun.



Look close,,,,,,,,,,,,gut pile.



Dead deer.



99H .303=

Dead deer





1899A special order gun 30-30 Win 170 grain Rem hollow point bullet. My "special" reloads,



What ever velociuties these were didn't matter to the deer.

Don't argue with success. Velocities only matter to safe loads, not deer, or any critter you be shooting. They don't know the difference.
Thanks for the great fotos Steve.
Jerry

Pet Loads has good recipes for the .303 in both cast and jacketed loads. The article was written in the late 60s. So too do the older Lyman manuals (circa 1950s-70s). I haven't ran into more recently published data.

You're more than welcome. I nEVER even come close to maximum velocities. Just deadly ones.

If anyone is interested in some velocities with a powder a little easier to find than Varget:

From my 99 .303 with 22" barrel, all using H4895 and CCI 200 primer with Privi brass. These are on the mild side in my rifle, max case head expansion was .442"

Sierra 150, 32.0, 2283 fps
Speer 130, 33.0, 2350 fps

Both loads very accurate

Brad, from what I can find the "S.A.CO. .303 SAV." head stamp was used by Savage from 1914 to 1917 (depending on how much inventory was on hand when they switched from "CO." to "Corp.". From 1898 to 1914 it was "S.A.CO. .303".

Savage loaded their own ammo till around 1928 (maybe 1934). The early Savage ammo boxes state that the ammo was loaded with Savage brand powder. I don't think Savage ever made powder or primers they just purchased from other makers. The "S" marked primers are thought to be from Union Cap & Chemical CO. as "S" marked primers have been found mixed in their primer tins.

Thanks for that information on the headstamps and primers Rick.

LBK if you state you never come close to maximum velocities how do you know what maximum is? If you don't know what your bullets velocity is how do know if it is close to max? I do not own a chronograph and am asking to gain knowledge not to argue. Thanks John.

For reloading 30-30 AND .303 I consult several of my MANY reloading manuals and NEVER go above any of the mid range loads stated for the bullet weight used. NORMALLY my go to manual is a Lyman. WHY????????? Because Lyman doesn't sell jacketed bullets or powder. They are unbiased. I use the components stated in the test. I do not substitute components. They are pretty conservative. PLUS when you squeeze the trigger and can hear the bullet hit the target, that's SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am usually 1-2 grains below max listed loads. Find my best accuracy and better brass life. Never felt the need to hot rod. Don't make critters any deader.