Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Rebarreling an old war horse - lots of pix, improving the cartridge

I was going to put this in the improved cartridge thread, but there are a lot of pix, and the improved cartridge is going away for a "less improved" cartridge.

This is the rifle. It's a 1942 Savage made No 4 Lee Enfield. Have a little respect. He's going to be 74 and he's a veteran.



I converted this rifle from 303 British to 303 Epps about 20 years ago. You cannot see the chamber or the single stage trigger that's in it. But both are there. Here is a 303 British beside two 303 Epps cartridges.



A 180 gr. bullet fired from a No 4 Lee Enfield in 303 British manages approx. 2450 fps. The same bullet fired from a No 4 rifle chambered in 303 Epps manages approx. 2600fps. Pressures were the same for both, so improving it made a No 4 Lee Enfield into a 308 Win.

But there were a couple of things that bothered me about the conversion. The first was bullet availability. There aren't too many .311/.312 bullets around. And .311/.312 bullets are undersized for the barrel anyway.

The second was the magazine. As with most improved cartridges, when you blow out the case wall, the improved cartridge does not sit properly in the mag and feeding can be a problem. I had feed issues with all my Epps rifles.

So I decided to do this.



This is a Shilen 308 barrel. It's a 1 in 10 twist, 6 groove tube, which I have already cast a spell upon in order that it will be a hummer. Spell casting aside, I choose to rebarrel it to 30-303 because I can use .308 bullets, the mag will feed properly again and I can use my 303 British dies and accessories.



So it's still improved, just not as much as before. But it's definitely more user friendly. The new barrel is .006 smaller which will not affect reloading recipes for 125, 150, 175/180 or 200 gr. bullets. I will get to use 165s and possibly try some .308 copperized monotonous type bullets too. I was even thinking about 220s, if they fit properly.

To end this post, here are some other pix of the rifle. I put a scope mount on it years ago, made from 90 degree bent steel, made a 5 rd mag for it and installed a cheek rest to bring my face up to where the scope is.

I also want to try some 155 gr. Sierras and 180 and 190 grain match bullets.

At this time, I am unsure whether the foreend wood will be trimmed like the later Envoy rifles. I have to get the barrel threaded and put on first.

I am also not sure of which scope I'll use. Ultimately, this will be a hunting rifle, so I am leaning toward a 4 power Leupold. I just ordered some low mount Warne rings for her, so things are slowly coming together.

Nice improvement for a classic battle rifle.

Pretty cool.... A 30-303 sounds interesting. Let us know how the project goes. I've got a sporterized #4 MK I*, (a 1945 Long Branch) that I'm real happy with as is. BUT.... If I ever had to, or wanted to, rebarrel; then I would be looking long and hard at something like that, seeing as how I reload for 4 different .30 cal. cartridges and have lots of .308" bullets. As long as the old Lee will feed them into the chamber and hit where I'm aiming I could be real happy. Might even get longer life out of the brass compared to regular .303 fired in a military chamber.

You could have also had a stock barrel rebored to .323.Mo betta.

I'm not the first to make a 30-303. Others did it before me. They are fun to shoot. I had one many years ago, but traded it off.

It won't qualify for military matches, but it will be fun to shoot informally using 155, 165/168, 190 and 200 gr Match Kings. I have some guys that I shoot with in the warmer weather. I'll quietly uncase the rifle, shoot some groups and wait for their reaction.

30-303 chambers and a new barrel don't torture the brass like many of the unaltered military rifles. I just acquired 320 once fired 303 British cases 'por nada' from a fellow whose grandfather passed away, so I'll load them up and shoot an informal memorial match.

WRT .323 cartridges, I'm not really a fan. I used to own several Mauser actions, most of which were milsurp 7.92x57. Bullets were difficult to find, compared to .308 or .312.

Times have changed. It was always easy to get .311/.312 bullets here, but that tide seems to be ebbing. I can make .313 bullets, but I've got everything set up for 200 gr. bullets and don't want to change up for other weights.

I could buy the dies to make .323 bullets, but...the Cdn/US dollar exchange rate is 1.43. Not including taxes and shipping, .323 dies would be $1200. Add delivery - $100 - and 13% taxes - $150. To start making .323 bullets would cost close to $1500. Ouch! I can rebarrel two or three rifles with nice Shilen or other barrels for that price.

Related to this build, I started looking around for scopes. I wanted a 4x33 Leupold, but because of the exchange and shipping, the best price I could find was $540+13% tax. Crazy! I'll probably end up with a 1x4 Nikon Monarch. They are only $325.

It can be tough being the US' little brother. The hand me down kid.

I love my 30-303 (30-40 Krag - 30US }

Started hunting with it in 1956. It still works.

Show us pictures when finished.

Ouch,I had no idea it would be that costly.8MM -.323 bullets are pretty easy to find in the States.I figured they would be plentiful up North also.

Let's put it this way: It's easier to find an honest politician in Washington than it is to find bullets in Canada.

Steve,
Several years back I made a 303 target rifle on a P14 action using a Shilen 311 barrel. It worked great and I believe it may have been the most accurate 303 in the world. I fired five shot groups under 3/8" at 100 and fired possibles on the 300 meter ISSF target. This happy state of affairs lasted a couple of years until Sierra, for whatever reason, started producing 174 grain bullets which were about .0005" larger than they had been (initially they measured 3112" while the next bunch I bought are 3117". Under normal circumstances, this would n't be a big deal but I cut my chamber with a 3115" throat. This was great with the first bullets but the next bunch would push back into the neck rather than entering the throat as the round was chambered. Accuracy suffered to the extent that I was frustrated with the rifle and pulled the barrel and turned it down for use on a Lee Enfield sporter (worked fine).
The action and stock languished in the corner for a few years then, this year, I decided to resurrect it as a 30-03 British. I removed the throat portion of the reamer entirely with the intention of cutting the throat separately and chambered a Smith gain twist and throated it for the 175 Sierras seated to just above the neck/shoulder juncture. This particular barrel took considerable effort break in but now has quit fouling and serious testing can begin. I have high hopes.
I had thought to chamber it for the Epps as a 30-03 Epps Improved but the standard cartridge will produce enough velocity to satisfy me. I have a thirty caliber Epps on a Ruger No 1 and like it a lot but for target use, if I want a 30/06, I have one.
Anyway, the 30-03 British makes so much sense I am embarrassed that it took me so long to do it. The only possible issue is that one can't use factory 303 ammo in it. I have re-barreled a couple of No. 4's to 30/40 Krag and like it fine but the 303 case works better.
One other interesting fact is that 303 brass is thin enough that my 303 Epps die doesn't size the necks sufficiently to hold 30 caliber bullets. My standard 303 dies are fine but the Epps dies (RCBS) are a little bigger. So I ended up making a neck sizing die which uses a Reddding bushing for my 30-03 Epps. Do enjoy your project; it will work well, i'm sure. GD

I hope you don`t take this wrong,but why?Are there Government restrictions on the sale of bullets?Can they not be imported?Could not a friend in the States gift you some?

Bullet availability is restricted in Canada for the same reason that such things as barrels, stocks, and riflescopes are: the US State Department restricts the export of firearms related goods to Canada and most other countries. This restriction was put in place by the Clinton administration but didn't really getimplemented until GW Bush was in office. It has only gotten worse since then. Export restrictions placed on American manufacturers and distributors are onerous with licensing fees constantly increasing and applications becoming more complex. Now that the bureaucracy is well established, it will never be displaced. Even US citizens living in Canada cannot legally by a box of bullets and take it out of the US without goimg through the process and paying the price.
I'm not sure where in the world one would go to see a free-market economy at work but it sure as hell is not the United States of America. GD

There aren't too many restrictions on bullet sales in Canada. You only need a business license to manufacture and sell bullets here. Basically, bullet makers are just a metals manufacturing business. The border is the problem. US law requires a permit for exporting bullets/bullet components (like jackets) to Canada. That has only been a problem since 9/11. We get 90 percent of our bullets/components/tooling from the US, so importation has become a huge problem.

I know I'm getting older, because I used to mail order 80% of what I needed directly from the US. Barrels, stocks, bullets, parts. About the only thing I didn't get was powder and primers. It's harder now. The restrictions appeared over time.

Because importation of shooting supplies is harder and costlier now, the cupboards are bare in most gun shops - especially this time of year. Beside the regular price increases due to material costs and production, Canadian shooters and hunters are going to be hit with big increases this year because our dollar has tanked. It's approx. $1.45 CDN for every $1 US.

One of the reasons that I started making bullets was so I could have a steady supply, and soften the blow of the dollar exchange rate on supplies. Another was to get the exact design I wanted.

WRT 303s specifically, no one made a jacketed bullet that was the correct diameter. They were all .002 or .003 too small. Not all bullets obturate and seal the bore properly, either because of the material they are made of, or the rifle bore is too big.

Sending bullets as gifts still requires papers. The US Dept of State controls which "defence articles" can be exported and the procedure. Sending them without proper documentation can get the shipper into hot water quickly.

Steve
this is all to much for you to have to deal with.
Send me the rifle and I will put a proper scope on it and shoot it out with cast bullets made from pipe scrap lead still found in our drinking water supplies. I am pretty sure we will be having a run on that lead supply in a few months in the Detroit area….Now to look at Midway for a nice mould to cast some gas check plinkers…..
Nice older rifle. I have enjoyed reading your write ups on the more mature retired battle arms that no longer enjoy surplus pricing discounts.

Thanks for the kind words.

I've always loved fixing up older rifles and experimenting with cartridges. I cannot deny that the odd new rifle or cartridge catches my eye, but it's more enjoyable for me to shoot cartridges or firearms that tickle my fancy. Often, they have a history and are pleasing to my eye. I also like making my own projectiles and doing things my way.

Hunting and shooting should be like going to a restaurant. You read the menu and choose what you want.

Geez ,talk about incompetent Bureaucrats.No bullets for you guys but hey you Southern Drug Lords,we got 2,500 full auto rifles for you.

Very nice conversion. Myself, Pugs and Hatari were discussing the 303 Epps this past weekend. Say, where did you find a five round magazine? been looking for one for YEARS!.

Ask any politician and he'll tell you that he's only doing this to make our lives safer and better.



I'm not aware of anyone that sells or manufactures them anymore. Up here, they appear from time to time at gun shows, but it's not as common as it used to be. They are easy enough to make. If you or a friend does not have the skills to do it yourself, any local welding shop can do them cheaply.

http://www.303british.com/id34.html

Here you go, Jorge.

http://riflemags.co.uk/lee-enfield-magazines/

Ted

Good find. An email first to see if the ad is still up to date.

Steve,
I'm curious what you use for dies.
Custom or 303brit with neck bushings?

I use two dies. A Redding body die and a 303 British Redding neck sizing die bith with a replacement .308 decapping rod assy. Out with the .311 assy. In with the .308 assy.



You want to reduce the neck a few thou, but leave everything else the same.

My 303 British dies (Hornady, Echo, and Lyman) will size enough to hold thirty cal bullets (substitute a 308 expander)but the Epps die (RCBS)will not. This is why I ended up making a bushing die for it. By the way, in the 30-03 Epps, in the Ruger No. 1, 150's do 3000fps easily. !65's are doing 2850 and 180's, 2750.
I used some levrevolution powder with the 150 grain and it seemed to work well enough but the same powder gave me some erratic behavior in the 35 Whelen to the extent that I am a bit leery of it but that's another story. GD

That's a very cool rifle

Thanks. Still waiting for the rifle to return home.

Steve : Do you have any surplus .303 Epps dies available?

Thinking about a #1, or a '95
- Just idle dreamin really ;-)

Sad what politicians can do. Canada with all its prime hunting and its politics.

Steve

Have you considered heat treated cast bullets or paper patched bullets?

I have an RCBS 3 die set. It has a FL and Neck sizing die, and seating die.



I shoot cast bullets in a couple of my 303s, but not heat treated ones.

I never got around to paper patching for the 303. Not enough time for many years. They kept sending places when I was in the service.

greydog actually put a .30-303 together for me a few years ago, built on a Lithgow #1 Mark III action and a .30-06 take-off barrel. It has been a challenge to get it shooting well because of the complex bedding dynamics of the SMLE action. I finally got some decent results, though it is nowhere as accurate or consistent as a similar rifle built around a P14 Enfield action would be.

I had originally thought that 155 and 165-grain boattail bullets would be amazing, but I could never get any of them to shoot worth a darn out of this .30-303. greydog suggested to me that one of the problems might be the throat of the chamber in combination with the shorter bearing surface of the BT bullets. Remember, the chamber is cut with a .303 British reamer and this keeps the throat diameter appropriate for bullets of .311 or .312. If you try running a .308 bullet in that chamber, it will have absolute freebore until the rifling begins enough to stop the skinnier bullet from wobbling. This freebore effect, coupled with the shorter bearing surface of the BT bullets, is a challenge to accuracy which is only worsened by the action flex you get from an SMLE.

In the end, I found that plain old 180-grain Horandy SP flat base and Nosler Partition bullets worked pretty well and generated a few genuine 1-inch groups at 100 metres with velocities averaging 2,475.

As to resizing the brass, I use a Lee Collet sizer die for this job and I substitute my .308 collet (from my .308 collet die) for the one that came with the .303 die. It works great.

This is exactly why I removed the throat on my chambering reamer and started cutting the throat as a separate operation. I use a .3085 throater for 30 calibre barrels andd a .3125 for 311-312 barrels.
Your throat is .3115 which is, as you mentioned, problematic with the boat tails. Early 300 Weatherby rifles featured a long freebore which was also well oversized (about .311). These rifles usually showed a real dislike for Sierra boat tail bullets. Flat base bullets usually worked well. GD.

Okay, here are a couple of pix of the rifle taken by the gunsmith. I will post detailed pix when I receive it - specifically, the butt plate, action and mount, bolt and muzzle.

The metal parts have been cerakoted, as I posted previously. It looks pretty much as one would expect an OEM No 4 rifle to look except for the foresight. Gone!

I have an angle iron scope mount and Warne Maxima rings sitting on my work bench.Over the holidaze, I will put a scope on and get it zeroed.

Steve, I have to tell you that I think that is a really neat setup you have there! I love the looks of the 303 Epps cartridge, but can definitely see the usefulness of the 30-303.

Congratulations on your creation, and may you slay many head of game with it.

Thanks.

As long as it feeds properly and keeps groups under 2 inches at 100 yd, I'll be happy. The bullet does most of the work. I just tell it when to go.

I love projects like this!

What scope did you settle on?

Ed

I have an older 4 power Leupold, that one of the members here offered earlier this year. I also have a 2-7 Nikon. I prefer a fixed power scope, but may go with the Nikon for testing.

I can use the 303 British data for 150, 180 and 200 gr. bullets, but for the 140, 165 gr. and some others, I will work up new loads. For this, I am curious to try Nikon's Spot On software program.

I've ordered one to have a look. The price, delivered to Canada from the UK, is $85 Canuckian dollars. About $60 US dollars.

10 rd mags cost the same.

Steve,a most enjoyable thread.Huntz

Thanks. I'm anxious to get the rifle back.

I received the rifle this afternoon and took a few pix. The Cerakoting is great. It makes the metal look almost new.

The wood needs refinishing, but that is the least of my worries. The metal is all cleaned up.

Not having a front site will take some getting used to, but I will know at a glance that it is my 30-303 and not one of my regular 303s.



You can see the cleaned up action and flush fitting, 5 rd magazine. This is the one I ordered from the UK. It snapped into place with no difficulty, but I don't know how it feeds yet. Range day after the holidaze.



A close up of the flush fitting angle mount. I snapped this to show hw smooth the Cerakoting came out.





The bolt and the 5 rd mag I made. Cerakoted.





The business end, sans sight.

Very nice, Steve!

That certainly looks like it was worth the wait, Steve.

Now comes the really fun part. The 308 British lives!

Happy New Year,
Ted

Thanks. And thanks to Yukoner for providing the 4x33 Leupold. I just put the scope on, using Warne rings. I don't know if you can tell, but the scope just clears to rear aperture.

Good to go!

Thanks Ted. I didn't know you were on. Happy New Year to you too.

You are welcome, Steve. That old Leupold looks good on there.

Glad to be part of the project.
Ted

I got to take the rifle out to the range for some adjustments and to zero the scope. It was a short session because of the weather. It was -11 Celery or -12 Foreign Heat, if you're living in the US.

I had mentioned that the new barrel was bobbed. I asked that the gunsmith make it 24 inches. This is what people notice (if they notice anything). Something doesn't look right, but so far, no one has figured out that the barrel was replaced.

The rifle with the fore sight is a 1950 No 4 Long Branch.



They look like standard 303 British cartridges, ja? I had about 40 bulk Remington 125 gr. PSPs in a bag on the shelf, so I loaded them up.



I this is a photo of my fall moose hunt. I just couldn't pull the trigger.

I managed an abbreviated range trip this afternoon. It started snowing quite heavily and made it difficult to see the target at 100 yd. Did the 25 yd sight in and set up a target at 100 yd. See below.

No one was there which was nice, but...

...the club executive installed an audible alarm and flashing light, so if anyone walks to their target, forward of the firing line, everyone gets to listen to an audible alarm and watch a flashing light.

This, in addition to the red and green flags, and a new controlled access metal gate with magnetic sensor. If this keeps up, we'll have to bring a babysitter and a note from a judge or authorized official.

Anyway, I wanted to tune the scope for 100 yd with the 4x33 Leupold. I managed six shots @ 100 yd before the snow made the target disappear. No issues. Everything went well. It will be interesting to see how well, or poorly, the different bullets group.

The rifle is very tight. The feed ramp will have to smooth out. The PSPs hung up unless I briskly worked the bolt.



The only thing left to do is bring down the POI about an inch. With these 125s, the group was 2.5 inches high @ 100, but the windage was good.

I'm looking out the office window and cannot see the lawn. It would have been nice to spend more than 1/2 an hour there, but stuff happens. I don't put much stock in a single group of six @ 100yd., but to save anyone from asking, it was 1.4 inches.

Other bullets and loads will group better, but I'm already happy. New barrels is a lotta fun. Like Purnell's country sausage - It's gooood!



Hey Al, you owe me a case of sausage!

Great thread! Looks like she's shooting "minute of moose" to me.

Thanks.

I wonder why this site bleeped country?

Good shooting for brand new barrel and sighting loads. Portends well for the future. Stay warm.

I think the most important thing was matching the bullet diameter with the barrel.

My homemade jacketed bullets regularly shot 1 to 1.5 inch groups at 100 yd. No magic, just the proper diameter bullets.

But I never expected anyone to listen to me. Guys that shot jacketed bullets only from Lee Enfields should have clued in when cast bullet shooters sized their bullets and got good groups. That should have been a big hint!

😁

Some people won't notice a 2x4 between the eyes. Too subtle.

Looks like a fun build.

I've been thinking about doing the same thing to a Mosin. Rebarrel to a .308 barrel due to a much greater choice in bullets compared to .311 bullets.

Great build. I've enjoyed reading. By the way, I have a No4 Mk 1 made in 1942. Only 2 grooves down the barrel. And it's a fun little rifle.

As for Enfields, I lived in BC back in the 80's. It was by far the most popular rifle, with the Winchester 30-30 following close behind. People used them for EVERYTHING. Deer, Moose, Bear, Wolves. You name it. With proper shot placement it will do just about anything asked of it.

Jeff.

Jeff

It looks like a fun build. As I'm sure you are more aware than anyone, the British and Canadians , converted many Number 4s to 308. All you need is the barrel, which you have, a magazine, an extractor and ejector which you may have difficulty finding today, although they were fairly common at one time. I thought of doing the same thing, because of the shortage of 311 bullets, but other projects, both gun and household got in the way and it was easier to buy a 308. Hope you have fun and carry it thru. By the way your book on shooting the 303 is excellent. Bob

I used to mention it because I was often asked how to make LEs shoot better. One suggestion was to shoot cast. There are a lot of people that wouldn't go within a mile of cast bullets. I don't know why they thought that. There are so many great hunting and target cast bullets available.



It's been a lot of fun. And not nearly as expensive as people think. Just buy a barrel and pay the gunsmith to install it. No extra parts to buy. You'll enjoy being able to use .308 bullets in your MN. More weights. More types. More choices.

This rifle started as a 2 groove Savage. Then I reamed it to 303 Epps. It's on its second barrel and third life!

Using LEs was a given not too many years ago. Back when I first started shooting, most people were blissfully ignorant about how tough deer and moose would become, and the Kevlar they would wear. Silly, those people. They learned to shoot and put a bullet where it needed to go.



Thanks Bob. The build is all done. I'll shoot it more as the weather gets better, I'm sure. There's a book here too.

I considered converting it to a 308, but a mag and other parts were not readily available. It's actually cheaper and easier to build a 30-303. No change to the bolt, mag, ejector. Just the barrel.

Steve,

If I might diverge a bit off topic, I would like to know who you use to replace the Lee Enfield barrels. SMLE's seem to cause most gunsmiths fits due to having to set headspace and clock the extractor cut at the same time. I seem to recall an article by an old Royal armorer who went into tiny detail explaining how they used various thickness washers to clock the extractor and set the headspace.

The easiest way is to set the headspace with the extractor removed from the bolt head. Once that is done, locating and machining the extractor cut is pretty much A B C.

Ted

I used to do it myself until I retired from the service. The reason LEs give some gunsmiths fits is they try to do the job without an action wrench, a piece of gear makes removal of the old barrel so much easier. And less danger of cracking the action.

This last job was done by John Rempel in BC - JR Gunsmithing.

As Ted mentions below, most gunsmiths will pull the extractor.

I don't know about that article and the British armourer, but CDN armourers have always had the proper tools for LEs, with the possible exception of when they first appeared, or when on deployment.

Okay, Steve, it's just 16 days short of two years since hearing about this rifle. You're holding out on us!

Obviously it has been a complete failure.

Ted

yes more info please! super cool!

Hi Ted. It's taken a bit longer than I had planned. Originally, I wanted it finished for Sept 2018, but experienced some delays. I had equipment problems and issues with other projects.

Here is the table of contents. I have finished everything except load development for four of the 13 bullets.

Introduction

30-303 Cartridge Specifications
Rechambering My No 4 Rifle
A Tired Rifle!
Understanding Headspace
The Reamer

A Tour of My Rifle
The Stock
The Scope Mount
• Commercial Mounts
• The Indestructible Scope Mount
The Magazine
Refinishing the Metal – Cerakoting

Notes on Reloading the 30-303 Cartridge
Conventional Sizing Dies – Changing the Neck Expander
Lee Collet Die – Changing the Mandrel
Redding Body Die
Case Neck & Bullet Run-out
LE Wilson Case Gauge
The Lee Factory Crimp Die

Bullet Notes
30-303 Load Data
Preface to the Load Data Section

Hunting Loads

125 gr. Sierra Spitzer – 2120
130 gr. Barnes TTSX-BT – 30364
150 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting – 30150
150 gr. Rem. PSP Core Lokt
160 Hornady FTX – 30396

165 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting – 30165
180 gr. Hornady RN – 3075
180 gr. Rem PSP Core Lokt
200 gr. Speer Spitzer – 2211
220 gr. Hornady RN – 3090

Target Loads

168 gr. Speer BTHP – 2040
175 gr. Sierra HPBT – 2275

173 gr.* Lyman LFN – GC 31141

Load development can be tedious if you are working up min and max loads for 13 bullets using ten or twelve different powders. I should explain.

The ennui for me is with minimum loads, but they are important, so I have to work hard to stay focused. They are established, safe places to start.

Max loads are where 99% of shooters want to start their testing, however. Because of this, my work is concentrated there. In the case of the 30-303, I was using many bullet weights and powders for which no data existed. I had to sneak up on the max loads, and it took time. You don't just say, "I will use x grains of Hybrid V for this bullet." and shoot. I determined theoretical levels first, and built some loads, increasing them in 0.5 grain increments until I got to what I determined was the max. When you're in unknown territory, it's never tedious.



Here's a 1 inch group fired from my 30-303 using 220 gr Hornady RNs and IMR 4064
---

I should say here that the majority of reloaders don't give a rat's ass about less than maximum loads. Everyone wants to ride the rocket. That's a shame. For some reason, they want to start at the book max.

Ignoring the obvious for a moment - these max loads may be over pressure for their rifle - one would hope that they wish to combine accuracy with bullet design and hit their rifle's sweet spot. It's hard to convince anyone that squeezing an extra grain into a case may only produce 20 fps more, but push pressure beyond safe levels.

But I understand why most reloaders go for the top end out of the gate.

Look at the min to max powder weights in a reloading manual for a cartridge you shoot. I'll give you an example - a 165 grain bullet for the 308 Winchester. There can be 10 grains or more of difference between their min and max loads. Most reloaders ignore most of the list, starting close to max (some at max ) looking for the magic group.

I determined years ago that the last three grains of powder was where the accuracy was. Let's say that 44 grains of Varget is the maximum powder charge for my 165 grain bullet, I start two grains below that and work up from there. For that reason, my own load data usually lists a three grain swing - 42, 43 and 44 grains. Velocities will be near the safe maximum, and the bullet will work properly. I look to the bullet maker to give me the information I need. I ensure that performance falls within their design envelope.

Great story, Years ago I had a Epps customized Enfield in 35-303 to this day I kick myself for trading it for a Modern rifle. Still looking for a semi custom MK-4 for cheap to build another 35-303.

It's definitely worth it, in my view. I imagine that it performed much the same as the 356 Win. More thump than a 35 Remington for sure. Probably closer to a 356/358 Win. You'll have to search some gun shows. Something is bound to turn up.

For all the a-holes that ask why or are so quick to opine that he should just buy this rifle or just use the 308 or the 06 . . . go screw yourselves. He did it his way 'cause it's what he wanted to do. I love it.

Thanks. I like rimmed cartridges for the most part. I also like the idea of taking something older and modernizing it. If I can use newer powders, different twists or bullet designs to make something work better, I'm all for it. It's my way of recycling!

One thing I have found on many LE's is that the barrel cannot headspace properly with a flat breech. When the barrel seats against the inner seat, the headspace is still excessive. If a longer bolt head was available,that would fix it but, failing that, I simply cut the tenon long so I could form an extension and establish the headspace when I cut the chamber. Of course, given the variation in rim thickness, a minimum chamber will still exhibit some head clearance on the brass.
My own No.4 is currently chambered for the 30/40 Krag. The case capacity is essentially the same as the 303 and the difference will favour one cartidge or the other dependent on the brand of the brass. When this rifle was still a 303, it was very accurate with most bullets and shot 30 caliber bullets very well; with some exceptions. In fact, the very best five shot group I fired with it was with 125 grain Sierra 308 bullets. This group measured right at .6" and although, I never duplicated it, I did fire many groups which were well under 1 moa. Other .308 bullets which shot very well included the 150 Speer, the 165 Speer, 200 Speer spitzer, the 150 Norma, and the 180 Norma. One bullet which absolutely would not shoot was the 180 Sierra Boattail. When I say it wouldn't shoot, I mean it really would not shoot. 100 yd groups were usually right around ten to twelve inches. The reason I shot so many 30 caliber bullets was that Dad had them on hand and the price was right. At the age of fifteen, my income was more limited than Iwould have liked and I had to stretch that reloading dollar. I did buy some CIL 180 CPE bullets which worked quite well for me and which I used the take my first big game animal (a doe antelope). Later, I got some 180 Sierra .311 bullets and these weremy preferred bullet for that rifle for as long as it was a 303.
As a 30/40, it has the advantage of being a 30 caliber with the abundance of bullets that provides. The barrel is a twelve twist MRC, stainless and it works well with everything from 125's to 220's.
I load the 30/40 a bit stiffer than I would for a Krag but not a lot. I have found that loads which duplicate a 300 Savage are great and give long case life while loads which approach 308 levels will reduce case life quite a bit. Workable maximums are like this:
125's... 2800fps
150's... 2700fps
165's... 2600fps
180's... 2500fps
220's... 2275fps.
For the most part, these loads give reasonable case life (a half dozen loads) and are adequate for any game I want to shoot. Reduce them a hundred feet and case life is easily triple and field performance is still fine.
When I was a kid, I always thought a 375/303 would be a great cartridge but I think a 35 would be better. The ability to use 357 pistol bullets for small game loads is a real plus, I think.
Steve, the cera-cote looks great; quite a bit better than the Tremclad I dobbed onto my stainless barrel. GD

I decided on the Cerakoting because I had seen it before at a trade show and liked the resistance to the elements. There are many formulations, but this one was inexpensive and readily available. I like its appearance.