G'Day Mule Deer,

Are you thinking of writing an article on the No.1A/.303B?
I'd love to see an article in Rifle or Handloader Magazine with some loads with best powders and bullets etc. Any chance you reckon?

Thanks.

Better yet an article on a Savage 303 "B"

Elvis - is your "undisclosed location" on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or have you moved again. I've heard of no recent sightings.

Still waiting for the article on the #3 in 30-40, could combine the 303 Brit one with it as they are ballistic twins. (yeah I know the bullet diamter is different)

Ha! I just did one.

Ha, I'm actually living in Australia now.....but don't tell anyone.

Actually the dual article with the 30-40 sounds good. The old .303B might not be too popular with American editors so the more popular .30-40 might help persuade an editor to give it a crack.

It would be nice to see some modern load data in a strong action for this old round.

The .303 British Ruger No. 1 article is on my schedule for Handloader.

I have already written about the .303 Savage and .30-40 in previous issues of Handloader, but neither article was specfically about just that cartridge. I did a piece on loading all the Savage rounds some years ago (.22 HP, .250, .303, .300), which basically said use .30-30 data, because the .303 and .30-30 have exactly the same case capacity. Or at least Winchester brass for both cartridges had exactly the same capacity, and others would be so similar the rule would hold.

I've had excellent luck with H4350 in four .30-40 rifles, including a reproduction High Wall, two Krags and my present .30-40, a double rifle built on a Ruger Red Label 20-gauge frame.

The 303 British is an excellent cartridge, in the class of the 30-40. It deserves attention, but with so many cartridges to choose form, it just never caught on as a sporting round in the US, even with large numbers surplus Lee-Enfields on the market.

Sad to see, but understandable.

So Mule Deer, while we wait for the article to come out, what would be your go to powder for the .303? I'm using Varget (AR2208) at the moment with 174/180gn bullets for about 2430fps. Is there a better powder? We are pretty much limited to the Hodgdon Extreme powders (as they are made here) and the Reloader powders.

Thanks.

Varget generally works very well, especially with 150's, but you might also give H4350 a try with 174/180's.

Mule Deer,
Are you seeing vertical stringing from your 1A 303British? A few being reported on in Australia are showing some fairly extreme (2" to 6") vertical stringing ... particularly if trying for 5 shot groups.

A 'How to tweak your 1A" article may also be relevant and of great interest.
Cheers...
Con

I've posted on that several times on the single-shot forum.

So far my .303 1A is making round groups, but I don't fire more than 3 shots.

oohhhh..... delicious.....

Round triangles?

Equilateral triangles!

Um.... ain't they got straight sides?

Or, is this part of the "more diverse" math, and "straight" sides are no longer kosher....

Was that your No 1 303 in Elio's a while back?. I had a play with it and was most impressed. He was getting another one in so there are at least 2 in your general area.

Von Gruff.

Would enjoy watching you shoot rising Snipe while being poled through a marsh with your 404 Jeffery and 7x57. (just funning)

Excellent John, I have a heap of H4350 on hand. Can't wait for the article. Stop posting on here and get to the type writer.

John just pulling your chain a bit, I bought that 303 99 from ya! why the wink, but it was a "G" not a "B"

Have you taken it hunting yet?

I had it out 2 times never got to shoot it at a deer yet! kills paper and cans pretty good tho! its found a good home!
John

I have no doubts about that!

One final question John.

Is the Sierra .311" 180gn soft point bullet constructed lighter than the .308 180gn soft point, as I would assume the .311 bullet would be started at lower velocities than the .308" bullet, due to the cartridges it would be loaded in. Does the Sierra .311 180gn bullet expand at lower velocities is what I'm asking? Sierra list a minimum starting velocity of 2500fps for the .311 180gn bullet. My loads are starting at 2430fps. Will this bullet expand reliably at this low velocity or would a 180gn round nose be better due to more exposed lead in the nose?

I think that was more than one question.

Von Gruff - yes it will be the same rifle. I had it on loan for the article. I was given the option to buy it at one stage but passed it up in the end. I am more of a Mauser or a Winchester guy when it comes to my own rifles...
I wished it came in the longer barreled standard model and that's probably why I don't have it in the safe right now. It was very fussy when shooting the lighter 150 grain bullets and I never really cracked that nut. It shot quite well with 180grain RN bullets loaded right out to take up the freebore.

How about urging one of the major bullet company's to produce a reasonably priced (less than Woodliegh) cup and core 215Gr RN to duplicate the ammo used in those nice old .303 Br. sporters.

Elvis,

I really have no idea about the two Sierra bullets. You might contact them about it. But if you have any doubts, a RN will definitely expand at lower impact velocities than a spitzer of equivalent construction.

I do know the 180-grain Winchester Power Point spitzer .308 bullet expands fine on game when started at 2400 or so from the .30-40 Krag out to 200 yards, which is as far as I've ever used it. And the Power Point certainly isn't that much different in construction than a Sierra.

husqvarna,

I would be great if Remington would make a heavy-jacket Core-Lokt RN 215, but the chances of that are zip.

A lot of .303's, however, will shoot .308 bullets well enough to work fine at any range a 220-grain RN is going to be used.

They don't sell in enough quantity.
Cheers...
Con

Thanks Mule Deer.

I paid $40 for my first .303 SMLE and got a cannister of 400 rounds tossed into the deal. After that I used the old Super 150gn reloaded ammo until I started handloading. If it went bang, something just died. Don't recall anything ever running after the shot either.

Today, I would liken it to a .308 in performance. The shootability of a cartridsge aids tremendously, the noted performance, as you are more likely to place the shot well.

John

Remington used to make the 215 gr CL, but quit in the 1990s I believe. No bullet company is going to bother making a 215 grainer, unless a rifle is produced and sold in sufficient numbers to warrant it. That's not likely to happen.

Frankly, most Lee Enfields won't shoot worth a damn using 308 bullets. At least, they won't shoot good enough to please today's hunter and shooter. It will take some work.

If you truly want a "303 British", I would suggest that build a better version and use a 308 barrel. Call it a 7.62 or 308 British, but take advantage of the 308 bullets that are already available, including the 200 and 220 grain weights.

There are enough Lee Enfields on gun shop racks that have been previously butchered, They are perfect candidates for the job. Or you could spend more and build a single shot from a Ruger. They key is to use a 308 barrel.

Steve you forget Woodleigh. Expensive but how many 1 shot kills do you make in a lifetime of hunting ?

#68 215gr RN SN dia .316 vel range 1800-2200 bullet oal 1.235"

Cast bullets can also be pushed to 2000 for hunting and are just a deadly on most game as jacketed.

Here's a 210 gr NEI that can be ordered in any size up to .318 to fit a sloppy bore and the driving band at the front really helps the accuracy of this "bore rider"



Barnes also makes a .311 150 TSX FB which will be "long for weight" and will probably shoot plenty good enough for hunting in a smellie or P14 that is reasonable close to .311. Would guess it would be the hunting bullet of choice in the new #1 as you could really get it moving in that action.

No, I didn't forget Woodleigh. I was thinking about traditional cup and core bullets.

Because they are not a not a high volume seller and are imported, Woodleighs are expensive. Around here, most people blanche when they see the price tag. I expect that they're cheaper in Oz, but in Canada they sell for $60-$65 for 50.

I think that most 303 shooters would wish for a 215 grain cup and core that's about the same price as a comparable weight 308 bullet. That's not in the cards though.

I have been sitting on 200 Barnes 150s and 200 Barnes 123s, but haven't bothered with them yet.

In the end price is established based on what the market can bare. Woodleighs were around $45-50 a box in Oz when I was there and still about that level here which his fine for a premium bullet considering the small amount of animals they are used on each year.

By contrast, An American premium like the Barnes X bullet here has near doubled in the US since I immigrated and doubles again if sold to an Aussie. The poor bastidos are paying around $80 a box now if they can find them. The real money is in the distributorships which don't exist in Oz. Each manufacturers sells direct to retailers there, eliminating the middle man which is practice here.

John

AGW,
Barnes have dropped here significantly when the delayed dollar effect finally started to gain traction ... plus people were (and still are) importing them themselves ... but a truly paranoid US State Dept has made that tougher. Most Barnes now start at about mid $50 per 50. Woodleigh are closer to $38ish per 50 in the under 338cals.

Taipan used to make a 215gr RN but he's fallen on tough times.

Need to make a call today, but there was going to be another locally made 215gr RN cup/core in production ... but it wont reach US shores. Knowing the producer ... $40 per 100 would be about the local price.
Cheers...
Con

Not trying to hijack, but that's pretty much what's happened the world over. I've had chats with people from different parts of the world who moaned over the troubles getting stuff in from the US. Case in point, I tried to order a recoil lug from Brownells, but the company that manufactures the lugs doesn't have a permit to export. So, no lug. It's a royal pain.

Same with bullets. Problems getting bullets up here years ago prompted me to make my own. I don't know if the paranoia will ever abate.

Unfortunately it generally goes the other way and increases, especially with left leaning governments.

Von Gruff.

So go cast ..... if a 210 gr bullet at 2000 fps won't kill it, I doubt anything in a 303 would be much better. Seems like the boys in the frozen North kill a lot of big game with the puny (by comparision) 6.5x55. 40 gr less bullet at 400 more fps.

Woodleigh weldcores are cup and core. "Fuzing" the lead core to the gilding metal jacket does not change the basic design.

I've used the 180 .311 Sierra in various 303's since 1965. They don't appear to have changed any over the years and always performed well. 4350 is tough to beat for bullets 180 and heavier. In a Ruger, you about can't overload it.
The vertical stringing in Ruger Number ones is almost always due to improper forarm pressure and/or fit. A lightened hammer or a lighter replacement also helps. GD