Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors why do i want/need a 303, convince me

I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the original selling points of the 300 was it’s vastly improved performance over the 30-30 in a lever gun. On the same note, I also wouldn’t be surprised if Savage happened to have left their own proprietary 303 out of that conversation. On those lines though I have wondered if Savage pretty much gave up on the 303 after they came out with the 300 as they certainly didn’t find it in their heart to chamber it in the Super Sporter when it was introduced in 1928. If the 303 was a competitive product in the marketplace then I think Savage would have used it in 40/45. Of the two cartridges, I prefer the 303 over the 30-30 because of its longer neck. The 30-30 seems to be an inherently accurate round and the longer neck of the 303 would only improve this aspect of performance in this class of cartridge. Anyone happen to know the sales figures of the 303 in the 99 compared to the 300 after the latter was introduced?

JeffG, i have the 300 savage. just need/want a 303.
i have parted with some 99s in the past and have regretted each one.
S99VG, i have both those molds , just need the energy to fire them up.
Joe , i have a 1926 TD in 30-30 so one in 303 would be sweet.

I think the 1/16" or so of added neck length of the .303 over the .30-30 is a non-starter. In terms of aligning the bullet with the bore they're both more than adequate. In terms of keeping the base of the bullet confined within the neck so as not to intrude into the powder space, what's more important IMO is the depth of the throat which determines seating depth, in the quest for ultimate accuracy- OAL for magazine feeding notwithstanding. I've never had to seat my above mentioned heavy bullet below the neck in any.30-30 or .303, and have enjoyed flawless feeding through a variety of magazines, rotary, tube, and box. That's not to say that other throats and magazine lengths wouldn't dictate deeper seating, but in those instances having the bullet base dangling into the powder space is no big deal anyway, IMO.

Gary - I'm certainly not trying to split hairs here and by no measure would trash talk the 30-30 on the basis of neck length. It's just something I've noticed and if I had to make a call on it one way or the other I'd say the same thing again. Though this conversation may be interesting to have with techno-geeks who get into fine, fine, fine details of one aspect of technology over another - but again that's not me. As far as answering the question of "should I get a 303?" I have to quote what David Carradine/King Fu said years ago in a commercial. "If pizza makes you happy then you should have pizza." Life is short - have pizza!

It's the original caliber and ya ain't got one yet.
It's just classic

I found some Hawke 190 grain soft points. They are suited ideally for the .303 Savage. They are not cheap but for hunting with a .303 I don't believe the cost would be a deciding factor. They are another option to 190 grain cast bullets.

Darryl

Jeff- sometimes I feel the same way. But often it's the minutiae that is the most compelling too. Take for example the interest many here have in learning the subtle differences between same model Savages, serial numbers, sights, etc. It's all good. Personally what interests me the most with any rifle is what makes them tick, what makes for average accuracy versus sterling accuracy. (In the end a rifle's ability to shoot accurately trumps its ability to look good otherwise what's the point of a rifle?)

Side note: As I'm typing this, two blocks from my window they just fired a 21 gun salute with 105mm howitzers, MD National Guard, MD Governor's Inauguration. It's cool having your windows rattled in such a manner, followed by a flyover by A-10 Warthogs flown by the Air National Guard. Proud to be an American!!

Oh geez yea. Sometimes I think the minutiae discussed on this forum about the 99 nears the infinite. But this would be the place one would expect to find that sort of thing less we call ourselves the Savage Plinkers Forum! 105-mm howitzers, cool. I have a neighbor I wouldn’t mind unleashing one or two of those babies on.

the minutiae is what educates the likes of me. keep it coming.

So are you getting the 303? Personally I think you should have that pizza, if you catch my drift.

Sold all my 30-30's a number of years back to get 303's, just liked them "better" as it's a Savage design. Have picked up a couple since then, but still like the 303's. Heck, buying another 303 today.

It's a disease...

Ain't nothing wrong with that affliction!

I would make this argument:

Everybody has certain parameters that make guns (or baseball cards or cars or women or whatever) interesting to them.

What is one's definition of shooting accurately? Every rifle I have ever bought was, to me at least, a hunting rifle designed for one purpose, to kill game.

What is the practical difference in most hunting situations between a gun that shoot's 1.5 moa or .5 moa? To me, the prettier gun gets to hunt.

I remember "sighting in" when I was a young lad too young to even hunt and just tagging along. Somebody would take their pocket knife and make a blaze on a beach or spruce tree and every body would back up an appropriate distance (25-30 steps or so) and shoot offhand (usually one shot) at the mark with their open sighted Winchesters, Remingtons and Savages. If they hit the tree within 3 or 4 inches of the mark they were "sighted in" and we went hunting.

Didn't many deer get past them guys I can tell you.

Not trying to say the inherent accuracy of a rifle isn't important, and I understand that to some guys it's just fun to go through the exercise of wringing the best out of a guns ability. I get it.

But just sayin sometimes it can be easy to over complicate the task to be performed.

Just me...

No, it is NOT just you. That is EXACTLY what everyone in my family did just prior to opening day of deer season. There were probably 15 or so of us. Now they are all gone except for me. If it wasn't for my wife and son to keep me going,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,well, you get the idea.

easy ... you don't have one; that's why you need one. I can't think of a more fulfilling way to bring home venison than with a vintage 303 Savage.

For some reason I get more satisfaction in shooting a deer with a 303 than with a 30-30, maybe just the unusual cartridge factor.

Mike

just sold a henry 22 to my neighbor so the funds are building! Pizza!

Cool!

OK, I'm convinced! Now, I just have to find one.

The earlier actions may not be as strong. And I think the spring like action of the firearm closing and locking up tight diminish as the firearm gets used.

But I prefer hands down the pencil thin barrels carbine length. I also seem to shoot pistol grips a little more accurately.

But aesthetics wise the F or E look coolest, feel the best 2 me.

But............I also have a model B 1899 s in rifle butt stock, and one in shotgun butt , non takedowns octagons, that I never seem to want to sell.