Happy Holidays!

I am finally going to get my 303 ready to thump sum cervidae!

Ideally I want a plinker round and hunting round.

What are your experiences/ thoughts on this deal?

Thanks in advance
John

I’ve used the 150gr Hornady RN to great effect on deer. Not the most traditional 303 Sav bullet, but it’s nothing if not flexible.

https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/30-cal-308-150-gr-interlock-rn#!/

I use that in my SRC. gets really good groups. Dropped an elk dead with the bullet in the neck just behind the head. Range was a little over 100 yards.

I got a bunch of NP 150s.

What velocity can one expect from a 150 outta da 303 savage?

Thanks for the reply’s.

If you are into cast bullets, I can recommend RCBS 30-180FN which drops about 193 grains in my alloy, for full snort loads. I use 35 grains of H-414 for 1970 fps. My plinking loads consist of Lyman 311359 and 6 grains of Unique. Never have shot jacketed bullets in the .303 but, if I had to, would use a 170 grain bullet for the .30-30 and work with 30-30 data or, do as Rory with the 150 RN. I think the 110 grain .30 Carbine bullet would make a good plinker.

I'm presently using Speer 130FN as my plinkers. They're still pretty cheap by today's standards and the recoil is really light.

Probably not the load I'll go with if I deer hunt it, but I wouldn't hesitate to use them on deer at woods ranges if I needed to. One of my uncles has plunked quite a few deer with the same bullet from his 30-30s over the years with no issues.

Combined with Leverevolution power and depending on your barrel length, I'd think you could push 2400-2500fps with the 150gr out of a 26" barrel if you're looking for velocity. 2300fps for sure. A 20"-22" barrel will cut velocity a couple hundred feed per second probably.
Some other powders should get you 2300fps+ also.

Here's 30-30 load data for a 150gr Sierra bullet from the Hodgdon web site.

Plinking- 125 Nosler Ballistic Tips. Hunting- Barnes 110 gr TTSX. The 303 has never been this deadly. (Barnes has my permission to change their logo to this if it helps)

I got model E and F I think 18 inches at best.

So I’d imagine 2000 fps so at 150 yards 1650?

My reloading books are in the garage, and I’m hobbled up after foot surgery.

Should be 20" barrel. Probably looking at 2000-2100fps muzzle, maybe 1500-1600fps at 150yds.

I dunno about 20 inches?

Looks to me you only got 17 of rifling max?

And this one is longer than the others I believe

Or does the barrel count the chamber in it?

Full length of the barrel is what's considered, so chamber also.

Thanks!

Looks like 150 grain NP would work!

Boy Howdy are they proud of them now!

excuse my dumb question. is the 303 sav. the first cal. 99s were made in?

Timely thread Mr Angus. 😎
Thanks for posting.

No but the Savage 1895 the 303 was! I think…….?

Now any powder recommendations?

I used LVR before it seemed I couldn’t get to the lower book range without sticky extraction?

If you still have any, IMR4320 works well with pretty much any bullet in mine.

Accurate 4064 does too, but velocities tend to be a bit pokey with it. Accurate 2015, 2495, and IMR 3031 have all shot well, too.

shows how much I don't no, forgot about them

For hunting: 190 grain flat nose cast bullet (c'mon y'all were expecting me to go straight to this, right?). Cast soft for reliable expansion. Driven at 2000fps out of 24" barrel with 28gr. 3031 (1900fps/20" Savage barrel), excellent accuracy, zero leading, duplicates original factory 190 load. Cheap as dirt.



Plinking: 150gr. plain base soft cast bullet, 5-6gr. Bullseye or Red Dot. Pure death on empty beer cans in the backyard. Cheaper than dirt, most of expense lies in the primer.

Ok ok

My brother gave me a wad full of cast bullets like you described.

I think I even got gas checks.

And I got 3031…..think I bought a new can.

I will give her a go.

Thanks buddy!

Contact me if you need your hand held while cooking them up!

Will do

You can hold my hand

Just don’t step on my toes.

What gnoahhh said!
For me, 311407 with 16g of 4227 (cast fairly soft, 181g, and lubed with lee alox) gives about 1475fps and works VERY well in all on my 303s. I use range lead so even at that unsophisticated level of casting it works great for plinking and it's cheap!

My question is right now gas checks are for sale/ trade in the classifieds?

Do I need them?

What lube for the bullets.

I will go fetch some soon.

Thanks all of you.

Fireball I wanna try the light Barnes…..you got any you wanna sell / trade?

General rule of thumb: over 1400fps, give or take, gas checks needed. Under that, superfluous. They're installed separately onto the bullet's base by a couple means, usually during the sizing/lubing step. Store bought ones may or may not have them. The bullet must be designed for its use, you can't just slap one onto any old bullet.

Lube: that's a whole 'nother topic for which much has been stated/argued/written about for the last 200 years (and muchly over-thought)! Store bought bullets will undoubtedly be lubed with something that'll work just fine.