Rmac58
Member
Now you have an "excuse" to pick up a SMLE.
.303 Brit surp ammo - pics and questions
- Thread starter Megistopoda
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Megistopoda
Member
I've now fired some 150 rounds of the GB headstamp. To my surprise (and delight) only one of those rounds had delayed ignition, and the delay was barely perceptable. The deals are out there!
Megistopoda
Member
Today is tomorrow's good old day. All told I think I paid $400 for that ammo above. For 2750 rounds that's what, about $.145 a round.
shinz
Member
The Berdan primers I'm familiar with in 303s are similar to the ones in the pics of the RL & GB cartridges posted above, I have a tin of 1000 which has over 800 left, I use these in CAC brass, CAC was Colonial Ammunition Co here in NZ & loaded from (I think) late in the 19th century till about the 1980s. I assumed that all 303s would have the same size, not sure why 
, I have some of the RWS ones too which I use in 7.62 x51 cases, harder to deprime the 1st time, easier to damage an anvil. OK after that. I've also used these in steel case 7.62x51s & 7.62x39s, just for the hell of it.
Steve
, I have some of the RWS ones too which I use in 7.62 x51 cases, harder to deprime the 1st time, easier to damage an anvil. OK after that. I've also used these in steel case 7.62x51s & 7.62x39s, just for the hell of it.Steve
bonza
Member
Shinz, yes, I believe the Commonwealth countries generally used the larger 1/4" primers (.250"-.255"), & that is what I was used to seeing, too. I read someplace that alot of the European-loaded .303 (& apparently the South African) uses the .217".
shinz
Member
Bonza, thanks for this, mine are definitely 0.25", made by ICI in 1967, they still seem to work as good as the day I got them 20plus years ago. They don't have the small dimple in the primer disc the same as the smaller RWS ones do.
Steve
Steve
.45ACPLove
Member
yeah man you suck! i'd love to have JUST ONE of those boxes! i rarely get to shoot my Savage Enfield. =(
shinz
Member
[quote.45ACPLove]yeah man you suck! i'd love to have JUST ONE of those boxes! i rarely get to shoot my Savage Enfield. =([/quote]
No excuses. even if you can't get milsurp ammo, there should be no difficulty getting components to load some 303BR ammo using modern bits & pieces. Keep the pressures moderate & set up the resizing die to size for YOUR rifle & you'll still get several loads per case, setting up the die to full lenght size as per the die instructions is normally the worst thing you can do. Get out & enjoy, they're blast & they can still do the bizz in the field. If you want some light loads, I've read that the 123gr AK bullets are good in front of 30 gr IMR4198, I intend to try this load next week, will let you know how I get on, should be cheap shooting.
Following on from my earlier posts about Berdan primers, I came across some 7.62x51 (308Win) cases the other day, steel, with BIG primers like Brit BG stuff, dug a couple out & they were berdan, slightly bigger than the .25" that my 303 cases take, able to push a primer in with finger pressure. Looks like I won't be reloading these, even just for the hell of it.
Steve
No excuses.
even if you can't get milsurp ammo, there should be no difficulty getting components to load some 303BR ammo using modern bits & pieces. Keep the pressures moderate & set up the resizing die to size for YOUR rifle & you'll still get several loads per case, setting up the die to full lenght size as per the die instructions is normally the worst thing you can do. Get out & enjoy, they're blast & they can still do the bizz in the field. If you want some light loads, I've read that the 123gr AK bullets are good in front of 30 gr IMR4198, I intend to try this load next week, will let you know how I get on, should be cheap shooting.Following on from my earlier posts about Berdan primers, I came across some 7.62x51 (308Win) cases the other day, steel, with BIG primers like Brit BG stuff, dug a couple out & they were berdan, slightly bigger than the .25" that my 303 cases take, able to push a primer in with finger pressure. Looks like I won't be reloading these, even just for the hell of it.
Steve
.45ACPLove
Member
i just got started realoding a fwe days ago. i got a lee classic kit. that cheap, basic $20 kit from lee to do my own .45 auto
shinz
Member
A set of Lee 303 Brit dies will be a reasonable & cheap way to start reloading for that. Pick up components when they're on special & your shooting needn't cost a bomb. Lightish loads with faster powders, 3031, 4895 type are cheaper to load, worth working up a stouter load with 150 gr bullets if you intend to hunt with it. Be sure set the resizing die to only to resize cases the bare minimum to enable reliable feeding into your chamber. Setting up the die as per the die instructions will, in most cases, lead to over resizing & consequently short case life. Happy shooting.
Steve
Steve
Beagle-zebub
Member
Nudge nudge, wenk wenk.
shinz
Member
An update on my post from 24th Oct, I finally got to shoot these light loads in my 303, 30 gns H4198, 6 shots averaged 2287fps, two shots 1/2" apart at 50 yds with open sights (Lyman peep & bead front), out to about 2" at 100yds, more likely me rather than rifle at that range.
Steve
Steve
BHP FAN
Member
Cool I only have about 300 mixed UK stuff on strippers,but recently Scored a hundred Winchester .303 boxer reloadable brass for $20.00!
aka108
Member
Greek HXP is pretty good stuff. Primers are boxer and crimped into the pocket. If you neck size the Greek cases when reloading you can get 14 to 15 uses from them. Standard large rifle primers fit. I got far better accuracy with reloads from the new cartridges. Used 42 grains of Accurate 2700 with a 180 gr Rem round nose bullet.
Just for furute reference, here's a great page on 303 Brit headstamps:
http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/303headstamps.html
http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/303headstamps.html
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