303 british help

[PonyKiller]

I load for Pop's P-14 Enfield in 303 British. What I normally load for it is 180 gr sierra pro hunters, over 43.7gr of blc(2). It's about as close to a tack driver as 105 mil surp will get. It's about a legit 1" @100 in Rifle with that load..

The bullets are hard to come by right now in 303
I picked up some Speer 150 gr fb/sp today. Same style it likes. Some newload development on the way..... The question is how far is the Poi roughly in 303 between 180 gr I was shooting to the 150 gr I will be loading give or take.?

 

[Bcwitt]

@ 100 yd, it would be negligible.

 

[GooseGestapo]

With my #4Mk1 Enfield, the 150’s will shoot slightly higher. Not enough to be an issue.

My P17 (same gun as yours except.30/06) shoots both to essentially to same POI. within the spread of accuracy of the rifle. However it is very partial to a 168gr BtHpt match bullet.
Also, the 26” heavy barrel yields an additional 60-90fps.

My P17 gives over 3,000fps with 150’s, 2800 with 165-168, and occasionally with 180’s.
It’s totally original. Impressive for being built in 1918! But
HEAVY! Over 11lbs .
But, If I HAD to “go over the top”, w/bayonet attached, it’s the rifle I would want!
(But it WOULD require an officer with a loaded and cocked M1911 to my head to get me to do it!)

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I load for Pop's P-14 Enfield in 303 British. What I normally load for it is 180 gr sierra pro hunters, over 43.7gr of blc(2). It's about as close to a tack driver as 105 mil surp will get. It's about a legit 1" @100 in Rifle with that load..

The bullets are hard to come by right now in 303
I picked up some Speer 150 gr fb/sp today. Same style it likes. Some newload development on the way..... The question is how far is the Poi roughly in 303 between 180 gr I was shooting to the 150 gr I will be loading give or take.?

With the No.3 Mk.1/1* ("Pattern '14") service rifle, dead-stock, your POI may rise up to 1/2" at 100 yards. I doubt you'll see much more and probably less. However, this is why Parker-Hale sold so many TZ 3/53 and 4/47 sights for the No.3 and No.4 rifles, respectively. It *may* be worth your while to invest in one, if you can find it or a similar Lyman pattern sight for the Mauser action.

 

[22250Rem]

@ 100 yd, it would be negligible.

.....That's what I was thinking. Haven't loaded any 150 gr. bullets in a .303 British in years. My current go-to load for my #4 Mk 1 uses the same bullet the OP mentioned ( 180 gr. Sierra Pro Hunter ) over 42.5 gr. RL-15. The 174-180 gr. bullets always grouped better in my handloads, and I figured it was because the Lee-Enfields were designed to be used with 174 gr. bullets. I don't recall much of a difference in 100 yd. POI between the 150 gr. bullets and the heavier stuff. The heavier stuff just groups tighter for me. I'm guessing maybe it's a combination of factors like bullet weight / barrel twist rate, and such. I've had some decent experience with 150's and certain powders but settled on that 180 gr. Sierra load as my go-to 303 load for its consistently better results.

 

[Bcwitt]

I used to pull down 762x 39 to use powder & bullet in a 303. It worked fine. Close to point of aim. Not very accurate, however

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I used to pull down 762x 39 to use powder & bullet in a 303. It worked fine. Close to point of aim. Not very accurate, however

I bought cases of '68 Radway Green in the 80's just for their projectiles. It was all British-made contract Indian/Pakistan stored ammo - the Cordite looked like chocolate pudding - and was as corrosive as a modern socialist comedian's wit, but the 174gr. flat-base Spitzers were true, precise and accurate. They had a heckuva crimp groove! I think the most I paid back then was $45 shipped UPS ground per wooden crate of 1750 rds - or maybe it was 1440??? It's been a while. I tore up several collet pullers taking that stuff apart and reloading it into fresh cases over IMR 3031 for club matches. I might still have a few of them hanging around in jars somewhere... If you find it, the Chinese 7.62x54R uses a really good .310" Spitzer flat base but IIRC it's 155gr. or 160gr. and while that ammo used to be super cheap times change.

 

[Bcwitt]

A friend of has a case of Paki 303. Hangfires something fierce. Sometimes 2 seconds. Lol

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

A friend of has a case of Paki 303. Hangfires something fierce. Sometimes 2 seconds. Lol

If they have a black sealant around the crimp groove, pull the bullets for reloading. They're good! Toss the rest (cases and primers) in a campfire then recover the brass for recycling.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, the difference in POI between the 150gr and 180gr bullet will be negligible.

 

[PonyKiller]

Thanks for the input, especially enjoyed the 1/1* detail. I'll load it up true and see what she'll do. My first experience with Speer bullets. I will find out how it shoots And post

 

[22250Rem]

Good luck with those Speers. Looking forward to your post on how it shoots. All my 303 British experience is with Lee-Enfields and you will be using a P-14 Enfield. Different rifle; same cartridge.... Should be interesting. T.I.A. on keeping us posted.

 

[Swampman]

A friend of has a case of Paki 303. Hangfires something fierce. Sometimes 2 seconds. Lol

Put 'em on the dash of your vehicle in the summer sun for an hour or so and they'll do a lot better.

It'll still be lousy ammo, but the bullets themselves are too inaccurate to be worth the trouble and expense of pulling and reloading them.

And yes, that is cardboard in the bullet tip.


The Brits did the same thing during wartime due to aluminum shortages, but I think their QC was a lot better.