Bad Accuracy Reloads - Jungle Carbine

[MissouriCrowinMass]

Shot the Jungle Carbine today. Super day to shoot! Finally SUN! Referring to the photo:

Group1 - 150 gr. PRVI w/ Combat Sight - Good
Group 2 -150 gr. PRVI w/ Ladder Sight -WOW! I never shot so good?
Group 3 -150 gr. Speer Reload w/ Ladder Sight- 1 out of 5 just grazed the paper. Awful.
Group 4 -150 gr. Speer Reload POA Center of Paper w/ Ladder- 5" left...5" low. Awful.
Group 5 - 150 gr. PRVI w/ Ladder Sight - Back to real good.

My reloads are with a .311 bullet (Speer # 2217) driven by 44.4 grains of IMR 4350 with a COL of 3.040".

I've never had any reloads shoot this bad and I'm wondering what to change first? Things I'm doing different than my other relaods are:

a.) I tried Partial Full Length Sizing. Seemed easy and the cartridges chambered with no difficulty.

b.) I ordered a .311 case mouth mandril from Lee and put it on the Sizing Die.

c.) I didn't CRIMP these at all. Neck tension seemed good when seating the bullets. THe cartridges chambered nicely...so I didn't CRIMP at all.


I'd appreciate advice.....5" low & 5" left of PRVI which shoots great. What would you change first? Never had reloads compare so bad against factory?
I gotta be making a blunder.


Thanks,

John

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

Forgot photo.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I tried some 174 gr. Privi ammo and it shot way left in my jc. It didn't group very well either. I have found Privi .303 brass to be the best I've tried.

I am no expert by no means, but I have loaded accurate rounds for my jc. I neck size my brass only. I have a lee loader and I just dip out a charge of powder. For the most part I use .311 speer bullets and have found them to be more accurate than factory. For the 150 speer I have found H335 to give the best accuracy. For heavier bulllets my jc seems to like IMR4064 the best.

My barrel heats up quickly and I get best accuracy if I let her cool down.

At what distance were you shooting? My jc is not a tack driver, but since I mounted a scope on her my groups shrank quite a bit (pleantly good for hunting).

You may have a pitted/worn barrel as mine did. I took some J & B bore paste on a .30 brush with a patch and went to work. Again, my groups got much better.

I don't think you're making a blunder. You probably just need to try different powders/bullets.

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

351,

Thanks! Those are 50 yard shots.

John

 

[NCsmitty]

MissouriCrowinMass, I believe that your load of IMR4350 is not a good load for your rifle. The powder is a bit slow to start with, and Hodgdon does not list any loads for it on their site in the 303.
IMR4895 and H4895 would be more efficient and 351 WINCHESTER's recommendations are also good with 150gr bullets.
I would imagine that the recoil of your 4350 loads were noticeably less than your factory loads too.
That's where I would start.

What other powders do you have in stock?


NCsmitty

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

NC,

I load .30 Carbine with H110 and everything else with IMR 4350 (7.5x55 & 7.62x54R). I will take your advice and see if I can pick up any of the more efficient powders. The Load I'm using is from Speer for 150 grain bullets in .303 British. Lee and Lyman don't offer any Loads that I can find in IMR 4350 so you are ubdoubtedly correct that it's not a good powder for .303.

Thanks!

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

I got some H335 and tried a load of 45 grains with the same 150 gr. bullet. Same COL. Same - no crimping. Using the Ladder Sight on the Jungle Carbine.....6-reloads grouped at about 1-1/2". (50 yards)

I can live with that!

The better powder made all the difference in the world.

I love this Jungle Carbine. It's got a trigger that breaks when you think "squeeze". I shoot it better standing up than my other Milsurps.

 

[NCsmitty]

I'm glad that you are getting better groups, but I must point out something without being negative. The load of 45gr of H335 is 3gr over Maximum for the 303 with a 150gr bullet, according to Hodgdon's website data.
This load may be fine in your rifle, but it also may be stressing the rifle without you being aware.

I was curious where you got your load data.


NCsmitty

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

NC,

Don't worry about pointing out the Negative. If it weren't for the guys on this Forum and a couple of others.....I'd have blown myself years ago. I got that Load out of Lee's Manual?

Speer & Lyman (my other Loading Manuals) don't list H335 for the .303 British? I got that tip from another Posting. I see no signs of pressure?
Gotta do some homework.

I did get some XMR 4064.....I see a few loads for it. I might try that next? The H335 is a bit hard to work with.....very, very fine. Clings to everything.

Thanks for the tip!