Hello all, I used to have an account on here, but I lost my e-mail info, and my info on here, so if this will be a problem, if a mod could let me know it'd be appreciated. Anyway, I am getting a Lee-Enfield .303 in the next few days for $150 and I wanna know your opinions on the .303 round. When I first heard about it, I misheard and thought it was a .308, so I'm quite disappointed because I've always wanted a .308. The fella I'm buying it from is a bit of a perfectionist, and is selling it because it needs a slight rebluing, and new finish, but from what I've heard it shoots just fine, so I won't complain.
Lee-Enfield .303
- Thread starter VTGD7940
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Kills anything you shoot with it.
Awesome round. 180 grain round nose bullet at around 2400 fps is the factory standard now days.. Ammo isn't cheap. Reload for it. Probably the most wide spread caliber in the world. Has been used to shoot down air planes. Killed elephants. Killed moose. Killed black bear/brown bear. Killed deer. Killed Elk. Killed pigs. Etc, Etc, Etc....
You can find 123, 150, 180, 215 grain bullets.
Awesome round. 180 grain round nose bullet at around 2400 fps is the factory standard now days.. Ammo isn't cheap. Reload for it. Probably the most wide spread caliber in the world. Has been used to shoot down air planes. Killed elephants. Killed moose. Killed black bear/brown bear. Killed deer. Killed Elk. Killed pigs. Etc, Etc, Etc....
You can find 123, 150, 180, 215 grain bullets.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
Depending on if its in original condition, hold off on rebluing it....
Post some pics here if unsure.
Now to your question.... .303 is a good round, its a .30-06 equivelant. The problem is usually amunition cost / availability. Although not terribly hard to find, its not usually a round you will find them selling by the bucket load.
.303 enfields are good accurate rifles. Post a picture and there are lots of folks that can tell you a lot about it. It might even be worth someting, more than you are paying for it in original condition.
Post some pics here if unsure.
Now to your question.... .303 is a good round, its a .30-06 equivelant. The problem is usually amunition cost / availability. Although not terribly hard to find, its not usually a round you will find them selling by the bucket load.
.303 enfields are good accurate rifles. Post a picture and there are lots of folks that can tell you a lot about it. It might even be worth someting, more than you are paying for it in original condition.
madcratebuilder
Member
.303 well take any North American game animal.
DougW
Member
Remington, Federal, Hornady, others load for the .303. I load my reloads with either 150gr soft points or 180 soft point boat tails. Ballistics are .308/30.06/8mm area. The round is a sweet shooter, and tend to stabilize well out past 300 yards.
Nico Testosteros
Member
The .303 round works fine. Prvi Partizan makes good, inexpensive ammo that you can find various places online (Midway, AIM, Grafs).
DougW
Member
I agree with saturno v. The .303 is closer to a .308, a little lighter than a .30.06, 7.62X54R, or 8mm Mauser, but not by much. You will exceed safety trying to load a .303 to 30.06 levels. In a Browning MG, it can be loaded hotter (like in a Spitfire or Hurricane fighter).
I grew-up along side a man that, as a child was raised in NE Canada. His dada and uncles used the 303 exclusevly for everything from geese to moose. My friend was in the Canadian Armed Forces in WW2, he was a "Designated Marksman", a sniper and bodyguard for the Regimental Brass from Sword Beach to Berlin. Even in the 1970's he still had flashbacks. He was color blind and that was why he was an excelent sniper/scout, he carried the SMLE 90% of the time he was in combat. The 303 will drop anything except Polar Bear and Grizzley.
A good shot on a moose will drop it like a sack of bricks. Like with most military rifles it is where the bullet hits. There is plenty of power in the 303, more power than 99% of shooters can utilize.
A good shot on a moose will drop it like a sack of bricks. Like with most military rifles it is where the bullet hits. There is plenty of power in the 303, more power than 99% of shooters can utilize.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
While the .30-06 is hotter, I stand by my observation that most ww2 main rifles are essentially .30-06 equivelants. Not interchangeable, but similar in power. Depending on your knowledge base the difference gets bigger. To a deer in the woods, he wont know the difference.
medalguy
Member
The biggest drawback is ammo. Much of the older surplus is bedan primed and corrosive and the newer stuff is generally berdan primed if it's noncorrosive. Reloading the 303 is a bit of a problem since the chambers tend to be very oversized and if you get more than 3 reloadings out of brass you are in the vast minority. Generally neck size only and you may push 6-8 reloads out of a case at the max. I would recommend buying new commercial boxer brass and start with that, neck size, and use light loads.
Ignition Override
Member
Prvi P. has been reloaded for my Enfield Jungle Carbine at least four-five times with no stress signs/pinhole leaks etc in the brass.
It has Boxer primers, because the manufacturer is keenly aware that people here don't want Berdan primers.
This Prvi costs .60/rd. and more experienced owners state that it is thicker than Remington brass.
My powder is one grain below the minimum and both my #4 and #5 rifle use only lighter, 147-grain bullets. I've not yet hunted, despite my age.
Recently, some .50/rd. corrosive British-made RG appeared at SOG and Classicarms (NC).
It may also be at JGsales, but Greek .303 at about .50/rd. with Boxer primers might still be at SOG (So. Ohio Gun).
It has Boxer primers, because the manufacturer is keenly aware that people here don't want Berdan primers.
This Prvi costs .60/rd. and more experienced owners state that it is thicker than Remington brass.
My powder is one grain below the minimum and both my #4 and #5 rifle use only lighter, 147-grain bullets. I've not yet hunted, despite my age.
Recently, some .50/rd. corrosive British-made RG appeared at SOG and Classicarms (NC).
It may also be at JGsales, but Greek .303 at about .50/rd. with Boxer primers might still be at SOG (So. Ohio Gun).
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DougW
Member
Some of my Remington brass are on their 8th reload. I only shoot one of my #4mk1's consistently, so neck sizing is all that is necessary. Don't be afraid of reloading for the .303. Piece of cake.
Bullnettles
Member
You will not be disappointed in the 303 round, and like Doug said, piece of cake to reload. I love my dad's SMLE and he dropped a big pig not too long ago . Now we scoped it because of his eye-sight.
. Now we scoped it because of his eye-sight.jpwilly
Member
If you do end up reloading this round I've used the .312" bullets to gain extra accuracy over .310" or .311" bullets, especially in well used rifles. For example my Father in Law has a sporterized SMLE with a sewer pipe for a bore. We shot some old mil surp ammo in it and we got 10 shots into 8" at 100yrds. With the handloads and .312" Hornady InterLock Bullets 150 Grain we shrank it down to under 3" consisitantly a huge improvement.
dougw47
Member
kenno
Just saw photos of an Alaskan Native and his wife shooting a Griz/Polar Bear hybred with a 303...he has killed a bunch of them with it over the years.
Heck there was even a article about an 80 yr old woman killing a grizz with a 22 the other day.
Put it in the right spot and they will drop I guess. Me, Id use my .338 WM
Just saw photos of an Alaskan Native and his wife shooting a Griz/Polar Bear hybred with a 303...he has killed a bunch of them with it over the years.
Heck there was even a article about an 80 yr old woman killing a grizz with a 22 the other day.
Put it in the right spot and they will drop I guess. Me, Id use my .338 WM
.303 will handle heavier bullets than a .308. Any practical difference between the .303 and the .30-06 is largely academic; except maybe using circa 150 grain bullets for very long shots for which the latter is arguably better suited.
The .303 is a fine general purpose rifle cartridge operating at moderate pressures. If I can ever afford a fine double rifle, it will be a .303.
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http://gtr5.com
The .303 is a fine general purpose rifle cartridge operating at moderate pressures. If I can ever afford a fine double rifle, it will be a .303.
-----------------------------------
http://gtr5.com
Jolly Green
Member
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If you look around you can find a Enfield converted to .308 for not much more. However, most are Indian riot control and may not be in the best condition.
Best bet is just to reload .303 and enjoy a beautiful rifle.
Best regards.
P.S. You can even get an enfield in .410 if your interested, but those carry alot of complications (specific loads and whatnot).
Best bet is just to reload .303 and enjoy a beautiful rifle.
Best regards.
P.S. You can even get an enfield in .410 if your interested, but those carry alot of complications (specific loads and whatnot).
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