Newbie ? - Loading for .303 British

[Dano229]

I found Privi Partizan .311 dia 150 gr FMJBT at Graf's and these looked like a really economical bullet for plinking with my Enfields. Just wondering if anyone else has tried them and what loads worked well.

I have IMR 4064 on my bench and after looking at the starting charges for Speer and Sierra 150 gr flat base bullets, I was going to start working up from 38.0 grains with new Winchester brass and CCI 200 primers. Does that seem reasonable?

I am newer to rifle reloading and have always worked with bullets that had published data for them in my manuals. Just wanted to make sure I am taking the right approach with these.

 

[BeJaRa]

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

give the above link a try, it can help you with some load data. of course looking at 303 British with 150 grain bullet the max load is 44.7 gr so I would start at 44.7*.9=40.23 round down to 40.2 gr of IMR 4064. I reduce the max load by 10 % since they only listed the max load at the IMR site.

 

[armoredman]

According to my LoadData book, Sierra 150gr starts IMR 4064 at 38.0 up to44.4. Thats with a COAL of 3.075. The max of 44.4gr IMR 4064 is listed as the preferred hunting load with this bullet.
Now, with the Speer 150gr and IMR 4064, start is 39.0, up to 43.0. COAL stil 3.075.

I have to say my Enfield did not like the .311 diameter bullet as much as one just ever so slightly smaller, and usually a teeny bit cheaper - the Hornady .3105 174gr FMJ/BT. That bullet smokes over 32gr of H-4895 at an oal of 2.950.

But all you wanted was the top data, so I hope this helps. All loading data provided for academic purposes, use at own risk, user assumes all liabilities, no llamas were harmed in the making of this post.

 

[Dano229]

Thank you gentlemen!

 

[Bad Flynch]

With jacketed bullets, slug your bore and shoot the closest size that you can find. Some of these have a groove diameter approacing 0.314".

If you shoot lead, slug your throat and size to that.

If you have to buy a custom sizing die to get it right, then do so.

 

[nicholst55]

If you keep your loads closer to the starting load than you do the max, your brass will last longer in the Enfield. If you're not doing so already, you need to neck size after the first firing. This will also increase brass life. The Lee collet die is the way to go for neck sizing .303. Since you have multiple Enfields, you'll need to segregate your brass by rifle in order for neck sizing to work.

 

[dmftoy1]

FWIW -

I just finished my first batch of .303 reloads. I did some with my own cast bullets and they didn't work as well as I'd like but I had to size them at .312 and the nose was too narrow. I loaded up 100 rounds of Hornady 150 Spire Points. (.312) and they shot really well. The load I'm using for it is:

H335 - 38 Grains
HRN 150 Spire Point
CCI 200
Winchester Brass

These are on the low end of the data but the 25 yard zero for this rifle is supposed to be 3/4 high for the 200 yard setting on the aperature and it's hitting almost exactly 3/4 high. My eyes don't work well enough to shoot iron's much past 50 yards but it was shooting REALLY REALLY well offhand at 50 yards.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[nicholst55]

That Hornady 150 grain is an excellent bullet for this cartridge. Many Enfields have bore diameters bigger than they're supposed to be, and that extra .001" of diameter can make all the difference in the world.

In fact, I recommend this bullet to everyone who shoots .303.