.303 British Reloading

[351 WINCHESTER]

Since I can't afford factory ammo for my .303 I'm looking into reloading. I'm leaning towards the lee loader (the one that you need a hammer for). I'm not going to be doing much shooting, but enough to justify the cost and time.

I'm trying to find a source for .312 fmj bullets or .311. I can't find them anywhere. I would like to try the 150 to 180 grain.

Can some recommend a good powder for medium loads (around 2500fps for the 150 and 2200 for the 180 or 174?

Also I've read about using the ak bullet, but that is .310. It might be ok if it had a hollow base, but I can't find any. Your comments.

I would appreciate ya'lls input as to a good powder as I want to keep this as simple as possible.

Any comments on the lee loader would also be appreciated.


The rifle is a no. 5 mk1 and the rifling and throat are in good shape.

 

[Clark]

I reload about 60 cartridges, and 303B is unique.
I prefer to load at very low pressures so that the brass will not stretch with the thin hollow bolt with lug at the back that compresses.
This means a smallish charge of slow powder that tolerates reduced loads, like IMR4895.

Usually I got hotter than the load books, but with Enfields I go cooler.

Some bullets keyhole, while some don't.

Accuracy can be fantastic for a beat up old military surplus rifle with a scope.


SAAMI is .054 to .064" rim on cartridges and .064 to .071" chamber.

I like to fire form and then size without pushing the shoulder back more than .001".

Poke around in this web site:
http://www.303british.com/

 

[armoredman]

I tried the .312 Hornady 150gr SP in my No4Mk1*, and then found it actually likes the .3105 174gr FMJ/BT. I use that bullet over 32gr H4895, at a COL of 2.950. Slug your bore, and see what it actually mikes out to. Hornady makes some nice 303 bullets, (both the above are listed as 303 bullets, but the 150s work very well in my Mosins too!), so give them a hollar. Reloder 15 is supposed to be the closest powder to the original cordite, but it doesn't work as well for me as the H4895.
Hope that helps. All reloading data for academic purposes only, of course, YMMV, etc.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

Sierra 180gr Gamekings and RL-15 here.

Loading 1 gr under book. You figure out which book.

Neck sizing really helps case life. Keep a steady supply of cases around around, you'll go through cases faster than you would in a Mauser or other rifle with a front locking bolt.

My No4MkI really likes this combo. Pop cans and clay targets at 100 yards are a piece of cake.
I got lucky. Mine was FTR'd in 1948 and has a mirror finish bore. All for $99.

ZM

 

[peterotte]

351 Winchester

I load 150 gr Hornady spire points to 2690 fps and 180 gr Speer RNSP to 2395 fps. These are not mild loads but I get no case stretching and no case head failure. Case life is 10 reloads plus. I never set the shoulders back - in fact, I only partially resized the necks untill recently. Now I don't even do that - I seat the bullet tight in the neck using paper hand towel cups! But I always lube the cases with case lube (not too much, though). That's what prevents case stretch. I shoot a 1902 LMLE with a tight chambered No. 4 barrel. Sitable powders abound. I now use AR2208 40 gr behind a 150 gr Hornady bullet.

Hope that helps - Pete

 

[Steve C]

It is best to neck size only fired brass for the .303 Brit as it stretches in those Enfields. Keep loads segregated to the particular rifle it was fired in, not a problem if you only have one rifle. An inexpensive Lee press like this one

can be purchased for around $22. It is much better than the simple Lee loader.
Then get a Lee Colet Neck Sizer Die set (click the link). The Lee dies sets come with shell holder, powder dipper and loads to go with them so you could start reloading without needing to get a powder scale. You'll probably want to buy additional loading tools if you want to expand the performance of your cartridge but for perfectly good ammo you can get into the game for under $50 in hardware.

Bullets for the .303 can also be found at http://www.midwayusa.com/

 

[aka108]

I neck size only, Winchester primers, 42 gr Accurate 2700 and Remington 180 gr roundnose bullets.

 

[armoredman]

I did get the Deluxe Lee die set, with full length and neck sizer. I full legnth resize new brass only, and neck size afterwards. I also use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. Great investment.
Ditto on actual press -neck sizing in a Lee loader would be a PITA.

 

[GooseGestapo]

.351
Congratulations on your decision to start reloading.
I started many,many years ago with the Lee loader and the .30/30 so I DO recommend you start with the simple Lee loader.

However, you will want to get the hand priming tool from lee also.

Ditto the Lee dipper powder measure set.

Later, you will want the Reloader "Special" press that was mentioned above, along with the Lee book, but to start out with, you'll do fine with the basic Lee Loader tool.

Read all the directions TWICE. Then take your time rereading as you progress.

The Lee Loader will only resize the case necks so your brass will only work if previously fired in YOUR rifle. But, if your loads are mild to moderate the brass will last a long time.

I suggest you start with the H4895 powder. And get the Remington Corlokt bullets from Midway. Although they are not the FMJ's you want, they'll be more accurate and will do anything you'll need to do with your .303. Most any large rifle primer will do.

You may actually find that some of the surplus .308" bullets will shoot "ok", but the .310-.312" ususally shoot the best.

Good luck and report back if you have any problems. Just be warned that it's additicting and you'll be buying much more equipment and components in the future.
Reloading is NOT cheaper than factory ammo. You will just be shooting MUCH, MUCH more.

A tip on sizing the brass in the Lee Loader. Use a small pad made by folding a piece of paper towel to 1/4 full size, and smear a dab of STP oil treatment or equivalent (the bottle under my reloading bench is Walmart "Tech 2000") on the pad and roll the neck of the unsized case on it to put a "TRACE" of the lube on the neck. This will make it MUCH easier to drive the case in the die, and punch it back out. It takes only the slightest trace. Don't over do it or you'll but some ugly dents in your case necks.
Also, you'll need a small plastic headed hammer. Don't use a metal hammer or you'll damage the loader.
I still have my original Lee Loader I started with in 1970 when I was 14.

 

[cheygriz]

Neck size, and use Hornady 174 gr FMJ.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Thanks for all of ya'lls information. I'm thinking about putting a scope on my no. 5 mk1 as I can't see the front sight that well and it would help when hunting. Any of you have experience with a good mount?

thanks again

 

[Mark Rosenbaum]

Using the 180 grain Sierra #2130, I've had good luck with IMR-4320 and H-380.

 

[wcwhitey]

Neck Size, many of the Enfields can be brass stretchers.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Do a search for a Darryl's scout mount. It's a good one and can replace a rear sight on many rifles.

Regards,

Dave

 

[DougW]

Neck size only, and let the rest of the case fire form to the chamber. I load 150 spitzer over 40gr IMR4895 or 180 Sierra Match King over 38gr IMR4895. .311 bullets available fro MidwayUSA. I have loaded about 100 .310 123gr bullets for 7.62X39 over 43gr IMR4064 to see if there was any advantage in doing so, I found the bullets are not real tight in the necks, and accuracy is no better in my shooter #4mk1 Fazakerly than .311 bullets. My loadings are lower powered than Mk VII British loading, mainly because I don't want to get beat up shooting my Enfields.

 

[DougW]

.351, use one of the non perminate mounts that don't require drilling. Your #5mk1 is increasing in value daily, so I would not recomend making any perminate mods to any Enfield.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I wouldn't even think of drilling and tapping her, but I do enjoy shoting her, but really can't afford factory ammo, besides I want to download so as not to beat up the gun or my shoulder.

 

[robertbank]

Lee Enfields were/are probably the best bolt action battle rifle ever made. That said one of the attributes of the Enfields is their ability to operate under very adverse conditions aided by very generous chambers which were designed around functioning in the very worst of conditions but unfortunately do nothing for reloaders. The neck stretching one hears about is due more to the generous chamber sizes then any movement of the bolt.

Neck size only and your brass will last much longer with little to no neck stretching ( I have some going on their 15th reload with no sign of head separation). Personally I like the Lee Delux set and the collet crimping die. I shoot the Lyman 314299 boolit excluseively sized to .313. I seat the boolit right out to the rifling. Boolit works great, very accurate in my Longbranch #4 Mke 1.

Take Care

Bob

 

[Sunray]

"...the Lee dipper powder measure set...." Don't bother with them. They're not accurate enough. The charge can vary plus or minus a full grain. Use a scale.
With any Lee-Enfield, start by checking the headspace. Neck sizing nor anything else done to a case will fix bad headspace. Then slug the bore. Hammer a cast .30 calibre bullet(NOT BOOLIT!!!!!) through the barrel and measure it with a micrometer. That'll tell you what diameter your barrel is now. Enfield barrels can measure between .311" and .315" and still be considered ok. Larger than .315", the barrel is shot out and needs replacing.
Once you know the bore diameter use the bullet that is closest.
Most of the bullet manufacturers make a .311' or .312" jacketed hunting bullets. However, if your barrel measures .313" or .314", you can get good 200 grain hunting bullets of those diameters from Steve at www.303british.com. There's lots of load data there too. Don't even think about PayPal though.