303 british resizing problem.

[OptimusPanda]

I finally kicked off my .303 brit reloading project...Needless to say its not going well. The rifle is a no1mk3* the barrel is in great shape and does not seem to have a headspace problem. The field gauge is close to closing but I wouldnt dare try and smack it shut. This rifle shoots very well and does not have a problem feeding, shooting, or extracting any factory ammo I've tried in it.

Ok, now the problem. I neck sized a brass case (previously fired in this rifle) and checked to see if it would still chamber. No dice, gets about as far as the field gauge trying to close the bolt. Curious, I took an unsized case out of my sort bucket (also fired in this rifle) to see if it would chamber. Nope, same thing. Did this with a few pieces of brass to make sure I didnt have bad luck and all results were the same.

So with a cut off wheel on a dremel I started shortening one of the cases to see if I could figure out where it was sticking (dont know why I chose this method but it made sense at the time). The shortest I got was about an inch from the case head and it was still not chambering. So in some sense of frustration I smacked the bolt shut on the tiny case that now resembled a .455 webley. Well it does indeed chamber, but extraction is sticky. The chamber does not look like it has a ring in it though. A set of calipers did show that about half inch forward from the case head the case is about .002" wider than the brass before and after it.

Guidance would be appreciated as Im out of ideas. Thanks in advance.

[bouncer50]

Welcome to reloading 303 your going to have to fully resize the case. 303 has a habit to expand grow long in the chamber. I have to fully resize mine

[mrrch]

I only have to neck size. Every rifle is different.

[leebuilder]

Plus 1 on both. Sounds liks you need full lenght size, is the brass shot from the rifle?
Wide chambers will ruin some brass.

[enfield]

I keep all my 303 brass separate ( only goes back in the gun it was fired in ) and I only neck size with the Lee collet die ( I never full length size unless its range brass ). maybe you have a wonky chamber ( ok, wonkier than normal Lee Enfield ) if you make an index mark and put the brass back in the way it came out after firing does it chamber o.k ?

[N4AUD]

I have to full resize mine. These rifles are a conundrum but a fun one.

[OptimusPanda]

All my 303 brass was factory ammo and shot through this rifle. I was kind of fearing a full length resize as I've heard that 303 likes to get head seperations. Any tips on lengthening the life of the cases or just pick up a broken shell extractor and see? Also, I have never had a punctured primer or separated case, what should one expect? It shouldnt being dangerous if youre wearing glasses right?

[Ed Barrett]

I have found a very big variance in chambers I have owned about 20 over the past 50 years. Still have 2, One I can get excellent results, the other is a brass eater. Have to resize to get it to chamber reliably, it shoots too damn good with cast so I put up with it. Wonky about sums it up.

I keep all my 303 brass separate ( only goes back in the gun it was fired in ) and I only neck size with the Lee collet die ( I never full length size unless its range brass ). maybe you have a wonky chamber ( ok, wonkier than normal Lee Enfield ) if you make an index mark and put the brass back in the way it came out after firing does it chamber o.k ?

[OptimusPanda]

Hmm, I never thought to index the cartridge and see if the empty brass goes back in indexed. I need to look into this.

[Von Gruff]

If you are going to use the FLS die it pays to put something on the neck of the case like a little bullet lube smear (or similar) so you can see where the sizing is coming down the neck and you can set the die to stop before you shift the shoulder back. Set the die so it is at last 20-30 thou above the shell holder to start and do a trial case and adjust as needed.

[303Guy]

If the fired case came out it should go back in. It sounds as if someone used a dusty pull through from the rear on a regular bases. Then again it could be a manufacturing flaw. If you blacken a fired case and randomly chamber it, it might show where a potential out of round is. Sizing the case body should not be too detrimental to case life but setting the shoulder back should be avoided. Von Gruff has covered that one.

[leebuilder]

All my 303 brass was factory ammo and shot through this rifle. I was kind of fearing a full length resize as I've heard that 303 likes to get head seperations. Any tips on lengthening the life of the cases or just pick up a broken shell extractor and see? Also, I have never had a punctured primer or separated case, what should one expect? It shouldnt being dangerous if youre wearing glasses right?

thats just 303. Get a ruptured case tool and keep it in your shooting bag. Had many seperations, not to worry did not notice till i pulled the bolt back.
I full lenght size all mine, except for my hunting rifle. Some brands of brass are bad S&B is the worst, surplace is the best.
be safe

[OptimusPanda]

Whats a dusty pull through 303guy? The chamber looks like it was cut kinda crude I can see symmetrical tooling marks that dont look like they were made by hand. Had always assumed it was always that way since its a 1917 and the trenches needed rifles.

[303Guy]

The cleaning cord which got oily and picked up dust. If used incorrectly it can wear a groove on the side of the chamber or wear the muzzle. Yours sounds different when you say symmetrical tooling marks. Are those axial or radial? Radial can only be from bad tooling. Axial could be from tooling chatter. If that's the case then it's understandable that a fired case won't rechamber.

If body only sizing is required it is likely that a standard resizing die would do the trick by doing just as Von Gruff explained.

[OptimusPanda]

Radial I think. It looks like the outside of a barrel thats been turned down on a lathe, although inside an chamber and barely visible. I think a full length sizing die may be in my future though.

[Frank46]

Just out of the blue but try rotating one of your fired cases in the chamber. If you find a spot where it chambers easily you just might have a chamber that isn't perfectly round. So if that is the case you will have to index your cases for the sweet spot. I may or may not be right on this but worth a shot as fired cases should easily rechamber in the rifle they were fired in. Frank

[MtGun44]

LOL! Since headspace is on the rim, the chamber shape seems to be entirely
an optional thing. AMAZING differences. Just fine for the soldier on the battlefield
but pure nastiness for us poor reloaders. I bag cases from each rifle and mark which
SMLE it came from, gives me LESS headaches, but still some are not happy.

Not sure what is happening with the OP's rifle, I wonder of the chamber could
be egg shaped in cross section, so the case has to be clocked correctly to
go back in. . . . .

Remember, as far as the military and the gun makers were concerned the condition
of the case after firing had TWO requirements: 1) be intact and 2) will extract.
After that they are entirely uninterested in an "expended" case.

[1johnlb]

OP,

No dice, gets about as far as the field gauge trying to close the bolt

After reading this statement you made, I have to ask, are you inserting the case in the cylinder or are you clipping it under the extractor? The extractor takes a might bit of force to jump the rim of the case and can be damaged if repeatedly forced over it. Try making a dummy round with just a boolit, insert it in the mag and see if it will chamber. If it does your just hitting the extractor against the back of the case, this is normal, at least in my experience.

[Multigunner]

A set of calipers did show that about half inch forward from the case head the case is about .002" wider than the brass before and after it.

The chamber may have at one time been plugged. A friend bought a Savage drill rifle otherwise unmodified other than having the firing pin broken off and a chamber plug hammered tightly into place and lightly tack welded.
He had bought the rifle soley to use its wood and fittings to restore a rifle with broken stock set.
When he dropped a cleaning rod down the bore the plug just popped out.
There was an irregular ring in the chamber just where yours is bulged. Hammering the chamber plug in left that ring.

To ensure that my reloads chamber easily I manually retract the cocking piece and dry fire using the fired case as a snapper. You could try that. Otherwise you may have to resort to full length resizing with the sizing die set to size as little as possible and still chamber.

One SMLE I had seemed to have very generous headspace till I noticed that its bolt handle was not properly fitted to the action strap (butt socket). The bolt was not turning all the way closed. When I trimmed a bit from the under side of the handle so it would close all the way the headspace was excellent. A few degrees difference in rotation had made about .005 difference in the headspace.

[fred2892]

OP,

After reading this statement you made, I have to ask, are you inserting the case in the cylinder or are you clipping it under the extractor? The extractor takes a might bit of force to jump the rim of the case and can be damaged if repeatedly forced over it. Try making a dummy round with just a boolit, insert it in the mag and see if it will chamber. If it does your just hitting the extractor against the back of the case, this is normal, at least in my experience.

The extractor will not be damaged by being forced over the rim every time. Dont forget, the Lee Enfield was designed for single round loading by dropping a cartridge onto the magazine cut off. Now if you were talking Mauser, you'd be correct.