Load DataInline FabricationRotoMetals2Wideners
Lee PrecisionTitan ReloadingReloading EverythingMidSouth Shooters Supply
Repackbox
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 23

Thread: .303 Brit reformed to ??? (what have I got?)

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    obssd1958's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    1,077

    .303 Brit reformed to ??? (what have I got?)

    So, I was going through some of my boxes of brass and misc. collected stuff, and I stumbled on a couple of cartridge boxes that are marked in black marker - ".303 Brit.". When I open them, it's obvious that the empty cases inside may have started life as .303 British (as they are headstamped), but they are now a tapered case, with no shoulder.
    I've gone through my "Cartridges of the World" but can't seem to come up with anything that really matches.

    The dimensions are:
    Rim dia. .525
    Neck dia. .410
    Case length 2.145
    and about .388 inside the case mouth

    They actually appear to have been fireformed, as there is a .165" tall band around the base, that measures @ .003 smaller than the brass above. It looks like something (tape or something similar) was wrapped around the base, just above the rim, and kept it from expanding as much as the case just above. Maybe to center it in the chamber?

    Just curious, and thought that I would throw it out here for thoughts and opinions!



    Don

    What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
    - Henry S. Haskins in “Meditations in Wall Street”

    "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." ...Unknown

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    177
    Shotshells? Some Indian 303's were converted to shotguns

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Castlegar, B.C., Canada
    Posts
    7,932
    Might be .416 Strauss:

    http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2...a-303-wildcat/

    There's been a few discussions on .303 wildcats over the years and the Aussies seem to have the market on most.

    I thought about blowing them out to .44 for a .444 like round. .44 Rhino was a shortened and blown out .303 or .30-40 Krag (can't recall for sure but either would work).

    Longbow

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    over the hill, out in the woods and far away
    Posts
    10,158
    Yup! .410 2-1/8"
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    leebuilder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    1,029
    With neck sizing and trimming it could be .375 nitro flanged. It was based on the 303. Similar to 405 win.
    be well
    When you read the fine print you get an education
    when you ignore the fine print you get experience

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    UPSTATE new york
    Posts
    1,722
    Quote Originally Posted by leebuilder View Post
    With neck sizing and trimming it could be .375 nitro flanged. It was based on the 303. Similar to 405 win.
    be well
    this would be my guess

  7. #7
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    2,508
    Quote Originally Posted by ascast View Post
    this would be my guess
    Problem is the 375 Flanged is 2.5", I've made them from 405's, wish I could use 303. They just aren't long enough.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    UPSTATE new york
    Posts
    1,722
    I have owned 2 guns in my life sold as "38-55", both drillings or capegun, : combo rifle/ shotgun. Neither were 38-55, nor could I find anything in "Cartridges of the World" or else where. Both chambers were sloppy with a factory 38-55 in them; and sloppy beyond what be called a typical black powder era chamber.
    Could be a 9.5 mm or 9.3mm of some kind, homemade. A straight taper reamer is easy to come by.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    UPSTATE new york
    Posts
    1,722
    what was your base dia.? after the tape you mentioned

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    leebuilder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    1,029
    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    Problem is the 375 Flanged is 2.5", I've made them from 405's, wish I could use 303. They just aren't long enough.
    You are right, gonna hit the books later and find a reference. I considered rebarrel a 303 to a 375 cal. 303 max trim lenght is 2.222"
    There are a few old versions of 375.
    Thanks for the input!!
    Be well
    When you read the fine print you get an education
    when you ignore the fine print you get experience

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    obssd1958's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    1,077
    There are a lot of cartridges that are just enough longer than what I've got, that I don't think they were reformed for that purpose. Besides being short for the parent case, these show signs that they have been trimmed.
    The base is .452 just above the rim, where it appears to have been wrapped or taped, and .454 just above that. Then it tapers to .410 at the outside of the case mouth.


    Don

    What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
    - Henry S. Haskins in “Meditations in Wall Street”

    "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." ...Unknown

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    GOPHER SLAYER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Cherry Valley ,Ca.
    Posts
    2,673
    I anneal 303s and use them in my 40 Krag. You could also use them in the 30-40 Krag but they would be a trifle short.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Castlegar, B.C., Canada
    Posts
    7,932
    Okay then... I didn't read carefully enough! "and about .388 inside the case mouth" so not .416 Strauss but likely .375/.303 which I have to think is somewhat different than .375 flanged express.

    Seems to me JeffinNZ has written about .375/.303.

  14. #14
    Banned
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    san antonio, tx
    Posts
    892
    ascast,

    Your drilling/cape-gun just may be a .378 Express, which was fairly popular in the UK & Africa at the beginning of the 20th Century for reboring pitted tubes/chambers. - The .378 was .303 British-based, if I remember correctly.

    A chamber cast & careful measurement will probably "tell the tale".

    yours, tex

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    2,377
    There is a cartridge called the 375 Special or similar name. Basically just a 303 case necked up to 375 caliber with no other changes. Does have a tiny shoulder more like a ring than anything else. Could this be the mystery case/cartridge you refer to?. Frank

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy hornady308's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    North Carolina - in the Piedmont
    Posts
    378
    I remember that some Canadian Ross rifles had greatly enlarged chambers to help prevent jamming when used in the trenches of WWI. Unfortunately, I no longer have a fired case from the Ross I used to own, so I cannot provide the dimensions.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    146
    Quote Originally Posted by hornady308 View Post
    I remember that some Canadian Ross rifles had greatly enlarged chambers to help prevent jamming when used in the trenches of WWI. Unfortunately, I no longer have a fired case from the Ross I used to own, so I cannot provide the dimensions.
    It was all 303's that were enlarged. I have both Ross and Enfield's of WW1 and I can say both chambers produce larger brass and are dimensionally different. I'm assuming the reamer wasn't standard as I have some pretty weird chambers. I might add this was due to mud in the trenches and the problems that go along with chambering dirty ammo.
    Side note. I purchased a new Criterion 303 barrel for a 303 Brit P14. I followed the same load that I do with the weaker no1 mk3 rifle as they were going 2350fps. Figured it would be a good starting point. Upon firing these rounds in the. New barrel I noticed some recoil, so I chronied these rounds. I was getting 2650ish fps. Basically the old enfields chambers were significantly larger. The proper velocity for 303 is about 2450fps

    To the OP. Check to see if they chamber in a 410 shotgun. People have been know to wreck good 303 brass by making 410 u out of it.
    Last edited by Mgvande; 12-13-2017 at 10:20 PM. Reason: Addition

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
    obssd1958's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    1,077
    Quote Originally Posted by Mgvande View Post
    ...To the OP. Check to see if they chamber in a 410 shotgun. People have been know to wreck good 303 brass by making 410 u out of it.
    They do chamber in a bolt action .410 that I have - but so do standard once-fired .303 Brit cases. The extractor seems to be working harder when any of the .303's are chambered, but I'm attributing that to the thicker rim.
    One of our members asked for some of these to try in his .410, and I sent a few to him. Hopefully he'll update us with how they work out, once he has a chance to try them. (my .410 is a work in progress/parts gun, and won't currently safely fire anything!!)

    What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
    - Henry S. Haskins in “Meditations in Wall Street”

    "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." ...Unknown

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

    leebuilder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    1,029
    I am at a lose. I purged alot of old notes I had. I am sure it was based on 303 and calibre 375, maybe the 303, 410 convertions. Must off been something unobtainable for me not to follow through on it.
    Be well.
    When you read the fine print you get an education
    when you ignore the fine print you get experience

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Dan Cash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Western North Dakota
    Posts
    3,327
    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    Problem is the 375 Flanged is 2.5", I've made them from 405's, wish I could use 303. They just aren't long enough.
    I have used both .303 and .30-40 brass for my .375 2 1/2 inch Flanged rifle and while the cas is short, it works very well. Just seat the bullet to cartridge overall length. Lots of bullet forward of the case but it shoots well.
    To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check