reloading help for 303 british

[yakutstk]

Recently started going shooting with my parents and ended up picking up an enfield, but I'm having a bit of trouble deciding which route to go with for reloading since the rounds are somewhat costly out here, either getting molds etc and making cast or swaging. Reason being molds for casting rounds are pretty cheap if i get lees but i don't know what kind of range/leading i would get with them vs using a swage die set from ch4d as well as what other equipment i would need to get either, save our reloading presses and a die set for the rounds themselves. Figured it couldn't hurt to ask people that have been doing both for a while which route would be better in the long run.

Any advice really is welcome as I'm completely new to both shooting and reloading.

[b52fizzle]

If new to both I would honestly buy the components first, to get the feel of reloading, start with as many books as you can find those are your main "components" to reloading. Will still be cheaper than buying factory can get practice shooting and working on loads to see what will fill your bill when you do start casting/swaging your own just my thoughts, but definitely research and safety are key

[yakutstk]

I'm actually reading through our modern reloading second edition book currently to see if i can get any clues on it from there

[GRUMPA]

Well here's the quick and dirty on this.

If you don't have some years/experience with rifle reloading, Please learn the basics, reading, acquiring tools of the trade, dies, press, powder and so on.

I noticed from your last thread your reading and that's a great start in the right direction.

Once you are very familiar with the way things work, and I mean you have developed proven reloads that you yourself have made, I would then progress into casting. Casting in itself is a world apart from reloading with readily available components.


Swagging is to some a great way to get what you want when you want it. Meaning your not dependent on someone else for projectiles (bullets). Sure a person can get what he needs from commercial suppliers, but for some of us it's just one of those challenges in life that we some how just want to conquer and make something as good if not better than what's out there. And alot of this applies in casting as well, I shot alot of cast and I'm darn happy with the results, but from the little bit I've been swagging I have no regrets.

[yakutstk]

Guess its time to do some searching for some well priced lees dies and some well priced boolits to do some practice reloads with while my dad supervises since he at least has some experience with reloading, though he hasn't in at least 25 years. Wish my mom had let him take me out when i was a kid so i could have started earlier and he could have kept up his reloading knowledge but hey what can ya do.

[b52fizzle]

Yeah I had similar lines my dad quit reloading bout that long ago, but luckily kept all his stuff, I read the cover off of an old speer manual from when he started in the seventies. My mom brought home four or five copies of guns and ammo from her work at a doctors office somebody left for the waiting room, still have em and most of the pages that have fallen out, we lived in the city and folks didn't have time to go shooting much. However I read everything I could get my hands on, by the time I was 16 I knew somewhat what I was talking about. By then we had moved to the country and dad bought me my first 22. Shot every chance I got bb guns pellet rifles 22, he was raised on the word of 22's 'll go a mile, so I was limited as to when I got to.shoot it, then I received a single shot 12 gauge. Then started working once I was outta school but kept up on gun readin. Finally at 21 bought my first rifle and pistol, mini14 and 1911. And then the reloading started, still lived in the country so could load a few and pop em out the back door check for function. Been goin ever since, slowed down a bit since my little girl was born 8 months ago. But ill get goin soon enough and hopefully add some swaging along with it. And start gettin her guns ready for when shes old enough. I have a passion for guns I don't know why, but I enjoy shooting reloading, reading about it all thinking of new stuff, hopin oneday I may be as innovative as those who came before with an idea that changed or enhanced our beloved sport, because of a need or want or just the plain hell of it.

Thanks to anyone who read all that.

And hope that you do it well and do it safely, yak. And enjoy it.

[yakutstk]

Looks like ill be swaging then, I've developed a distaste for relying on others for much of anything, got a while before i start only working part time currently but i can put money to the side bit by bit till i can afford a swaging setup. Thanks for the advice, any brass that i should keep an eye out for at the ranges we go to for swaging the 303 brits so i have a supply when i actually get my setup?

only issue with this book alot of lee trying to push their products, still some helpful information though I might have to get a few other books off ebay/amazon.

[GRUMPA]

yakutstk,

I'll give you the same advise I do others that ask me that same question.

When out and about, pick up anything that is reloadable even if you don't have a use for it.

Get as much as possible and separate them by caliber, then when you have a few thousand of the same thing sell them off to others so you can afford to get what you need.

That's how I got so much of my stuff, it takes time but every time I picked up brass it was for trade and that really helps when you can't afford much.

[yakutstk]

yeah we pick up everything we find that isn't military cases, I'm just unsure which to use for the 303's and i would rather not end up trading them off on accident if i can use em, got a few five gallon buckets of brass already from just a few early monday morning trips out there.

[GRUMPA]

Even Military brass has it's value to some people. To give you an example, Military 30-06 brass, some folks like it some don't. Some people take that same brass and convert it to 8mm brass, it's simple to do and they like it because of the thicker brass, despite the fact they have crimped in primers, to some it's not a bother so long as they can get the brass at a good price.

The only thing I can see actually wrong with Military brass is when you get into the very common stuff, like 9mm and 40cal. With so much of it out there that doesn't have a primer crimp to mess with why get it in the first place.

As far as what brass to use in your 303, well let experience be your guide. You will find out which gives better groups and functionality of the rifle itself. From what I gather your kinda at the starting line as far as what works well for what you own, and only patience and practice and excellent written notes will be your guide.

Don't forget about taking notes, that's more important than you may realize.

[crusty66]

I have reloaded .303 for a few years now & I would recommend buying new brass & using Lee collet dies for sizing. The brass will last for many reloads this way. I use RP (Remington) brass - it is cheap and easy to get. The best projectile I have found is a Hornady sold by Grafs, the HRN3130G. It is a Hollow point boat tail.

If you want to cast, make sure you slug the bore - you might need projectiles as large as .316

Look for posts by JeffinNZ, he knows all about casting for the .303

[Dan Cash]

I would recommend getting some quality brass and dies. Forget the Lee junk; It is cheap but will afford you a world of headaches due to its miserable manufacturing quality.

[Littlewolf]

i'm reloading my 303 brit and the recipe i like is as follows

40.1 gr imr or h 4895
150gr Hornady SP
CCI large rifle primer

it's not as painfull on the shoulder w the 1944 brass buttplate but still puts lead in an acceptable group even pushing long range. granted i'm not yet loading a cast boolit in this chamber yet but i'm liking the charge and dies are full length lee with a factory crimp die, i would preffer rcbs dies but at the time i could get the lee


hope this helps you

[Littlewolf]

watch it on lubing the cases just a very little bit or the case will wrinkle at the shoulder and wach the case sizing i found in my rifle if i didn't get copleatly to the base the round would NOT chamber and at the very least be rather difficult to cycle the bolt

[DukeInFlorida]

There is a separate section of this forum for reloading. THis is the swaging section, dealing with the making of bullets.

[yakutstk]

ok correct me if any of this is wrong, for swaging the 303's I can either use cases from a variety of calibers depending on how much effort i want to put in to each jacket and how heavy i want said rounds to be for example using a 5.7x27 fn for lighter longer distance rounds and 9mm for heavier if i work with the casings a bit, or copper tubing to be more precise but spend alot more time getting all the measurements just right and it requires specialty dies for it, by the looks of things in terms of the calibers we find at the range ill have to do the 9mms and trim them for lighter rounds or copper tubing since we have prolly a few thousand 9's and only eight 5.7's.

How much would a set of dies for copper tubing run me just on guestimate since I cant judge the thickness to use currently if anyone has a rough idea?


ps california sucks for brass variety on ranges sometimes

[runfiverun]

i just sent 710.00 for a 308 set up without the copper tubing forming die.
or a core die.
which i'll end up getting at some point.
for a guy just starting out, i'd drop that money into components and get a good handle on how the basics work.
swaging isn't something you just jump into.[well it is at some point] but it isn't cheap,and it takes a background in measuring,annealing,casting,and load figuring.
it is nice to have the tools to make what you want.
but you still need supplies to make that happen,jackets and lead for cores whether you buy or make them you still need those two things.

[303Guy]

You could also look into paper patching if you're up to some challenges and frustration and have the patience.

What rifle do you have? How is the bore?

I get almost infinite life out of 303 Brit cases.

[yakutstk]

the rifle is a no 4 mk 1f, unfortunately all of our digital micrometers have gone missing so i can't say on the bore size, and on diving into swaging I don't really have a choice, my dad's gone to the whole end of days mentality and is hunting all over for a swaging setup for his .223 so i guess in part I'm doing research and asking questions to learn more about it to prevent any mistakes that would cost us if possible, I've gotta help out the old guy somehow.

[runfiverun]

all he needs to to to find the 223 swage dies is p.m. bt sniper.
bryan is finishing up a run of them right now.

[303Guy]

The good news is No4's seem to have more consistent bores. Either way the swaging dies would likely be custom anyway. Our own BTSniper does boolit swaging dies. Check out his thread; BTSniper Custom Tools and Dies - it's a sticky.

[Mountain Prepper]

I would recommend getting some quality brass and dies. Forget the Lee junk; It is cheap but will afford you a world of headaches due to its miserable manufacturing quality.

Is there any evidence for this statement?

Some items from Lee are problematic but to say that about the entire line is not supported by facts and evidence.

Lee dies are top-notch, work well and on par with RCBS, and other name brands.

The Classic series is also on par with the competition, and most of the equipment represents a great value for the item. Are some items not on par with the Classic Cast series - yes, I would put the Classic Cast single stage against any similar press on the market.

[Mountain Prepper]

You could also look into paper patching if you're up to some challenges and frustration and have the patience.

What rifle do you have? How is the bore?

I get almost infinite life out of 303 Brit cases.

The older bolt action military rifles all are very good candidates for paper patched bullets, it is a shame paper patching is not more known and popular it represents a 1/2 step from casting to swaging gaining a considerable ability to produce higher velocities.

[yakutstk]

oddly i was debating between going for c&h since those would only take me a bit to set aside for or BT's due to them being better quality and well not taking an absurd amount of time if they're between productions and sold out. Only issue i have with getting BT's is price really as i said earlier i only work part time currently, but i can manage if thats the better route since to be honest Id rather get dies that work great and cost more then dies that only work ok but are cheap. Most likely though if i go with BT's ill end up having to get the custom complete set and a copper tubing set (correct me if I'm wrong) so that's around $785 + paypals fee since that's the only way i have of paying for stuff online currently, gives me till around December before i have enough set aside potentially unless i can pull enough from other sources on my off time between housework and tending to animals/garden and repeatedly removing viruses from my dad's pc. Hmm gives me enough time to do proper research at least i guess as well as try and build up a stockpile of 5.7 cases.

If any of that was wrong just list what i would need to order from BT and ill note it down on my shopping list that I'm building up. Just a bit of a shame to hold back on settin aside on something I'm trying to get for my dad then again said project is a bit outta part-time work's league in terms of cost eh heh...

[GRUMPA]

The best advise I can give to you is to contact BT through PM. I have 2 of his die sets 1 for making 40cal and another for 45 cal, I couldn't be happier.

[Littlewolf]

duke yakutstk asked for any advice on loading the 303 brit so i gave it in the thread that they started problem with that? i thought not

[yakutstk]

measured at .303 -.306 on the bore starting to think this was an unissued or replacement barrel because that's a bit too exact, either that or i measured wrong, after checking some things over ill pm BT about what all I'll have to order, just busy as of late due to mothers day.

[GRUMPA]

I would say something is off with your measuring, the bore diameter should be around .313 and if you don't know how read up on slugging your barrel.

Give this a read: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=49003&highlight=slugging+barrel

[yakutstk]

thanks sorry was doing what dad said before, slugging it came out as .310-.312, bookmarked the link so i can read over the other info on it when i have more time to spare since currently I'm doing this stuff between tending to dinner.

[crusty66]

GRUMPA

you need to read up on slugging the barrel.

the BORE diameter will be about .303"

the rifling GROOVE diameter will be about .311" - .315"

Difficult to measure on a 5 groove barrel.

[Littlewolf]

my #4mk1 slugged .312 manufacture date 1944 rebarrelled and trigger gard n mag release redone in 1952 and stored in a warehouse till i bought it in 1992

[runfiverun]

5 groove is simple enough.
wrap something around the boolit/slug i use some thin copper strips i have, and remove the thickness added this will give you the number.

[GRUMPA]

GRUMPA

you need to read up on slugging the barrel.

the BORE diameter will be about .303"

the rifling GROOVE diameter will be about .311" - .315"

Difficult to measure on a 5 groove barrel.


YEP!!! your right my bad....that's what I get when I'm in a hurry.:?