303 British - Brass No More?

[mrbillbus]

Will anyone ever make 303 british brass again?

I am joking mostly but it seems that everyone is on backorder. Midway has been for over a year.

I want to try the o-ring trick. That would seem to require new brass but all I have is once fired on hand. At the same time I would hate to waste a box of factory ammo just to generate a reloadable supply.

Graf has Prvy but only sell in lots of 100. If the o-ring thing doesn't work I don't really need that many.

Thanks for a place to vent.:sad:

[Artful]

Buy the hundred - if you don't find use for the remaining 50 or 80 or whatever - put 'em up for sale here - lot of us have 303's

[Mk42gunner]

Or try annealing your once fired brass prior to using the o-ring.

Robert

[94Doug]

Mr Nambu sells bags of 50 PRVY.

Doug

[EDG]

Buy the Prvi - The head is larger and the shoulder more closely matches the much longer chambers.
Lee Enfield chambers do not closely match dies, brass or ammo....

[rondog]

What is the "o-ring trick"?

[JeffinNZ]

PM 'Jim'. He has a heap he offered me but I have quite a stash.

[mrbillbus]

Thanks for the responses! I will look into the PRVI.

Bill

[nicholst55]

What is the "o-ring trick"?

You place the appropriate size o-ring on the case head just ahead of the rim, which centers the cartridge in the chamber. When fired, the case remains 'straight,' instead of expanding to fit the chamber while its laying on the bottom.

[walltube]

mrbillbus,

Privi .303 Brit cases are, in my experience, the best made and most economical alternative to NORMA or Lapua if you are wanting quality brass that will perform in your .303 Whateverrifle. Yes there are some minor lot-to-lot differences in flange (rim) diameter and thickness. Remington and Winchester render a shorter case life. Must be made for SAMMI dimensioned chambers only? Privi is my favorite manufacturer of .303 cases.

nichollst55 says it well about the "O" ring trick. Not a trick really, but a method that will allow you to fireform cases to a particular chamber without much humbug. Some members here bell the case mouth to a diameter that will have a snug fit to the throat ensuring the case is indeed well aligned to the bore. All this is a one time proceedure.

Mil-surp SMLE-Enfields are what they are, and many do have head space to an excess that will shorten brass life. Within its limits, the O ring 'takes up' this excess safely. You do have your 'new' Enfield's headspace inspected before firing, don't you? (just asking)!
Hoped to have been of service.

My two dinar,
Wt.


.

[jonk]

FWIW, I tried the O ring trick with once fired brass. I didn't run max loads, but it seemed to work just fine. I bought a variety of O-rings and chose the one that let the bolt close with just a tad of resistance. Granted, I only got 30 shots out of it before it crapped out but now that I know what size ring, I can just buy a bag of them.

[Frank46]

I've had some old hansen cartridge company 303 brass. Out of all the different brands privi was the only one that did not show a large bulge near the case head. Sellier and bellot was a close second. Rem,Win and federal had the bulges and in some cases were downright scary. Frank

[oldrodder]

We find 303 brass in every gravel pit at this time of the year!! But with the supply of SMLE's drying up and the availability of newer and more powerful calibers in inexpensive rifles, we are seeing less and less. Popular brands here are Imperial (Canadian)
Winchester & Remington and to a lesser extent, S&B & Prvi.
Mike

[fatelvis]

What size o-ring do you guys use for the fireforming? Thanks-

[dualsport]

Just FYI there is another method that is also popular involving lightly oiled cases with reduced loads for first firing. The details are important and can be found thru a search. This 'oil' method has worked good for me to fireform my brass to extend case life.

[GabbyM]

I saw new 30-40 brass for sale last week. Probably one of our catalog sales sponsors.
Not sure it would work to make 303. Have heard of 303 forming to 30-40 in the past.
Looks like going from Krag to Brit would be better as the Krag is longer brass.

[303Guy]

This 'oil' method has worked good for me to fireform my brass to extend case life.I use this method using case lube (STP Smoke Stopper). It seems fine in tighter chambers. I've done it with a rifle with excess headspace too and that seemed to work OK.

[ckcadavona]

My only supply of .303 brass is PRVI Boxed 175 and 180 loaded ammo. Should I pull the bullets, fire form with cast boolits, and save the jacketed bullets? Would it be safe to use the o-ring method with the factory loaded ammo?

[fatelvis]

I would go ahead and use the O-ring method without pulling the bullets. You will be fine.

[longbow]

As mentioned, if you can get .30-40 Krag brass it will make .303 British brass. I have not done it as I have a lot of .303 British brass but the head of .30-40 Krag is a few thou larger so once formed it does not have the unsightly bulge that .303 British brass does.

As I understand it, it is as simple as running .30-40 Krag brass through the .303 full length sizing die then trim.

Longbow

[Ed in North Texas]

As mentioned, if you can get .30-40 Krag brass it will make .303 British brass. I have not done it as I have a lot of .303 British brass but the head of .30-40 Krag is a few thou larger so once formed it does not have the unsightly bulge that .303 British brass does.

As I understand it, it is as simple as running .30-40 Krag brass through the .303 full length sizing die then trim.

Longbow

It is usually easier, and much less expensive, to find .303 than .30-40 brass. I find the Prvi brass to fit the chamber of 3 different .303s (all, admittedly either very late or post war rifles FTR'd and put away waiting for the Russkies coming through the Fulda Gap) better than most brass. It works as well for me as my Greek surplus brass, I've never had a bulged case with that brass (wish I had laid in several cases of the .303 and bought the same of the .30-06 when it was on the market - hindsight is 20/20).

[longbow]

I know when I look in Canada, it is easier to find .303 brass than .30-40 Krag but then there were lots of Lee Enfields floating around Canada for a long time. Also, .30-40 Krag brass tends to be quite a bit more expensive here too... or at least where I can shop.

I have seen comments going the opposite way in the States with .30-40 brass being more readily available. Could well depend on location.

As far as I know there is no shortage of .303 brass locally. I'll check next time I go to the only local gun store where I bought my last bag. There are no other gun stores within 3 hours drive so my access is limited.

Longbow

[Ed in North Texas]

I have to admit that I didn't think about people who actually drive to a store to buy brass. I have no local source of reloading components (about 50 miles one way is the closest) and order from the net. The prices are better and when the cost of fuel is factored in, even paying HazMat charges for powder comes out better (as long as I don't even think of buying 1 pound at a time).

[GabbyM]

Brass availability is what it is on the given day you want to purchase it.

[Ed in North Texas]

Brass availability is what it is on the given day you want to purchase it.

While true, it sort of depends on whether you anticipate need and plan ahead, or realize you need some 7.64 Whizzer brass the day before the range session with your boss and his son.

[GabbyM]

While true, it sort of depends on whether you anticipate need and plan ahead, or realize you need some 7.64 Whizzer brass the day before the range session with your boss and his son.

But then that's not the day you wanted it. It's the day you anticipated you may need it.
In the end. When it comes a moment to shoot. You have to run what you bring because anything else is just a pipe dream. Your availability is what you can drop into the chamber. Should of could of don't get it done.

[Ed in North Texas]

But then that's not the day you wanted it. It's the day you anticipated you may need it.
In the end. When it comes a moment to shoot. You have to run what you bring because anything else is just a pipe dream. Your availability is what you can drop into the chamber. Should of could of don't get it done.

This strikes me as sophistry, but who am I to judge. Should have, could have certainly is correct.

[Nickle]

I'd say it may very well be that, Chief (love your avatar, yes, I know what is is). But, he is right. You've got to anticipate availability these days, and simply, plan ahead. The 3 of us know that, but some folks just haven't learned it yet.

If you use it, get some on hand when it's available, and priced right. You don't need to hoard, just buy enough so you've got it, when you want it.

[tinsmith]

I just purchased a No 5 "Jungle Carbine". Anxious to shoot it! A friend told me to check Graf & Sons, inc. in Mexico, MO. I just checked on line and they do have Prvi 303 British brass. I'm going to order 100 today. That O-Ring idea is great. I have a 30-40 Krag with an oversize chamber. Really hate those bulged on one side cases. (I neck size only, so the bulge isn't worked and therefore weakened.) Why didn't I think of that!
Jeff

[ravelode]

Long ago, when I owned a Lee Enfield (No 1 MkIII Lithgow:) I would have a lot of head separations after the 4 reloads on a case usually Herters brass. I found some 30-40 Rem- UMC cases and resized them, trimmed them, and they would last for 15 or more loadings. Just my experince

[Char-Gar]

What size O rings have you found to work best?

[tinsmith]

Graf & Sons in Mexico, MO has PRVI brass in 303 British. I just ordered some online.

[btreanor]

Some once-fired S&B on Gunbroker for a reasonable price:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=389993874

[BPrezPB]

Graf & Sons in Mexico, MO has PRVI brass in 303 British. I just ordered some online.

Thanks for the headsup, just got some loaded prvi from there $.80 ea. It was $.50 ea just for the brass so I opted for the loaded too give me sometime to get a few molds an dies put together :)

What would the brass look like, to have a need for oring trick? Only have the 1 303 jungle rifle, so will only be neck sizing...

[curator]

Once-fired S&B .303 British brass is half used up. Most 303-shooters get only one, sometimes two reloads out of S&B brass before it shows signs of head separation.


Some once-fired S&B on Gunbroker for a reasonable price:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=389993874

[madsenshooter]

What size O rings have you found to work best?

O ring alternatives: http://www.kragcollectorsassociation.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1396146491