need some load advise for a .303

[mike1979k]

first I want to say hello. I have read the forum quite a bit. I'm am trying to work up a load for a British .303 using 174gr flat nose gas check bullet. I tried blue dot at 14 & 15grn. was not to impressed. I have been unable to find loads for any other powder that I have thought you guys would know what willnand want work. I have blue dot. clays. w231. w760. varget. accurate 3100 . I did find a load on reloadersnest for 3100 at 41grns but was unable to confirm it anywhere. I seebablot of loads for red dot and green dot but I don't have ether and its a couple of hour drive for me to go get powder. the ideal result would be a good load for paper and white tail deer down size game at 100 yards or less. may be a Bob cat or cyotoe out a little more.

thanks for any help... Mike

[JeffinNZ]

What design/number is the bullet?

[mike1979k]

Lyman 311291 round nose flat point

[mike1979k]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/11/12/aqy8uru8.jpg

[jmort]

"I have blue dot. clays. w231. w760. varget. accurate 3100"

.
177 Lyman 311291 Winchester W-760 47.0 2,395
168 Lyman 31141 Winchester W-760 49.5 2,480
Remarks: Good hunting load
177 Lyman 311407 Winchester W-760 49.0 2,584

This is all I could find for cast and your powder inventory.

[mike1979k]

Is pushing cast to 24/2500 in a rifle ok. I was always told to keep it to around 1800. This is my first time loading cast in a none pistol caliber. Loaded lots of 357 and 45

[jmort]

Yes with gas check and correct alloy/lube.

[mike1979k]

Thanks for the info. Where did you pull that load data from. I have a lot of books some very old but they have very limited load data for cast and it's mostly pistol.

[mike1979k]

Trying to figure out what books I need to buy. I plane on loading more cast rounds. I have already started gathering supplies and equipment.

[jmort]

Load Data subscription site. They have all the powder/bullet manufacturer data, plus Pet Loads, plus all the Handloader Magazine data. As for Books, all I have is Modern Reloading by Richard Lee and Lyman's Cast Bullet manual 4th edition Forgot, also have Slug manual and Buckshot manual from BPI.

[mike1979k]

Cool thanks again

[Kraschenbirn]

Mike...I see a couple of issues here:

(1) The boolit in your pic ain't a Lyman 311291 unless your mould has been modified to obtain that half-diameter flat point. The 311291 is a true RN and what you've got looks more like a 311041.

(2) As you haven't mentioned anything about the groove diameter of your .303's barrel, I'm assuming you haven't slugged your bore. If you haven't, I'd advise that you do so before trying to work up a load using those boolits. The groove dia. of most .303 Brits will run in the .312-.313 range which means you're going to need a boolit with an 'as-cast' diameter in the .314-315 range. I have both the 311291 and the 311041 (both pre-Lyman 'Ideal' moulds) and without 'beagling' both cast in the .311-.312 range (depending upon alloy).

So far as powders, W760 is pretty flexible in .308-size cases and, due to the unavailability of 4895, I've been using it in my .30-40 Krag (pretty close to a .303 Brit) with what I consider 'acceptable' results...i.e. 2 1/2"-3" 100-yd groups (iron sights) at just over 2000 fps. Definitely adequate for just about anything smaller than elk.

Bill

[mike1979k]

I may have the number wrong. I'm at a ball game working off memory that's not as good as it once was. That's why I posted the photo also. They are .313 dia. Two of my books say to use krag data for the .303 so yea I would say they are close. I hope to pick up a krag someday.

[JeffinNZ]

They might be .313 but the nose is too skinny. You will require a bullet that is .314 at least and with a nose of .304 minimum. Al at NOE has moulds that would suffice but I think you are flogging a dead horse trying to get that .30cal bullet to shoot in a .303 Brit.

[DanM]

Even my like new Fazarkley shoots best with .315" boolits. You need to find a boolit that fills the throat. Once you have the right size boolit, they shoot like a dream. Easily one of the very best military rifles for cast, and LOTS of fun....DanM

[longbow]

Yup! Fatter boolit is better.

All my .303's run around 0.314" groove and a 0.315" sized boolit just slides into the throat. I use NOE 0.314" x 129 gr. lapped to 0.316", NOE 316299 (clone of Lyman 311/314299 but casts at 0.316") and 316410 (Mihec clone of Lyman 311410 but HO and casts at 0.316"). All shoot well in my guns.

And what DanM said... "Lots of fun!" I don't really know why but I like shooting my .303's more than any other guns I have.

Longbow

[303Guy]

The 30-40 has a larger case capacity than the 303 Brit which is actually the same as the 308 measured below the neck. I'd say that both Varget and W760 (H414) are good choices. Have you tried sliding the nose section of that boolit into the muzzle? If you are lucky it might be a tight fit in which case a fibrous filler under the boolit might make it shoot OK. The filler also helps the powder burn better at lower muzzle velocities. You'll be surprised at how low one can go with ball powders and fibrous filler (like wheat bran or wheat germ). I've only tried W748 and W780.

The faster twist of the Brit may limit your velocities to around 2200 fps but the 1800 fps figure is often stated as the accuracy ball park limit without special measures.

If that boolit is too small for your rifle's throat you could always paper patch it. Then you could drive it quite fast.

[mike1979k]

Tape is first 3 rounds. Holes are the next 3 rounds. Think that might work. More testing is needed.

[mike1979k]

I pulled the one down on 7. I knew it when I did it. I think the gun likes that load a bit better.

[mike1979k]

That's all for now. I feel the next to last was the best performers. Time load up some more of them. O and no leading at all. Bore is nice and clean. Thanks for the help guys.