resizing .303 brass

[OKSaddletramp]

I've got a nice looking no4MK1 that I've never fired, and I think it's about time to start. Actually, I read the Sticky about "mouse fart" loads and decided to give those a try. I ordered a set of neck collet dies and the Lee TL314-90-SWC and was going to order some Privi ammo if I didn't find any milsurp at last weekend's gun show. The only .303 ammo at the show was one pack (20) of greek milsurp for $40!!! and some Remington commercial for $45. Privi, here I come. But on my way to my truck, I ran into a guy selling some stuff out of his pickup. I ended up (along with some really neat finds) a box of Remington .303 brass, fired for $5.

They all have slight bulging on one side of the case head, and all have some blackening on the mouths, some more than others (hopefully will clean up in the lemon juice bath). All but one close in the chamber with only a slight bump. One, however is very, very tight to close and the bolt handle required a hefty smack to reopen. BTW, it has the least noticeable head bulge, but the shoulder seems to be set forward by a few mils from the others. I don't have a micrometer, yet (should be on the way this week), so can't give exact measurements.

Will I have to spring for FL dies now, or can I fire form (with or without O-ring)? I wanted to use the .314 SWC over 5g Bullseye, but now I think, especially with an O-ring spacer, that the headspace issue on the one, and the bulges on them all will only be exacerbated unless I FL size. Am I right? I hate to shell out the money for a set of dies I probably will only use on 20 rounds. Can I get away with neck sizing the other 19, and just leave out the tight fitter?

(Previously posted elsewhere, but no responses, so I'll try again here.)

[leadhead]

If you load them with a reasonable load and fire them, then they will form to
your chamber and then you can just neck size. I never did the "O" ring thing.
As you keep shooting them, you will probably have to full length size them
sometime in the future. Headspace is really not a problem with a rimmed case.
Denny

[Scharfschuetze]

Be judicious if and when you full length resize the cases. After issues with mud and dirt in the trenches of WWI, most Lee Enfields have a chamber with the shoulder moved slightly forward of where the original specs had it. Ammo and reloading dies all have the shoulder set per the specs, so when full length sizing, you'll often set the shoulder back some to a lot. When the shoulder gets blown forward to fit the chamber again, it leads to thinning in the web area of the case.

Of all rifles where this could be problem, the Lee Enfield is the poster child, at least when firing full power ammo. With its rear locking lugs, it apparently allows some stretching of the case when it is fired, again, causing issues with the web of the case. It all leads to reduced case life and separations of the case at the web.

All of my Lee Enfields exhibit this trait, whether a No 1 MKIII*, a No 4, No 4T or a No 5.

I normally just neck size and when required, I just partially FL resize and try not to set the shoulder back. With the normally large chambers in Lee Enfields, that has extended the life of my cases to some extent.

The light loads that you are planning should negate much of the above.

Given the above, you'll also find a couple of threads here about using 30/40 Krag cases for your 303. Apparently the Krag cases have a thicker web than the 303 cases and thus last longer. I haven't tried that yet, as my 30/40 cases are all spoken for by my Krag infantry rifle.

I started reloading the 303 with a Lee Loader and did great work with it. Recently Larry Gibson found this Lee Target Loader for the 303 British for me. It's the cat's meow for neck sizing and uniforming your 303 cases.

Thanks Larry!

I use an arbor press with Lee Loaders instead of a mallet.

[longbow]

I have four Lee Enfields and three have about the same chamber so brass is interchangeable within reason. I have one with a tight chamber as well and while most rounds chamber okay, some are quite tight. So, I have to segregate brass. For the most part I shoot one No. 5 and mostly just use Lee collet dies for that. Recently I did a round of annealing, trimming and sizing in my RCBS dies to just push the shoulder back a bit since I have been interchanging brass in various guns.

Certainly if they chamber easily and you keep loads moderate to light you should get away with neck sizing only.

Also, if you neck size only, head space should not be an issue even if the gun is out of spec because the brass will fire form to your chamber then head space on the shoulder.

All my chambers are very large so the shoulder moves about 1/16" (by eyeball) when full length sized brass is used. That is very hard on brass.

Oh, something else you might want to do is set up your collet die without the mandrel in it then adjust until you get about 0.312" to 0.313" or you may wind up sizing boolits as you seat them in the brass. I run a 0.315" boolit and found that to be a problem when seating them in brass sized back to SAAMI specs for 0.311" bullet. Also it is hard on brass sizing down then opening up that much. I now size necks to 0.313" inside.

Longbow

[beemer]

You will probably need a FL sizer sooner or later anyway. When you FL size a .303 Brit size just enough to chamber easily, be careful not to set the shoulder back to factory length. In effect what you are doing is setting the headspace off the shoulder. This saves a lot of working on the shoulder of the case. I like the collet sizer, it saves a lot of excess work on the neck. These rifles are sometimes a bit hard on brass, every little bit helps.

That odd case could have been fired in another rifle, chambers and shoulder lengths vary a lot in the Brit rifles.

Dave