Jacketed in Enfield No4 Mk2

[rjathon]

Is it OK to shoot .312” jacketed (Hornady 174 gr RN) in an Enfield No4 mk2?

Thank you.

[LAGS]

Why would those bullets not work ?
I have used them over the years in most of my Enfield's.
The load may be different for each rifle to get best accuracy.
But that is normal for best accuracy and that is why we reload.

[john.k]

The main point is dont use boattailed bullets in a two groove barrel...they only are accurate with flat base bullets.......With a five or six groove (early Savage) any bullets are OK.

[Mk42gunner]

If I'm not mistaken that Hornady bullet was designed for the .303 British cartridge. It also happens to work for most full sized .31 caliber /7.65mm rifle cartridges. I do think it is too heavy for a 7.62x39.

Robert

[Bloodman14]

Why would it not work in the x39? I have been shooting Accurate's 316-215B and NOE's 316299 over 1.6 cc's of LeveRevolution in my Yugo SKS. Functions just fine.

[303Guy]

My No4 two-groove shoots boat tails just fine. One particular boat tail anyway. It's a .310 180gr Highland. Can't get anymore so I don't do target or practice with it. It has less bullet jump than the .311 Speer 180gr round nose as well as the .312 Hornady 174gr round nose. One day I'll get some 174's and try them in it. I don't see any reason why they should not shoot well. I'm told they are a good hunting bullet. I have used them in a five-groove and they performed well on game.

[leebuilder]

As another said why wouldn't they??? They are made for the 303, the No 4's sights are calibrated to a 174gr j-thingy.
From my experience boat tails do not preform as good as flat base in the 303.
The Hornady 174gr rn .312 is best off the self j-thingy I've used to date. My go to hunting round.
Try seating them not quite to the crimp ring.
Be well

[Larry Gibson]

I shoot the .312 Hornady SP out of my 1950 No4 Mk2* as it has a .312 groove diameter (5 groove0 barrel. Same bullet/load out of my Ross M10 with a .311 groove diameter barrel. No problems. The bullet gets swaged down in the 1st bearing length of travel when the psi is still low. after that first bearing length it is like any other jacketed bullet of groove diameter psi wise.

Note; I have thoroughly pressure tested shooting oversize jacketed bullets (oversize within reason). If they are copper or mild steel jacketed the psi rise is usually small and if not a max load presents no "danger'. In the case of the Hornady .312 bullets they are fine in most 31 caliber rifles except will/can give poor accuracy in the really larger groove diameter barrels. However, harder steel jacketed bullets with steel penetrators in them should not be used if they are over groove diameter. Those raise psi a lot and can raise the psi to very high levels depending on the load.

[Mk42gunner]

Why would it not work in the x39? I have been shooting Accurate's 316-215B and NOE's 316299 over 1.6 cc's of LeveRevolution in my Yugo SKS. Functions just fine.

Hi neighbor, To me the 7.62x39 is a small cased round that doesn't quite equal the .30-30 with the same weight projectiles. Granted most of my x39 plinking these days is with light weight cast boolits, but I don't see the need for a very slow heavy jacketed load in my bolt action.

If I were to load j words for deer, I would probably use the Speer 130 grain FP. I think I still have most of a box of them somewhere.

Robert

[jim147]

I can't remember the last time I sized a boolit for my enfield. I think they drop around .312 or .314. I'll check when I get a chance. As long as they fit the chamber they work.

Off topic, the 123 pointed soft point is good in the 7.62X39.