? for 303 Guy

[6.5 mike]

I looked back in your 25/303 posts & didn't find what diameter you used to start with. Did I miss something ? Giving some though to pp'ing for a 250/3000 Sav. ( got a .257 roberts also.)

[303Guy]

That's because I was still developing the boolit.:mrgreen: I have beem trying to get my mold to produce the right size and shape to give a nice hand press fit into an unsized case neck and at the same time just lightly contact the bore on the nose ride section PLUS have a tapered step down that just contacts the leade. A bit of a tall order really. These things are small! (And I wanted to do paper patching for the hornet. :roll: )

And then I got distracted by a whole bunch of Lee Enfields![smilie=1:

Base Ø = 0.2620" (Base plus zero)
Ø at throat entry = 0.2600" (Base pluse 0.315")
Ø at bore-ride / leade = 0.2551" (Base plus 0.453")
Ø at nose of patch = 0.2508" (Base pluse 0.75")
Boolit length = 1.0"

Hope that helps.

[6.5 mike]

303 Guy, I guess if you didn't list it might be why I couldn't find it. I don't feel so bad now( sometimes still a computer dummy). Were you looking for a spefic weight or a lengh that works for you ?

[303Guy]

Mmmm... Now I have to think .... It's been a long hot day! Need beer ...!:drinks:

Right, had beer. :mrgreen:

I had this idea that since the highest velocity attainable with the 25-303 was around 2900fps, I might as well do that with the heaviest boolits possible and give the rifle the widest application possible. I also figured that the best powders for it are the slower ones that fill the case and utilize the long barrel. That leaves me with AR2209/H4350 and close to 120gr boolits. I also figured that my rifle stabilizes 100gr Sierra's so that sort of set my boolit length and with patched and a short nose that gave me 120gr. So I made my mold adjustable from 100gr to 125gr with the idea of staying between 110 and 120gr. Velocity, expansion, penetration, consistant combustion and accuracy will set the final boolit weight. (One day I 'accidently' cast a 160.8gr boolit - in 25! I doubt it would stabilize [smilie=1: ). One of my aims was to get sufficient obturation 'pressure' to disintegrate the patch at the muzzle.

I tested a boolit that 'rode the bore' for a good part of its length without the paper actually touching for the first bit and yet that boolit had rifling impressions where the paper did not touch the bore.

I think you will be overtaking me with the 250 patching so I will be eager to follow your progress and learn from you!

I should mention that one possible difference between our rifle's is that with the Lee Enfield, the 25-303 gives me as much magazine length as I need to keep the boolits seated in the neck with as much boolit length as I desire.

[robroy]

I built a 257 Roberts AI on a 30-06 length Howa 1500. Though I didn't have PP in mind when i built it the magazine length sure shouldn't get in the way. The barrel has only 3 rounds through it. I need to finish the stock before I can do much more with it. It's one of those round-tuit projects. The information here is pointing in the direction I want to go. I have reservations about the tapered ppcboos though. Not from my experience mind you. Just wondering why a cylinder with a truncated cone on its nose won't do the job

[303Guy]

Just wondering why a cylinder with a truncated cone on its nose won't do the job Depends on the seating depth and throat design and boolit weight.

My boolits have three tapers; one to deal with a one-piece mold - that should be a very small taper, the second is the step-down to match the leade, and the third is to match the taper of the throat. That's for the 303 Brit. The 25 seems to have some throat taper too. That does not mean that a PPCBoo sized to groove plus won't work. It obviously does. And anyway, the rear section of the boolit is likey going to obturate plenty anyway.


Base Ø = 0.2620" (Base plus zero)
Ø at throat entry = 0.2600" (Base pluse 0.315")This bit should be parallel. I'll end up with a push through sizer. A taper on the base section only makes it hard to seat the boolit.



Ø at bore-ride / leade = 0.2551" (Base plus 0.453")
Ø at nose of patch = 0.2508" (Base pluse 0.75")I can't say why this much taper fits. Probably due to a slight compression of the patch on chambering.

I had difficulty getting the leade ange in the right place and at the right angle. This was a lathe turned mold and its small! (My 303 molds were made using a shaped drill bit. Depending on the rifle I want to use them in, I'll either size them in a shaped sizer or patch them as is. My 303 throats vary somewhat and so does the degree of wear in the breach end bore. A used 303 Brit should have a taper bore due to wear. Some of mine date back to 1896 - they're a bit 'used'! Specially the target ones![smilie=1:

[robroy]

6.5mike. Have you tried any pp in your 1/4 bores yet?

[6.5 mike]

robroy, no I hadn't really though much about it until I got the 99. At least you have a stock for yours, I robbed my 257's stock for a 6.5 swede lol. Now to order another. This just never seems to end does it hahahahahaha. Back to the boat in the morning, might not be able to post, but I will be following these, take care & shoot straight.