New Two-Groove No4 303 Brit

[303Guy]

(New to me, that is).

So I have taken delivery of this mint bored No4 Long Branch. It doesn't have a full length barrel but it's long enough. So, all these problems we have been having with getting two-grooved bores to shoot plain cast and patched boolits are going to be challenged.


Designing a rifle for smokeless PP from the ground up.
BulletGeek I've been thinking about this question and looking at the geometry of the No4 two-groove throat. Both my two-grooves have the same throat design. The throat consists of a half degree (per side) taper from the chamber neck to the bore. I'm wondering whether that would make an ideal paper patch throat. Now I can put it to the test. (My other two groove has a rust roughened bore which cuts into the driving face of the rifling impression).

Any questions, ideas, problems or the like that need to be tested would be welcome.

[legend]

It cannot shoot well,you will be disapointed.....


send direct to wyoming..

i pay shipping.

[barrabruce]

Hmmm think that you'll sort it out post haste.
I got a 303-25 that the chamber is pinched I think.
Well its crappy!!!
I may re -barrel this one back to 303 one day or even 30-303 somewhere in time.
Depending!!!
Since no one wants it and its worth zilch ..plus J word stuff projo's are too dear now PP may be the answer for a loner gun.
Being right handed it erks me.

What's the case chambering like??? liberal like most??

Barra

[303Guy]

It has a surprisingly tight chamber and throat. I haven't even fired a PPCBoo in it yet! Been sick - bummer!

I'd be interested in your 303-25. What's involved in shipping? I have a passion for Lee Enfields and the ol' 303 Brit cartridge. The 25 takes it to a new level and fills a niche (or two). Now I've got this one lonesome 303-25 that needs a mate.:roll: Have you thought of a 375-303 or a 35-303? Perrrfect for paper patching I should think and plenty wallop!

[barrabruce]

Right handed muck...with a scope on it and the cock on closing.......:( Plain annoying for me anyway.

The bigger bores might be good thou I probably don't need them...I think anyway.

Its not like I'm going to go out shooting anything any more...more of just wishfull thinking and day dreams here.

Pm me offer me a price.

I could contact the gun brokers (called that cos they break you bank) See how it has to go for OS shipping and all the legal stuff.

Barra.

[303Guy]

The bigger bores might be good thou I probably don't need them...I think anyway.I don't need them either plus they use more lead. A 35 might be a sweet balance between big enough to patch or shoot plain without too much lead and they don't use to much powder but they still look impressive. I will be hunting but there's nothing this side of the ditch that a 303 can't handle. True about the cocking on closing and the Lee Enfield is way far from perfect. Part of its charm I suppose. Will PM you. Thanks.

[runfiverun]

i too have a 2 grooved.
umm key-wayed cylinder.
it didn't like plain jane cast no way nohow no sir.
maybe finning the boolits and cutting tabs in the brass.

i still haven't figured out how it shoots jaxketed yet.

[barrabruce]

Just whack the neck of the case after you seat the bullet.

It makes indexing with the case neck soooo much easier .

And they don't have to bump out to fill the grooves.

Way cool

One just have to put them in the mag the right way so they index properly.....that's all.


Barra
(cheeky grin)

[runfiverun]

might have to key way the boolit and load like a muzzle loader, and load the cases with a bit of styro-foam at the case mouth to hold the powder in. that .i think, would cover the fit and alignment issues.

[303Guy]

umm key-wayed cylinder.That's exactly what they are and therein lies the problem with cast boolits. There is so much swaging that the boolit base deforms into two 'tongues' on either side of the 'extruded' groove ridges. These 'tail tongues' are not going to be perfectly symmetrical. But try an ordinary cheapo Highland 180gr semi-point, semi-boat-tail boolit with .310 diameter and it is capable of stunning accuracy! At about 200m the boolits almost touch holes. But a Lee Enfield is very sensitive to hold, being so extremely flexible that a simple change in hand squeeze or cheek pressure can throw that bullet right of. Now fit one of my suppressores which take virtually all the recoil out and no hand pressure or stock to shoulder pressure is needed. I can lie prone with the stock not actually touching my shoulder and the scope dangerously close to my eye and fire it with out fear of a half-moon. The sight picture does move though. And this is with a powerful load (for a Lee Enfield). I just have no interest in shooting j-words!

Enter wheat bran and a slightly rebated boolit and the boolit exits without that base 'tongue' problem. Now to see if the mint bore will ride the boolit all the way without cutting into the driving face like the rusty bore does - which shoots the j-words real good. Real good.

The j-word jacket.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-201F-1.jpg Blasphemous!

[303Guy]

Boolit base 'feathering' with wheat bran.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/Two-GroovePP28grAR220910grBran2.jpg

Rebated casting.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-778F.jpg

Uneven 'tail tongue'.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/Patchfailure2.jpg

Fired rebate - 'tongues' absent.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-722F-1.jpg

[runfiverun]

the tounge is absent on that last picture and you do actually have engagement with the grooves there.
but you can see some slippage along the edge.
my 2 groove will shoot the sierra jaxketed very well with 4895 powder.
it even matches the sights trajectory.
but the sierra's are thin skinned, and the 4895 is a bit quick but it must be bumping the bullet to engage or it wouldn't do so well.
this might be the key in getting cast through them also.
p/p softer aloy and try a quicker powder to bump e'm along.