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Thread: Best 303 brit based wildcat in no1 mk3 for cb hunting

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Best 303 brit based wildcat in no1 mk3 for cb hunting

    G’day shooting enthusiasts!
    Been on here before & floated around this forum quite a bit. ( couldn’t remember password or email )
    That reoccurring sickness is back ! You know the one of wanting a custom milsurp.
    There are 4 Lee Enfield sporters in the safe 3 x no1mk3 & 1 x no4 mk1 .
    One no1mk3 is a 270 / 303 & the others are 303 Brit .
    The one I’m most fond of is a matching number 1942 Lithgow with a cut down stock with heavy carving & ingenious stippling & burning pattern in the stock & the whole thing was covered in some sort of varnish or shellac . It wasn’t done by a master gunsmith , but someone put a lot of time & effort into it . It still shoots reasonably well , but it does have a dark & rusty bore . I have bought a cbe 190gr .314 fp mould & would love to work up some loads, to plink with but also do the occasional nostalgic hunt with it.
    I’ve flirted with the idea of a medium bore 303 wildcat to ring the most out of the Lee Enfield no1mk3 & 2208 / varget powder. As we can’t get pistol & shotgun powder anymore that does have impact on potential caliber candidates!
    I’m thinking .338 , .358 or .375 are the obvious choices.
    I believe the std necked up .35 / 303 would be the easiest option. There are a few barrel manufacturers in my vicinity so a new barrel is a potential candidate, however a open sighted 2nd hand barrel is also a option.
    I know some guy’s on here have done this before & I will search through the archives if I can work out how to do that!
    If anyone who has done this before has an “ if you were to do it again “ opinion I’m all ears. But by all means everyone’s opinions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
    Last edited by Concerned Aussie; 09-24-2022 at 05:41 AM. Reason: Spelling

  2. #2
    Boolit Bub
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    As for intended game , pigs are definitely the primary quarry! Other species that potentially may be encountered are fallow , rusa & red deer. Dream animals would wild cattle & water buffalo , but very unlikely. So medium to heavy for caliber boolits are the intended diet , with rnfp most likely the theme ( as long as they feed reliably ) probably bullet weights 225 - 300 ish grains
    I have had a few kills with cast boolits in the 45 long colt/454 Rossi 92 , so I know they work & work well even at low velocity. So I’m not expecting super power loads , just deep penetrating
    Wounds that bleed well .

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Add a Rim to the 35 Remington and you have a short 35-303. Stretch the neck to 303 Brit length and you have a good cast bullet cartridge that can use 'standard' caliber reloading dies and be built without 'special' reamers and tooling, 35 Rem reamer, 35 neck reamer and 35 throater. 35 Rem was really based on the 30-40 Krag/303 British/35 Winchester that were common when it was developed(1906). It was not created as some oddball case/caliber.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    35 caliber in a not faster than 14" twist would make a very good cartridge for use with cast and jacketed and would fit your criteria nicely.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    My friend in Italy uses this bullet from Accurate in a 16-inch twist .35 Whelen using common shotgun powder at about 1400 fps. He prefers a plainbased bullet because gaschecks are frightfully expensive in the EU. He has found this bullet penetrates greatly and is effective on red and fallow deer as well as boar. Performance is very similar to the .38-55 Winchester black powder load.

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    The base to crimp groove length of this bullet should be compatible with a .303 case necked up to .35 with no other change.
    Last edited by Outpost75; 09-24-2022 at 10:28 AM.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    I will send off a few emails to some barrel manufacturers & smiths & see who has what . I think I should buy myself a computer & quick load as well. Because of the difficulty with obtaining powder & components, as well as barrel length. All of these extra considerations may play a roll how this turns out. And thanks to all of you guy’s for replying.
    Last edited by Concerned Aussie; 09-24-2022 at 06:07 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks outpost. He prefers a plainbased bullet because gaschecks are frightfully expensive in the EU.
    Exactly the same considerations here! I’m looking for a plain base to keep it simple & to keep costs down. Hahaha however saying that I do intend on coating with hi tek coatings or powder coat at this stage .

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    You might just stop and consider that the original .303 may not be broken and doesn't really need to be fixed. Plenty of "strikes with authority" options to be had for mold designs. 215 grains at 2000 fps was what the round was originally all about. Most likely, such will penetrate better than the same general weight in a .358.
    WWJMBD?

    In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    My buddy Giorgio in Italy uses 50-50 beeswax and olive oil lube, which is natural and nontoxic.

    He gave up on PC because it was difficult to maintain proper bullet fit and the Aggie inspectors were concerned about toxicity of the coating. Apparently a lead bullet is not an issue as long as it stays together and doesn't fragment. Heavy flatnosed completely perforates and exits a 150 kg boar from any angle when impacting at over 1100 fps.
    The ENEMY is listening.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigslug View Post
    You might just stop and consider that the original .303 may not be broken and doesn't really need to be fixed. Plenty of "strikes with authority" options to be had for mold designs. 215 grains at 2000 fps was what the round was originally all about. Most likely, such will penetrate better than the same general weight in a .358.
    Agreed - back when I was a broke college student, one of my roommates had a partially sporterized .303 SMLE with the stock sights. I bought an RCBS die set, a box of gas checks and a cheap Lee mold for it; the chamber was eroded and split cases after a few reloads but brass was cheap and readily available then. We killed a lot of deer and small game with that rifle - I don’t have the mold anymore but it was about 215 grains and long bore rider.
    Last edited by HWooldridge; 09-25-2022 at 09:29 AM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Man
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    For simplicity I would stick with the standard 303,the Cast Bullet Engineering 316-240 gc mould is very good,shoots at rimfire velocities plain based and for more power use a gas check and 2206H (H4895) or 2208 (Varget) .

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Then there is a cartridge based on the original 303 British. It's called the 37 rimmed. Basically a 303 case necked up to 375 caliber. With no other changes. Frank

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub
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    Ok thanks. Definitely a option indeed & a far more cost effective one too.
    I was thinking meplat & weight / sectional density.
    The way we tend to hunt pigs in the thick stuff with our family pets ( not big lugging dogs ) ! Some times the experienced larger pigs tend to stand there ground in the thick stuff until the games up & they rush the dogs . The 454 stops em ! I’m not so sure about & long 303 penciling through. Never done it so I don’t know.

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
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    Does it feed from the smelly mag though? I was going to order maybe the one you are talking about , however old mate who owned CBE at the time didn’t think it would , so I got the 190gr . Then moved house & all my reloading gear got buried in a tiny garden shed for about 6 years. I’ve just moved into a place that I can set up all of my stuff again. So never cast a 190gr yet .
    I’m really keen to try a larger boolit . Btw I got a invite today to hunt buff & donkeys at Adelaide river . I really would love to hunt the top end with this old school smelly & the 454 casull both using hard cast that I made.

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Outpost75 View Post
    My buddy Giorgio in Italy uses 50-50 beeswax and olive oil lube, which is natural and nontoxic.

    He gave up on PC because it was difficult to maintain proper bullet fit and the Aggie inspectors were concerned about toxicity of the coating. Apparently a lead bullet is not an issue as long as it stays together and doesn't fragment. Heavy flatnosed completely perforates and exits a 150 kg boar from any angle when impacting at over 1100 fps.
    Thanks heaps mate. This real world experience is priceless. If the std 303 Brit will get the job done with hard cast , I’d certainly would like to have a good go with that , if .314 ish diameter boolits just aren’t enough for dependable kills on large game at close quarters, I really don’t mind putting a grand into this old soldier!

  16. #16
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike H View Post
    For simplicity I would stick with the standard 303,the Cast Bullet Engineering 316-240 gc mould is very good,shoots at rimfire velocities plain based and for more power use a gas check and 2206H (H4895) or 2208 (Varget) .
    https://www.castbulletengineering.co.../315-240gc.png
    I emailed old mate , but it kept saying data missing???
    I was asking if I get a double cavity mold can he make one or both plain base !
    Does he know if it feeds from a Lee Enfield magazine. Wondering if a slightly shorter plain base would be more accurate or stabilise better .

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Bad Ass Wallace's Avatar
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    I use the CBE 190gn or the 220gn 303 boolits specifically the lighter weight for rifles chambered for Mk7 ammunition and the heavier one for early Lee Enfields chambered for the Mk6 ammunition. These are sized to 0.316" and I use a 8mm gas check.



    This 100yd group with an 1896 Martini Enfield.



    PM your postal address and I can send you a sample of each to try.
    Hold Still Varmint; while I plugs Yer!

  18. #18
    Boolit Master fastdadio's Avatar
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    I don't know the actual dimensions of the .303, but if you have to rebarrel, 350 Legend might just fit the bill.
    https://saami.org/tag/350-legend/

    https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads...2021-06-04.pdf
    Deplorable infidel

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastdadio View Post
    I don't know the actual dimensions of the .303, but if you have to rebarrel, 350 Legend might just fit the bill.
    https://saami.org/tag/350-legend/

    https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads...2021-06-04.pdf
    Hahaha I really was having another look at the 350 yesterday ��. However this is really about a old Lee Enfield rifle, that someone put a fair bit of effort into, to make it their hunting rifle. I’ve never used it because I have better options ( lighter , more powerful, scoped ect ) I just wanted to take this on a hunting trip for nostalgia reasons. I think I’d like to give the rifle a freshen up & tune & even better still using the std barrel would be awesome. I’m wondering if a custom throat for the larger cast noses might be all that’s needed . I have a few 303 barrels here . I’ll have to learn how to clean up the ruff bore of this rifle? Maybe it’s to far gone ??? Still shoots ok though.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Concerned Aussie View Post
    Thanks heaps mate. This real world experience is priceless. If the std 303 Brit will get the job done with hard cast , I’d certainly would like to have a good go with that , if .314 ish diameter boolits just aren’t enough for dependable kills on large game at close quarters, I really don’t mind putting a grand into this old soldier!
    My experience with Ideal #314299 and the NOE clone is that they tumble after initial penetration and you cannot depend upon breaking the off-side shoulder because the bullet does not follow a straight path. I used the 316-240 CBE bullet in plain base, having WWW.hollowpointmold.com convert it to a flat point with .25" diameter meplat and installing Cramer style cup-point nose pins of 0.18" diameter with 60-degree draft angle so the divot was no deeper than its diameter. Just like a Winchester Power-point .22 LR round. Loaded 30 grains of 4895 military pull-down powder, with 1" square of 1/4" thick polyester quilt batting tucked loosely into case neck - NOT poked down against the powder!!! Last thing is a pea-sized dab of the beeswax-olive oil lube as grease cookie under the bullet. Cast in 50-50 wheeleeights and soft plumber's lead with 1% tin added, at 1650 fps no leading, expansion to .45" with straight-arrow penetration. Never recovered a bullet from deer, always exited, but neighbor used the load to put down a bull that got loose and lost argument with a log truck and the bullet still weighed 215 grains.
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check