Anyone fooling with a .303 Savage these days?

[Abert Rim]

Might have an early 1899 in the stable before long and have always wanted to load for and shoot this particular cartridge. I have a couple of Lee molds that ought to cover the bases whether a .300/.308 or .303/.311 bore -- the 309-170 and the 312-185 -- plus a box of Barnes 190 grain "originals."

[pietro]

.

My ca.1914 .303 Savage 1899-H Lightweight carbine is basically a .30-30, with a .308" bore that seems to shoot whatever boolit well.





An average group @ 100yds

[Jedman]

I have a 99 H Carbine in 303 Savage. It has a homemade receiver sight on it and original red gum stocks.
I have resisted ever refinishing it because it is so slick the way it is it I want it to show it’s hard life.
My eyes are no longer much good without an optic so it doesn’t get hunted with anymore but still gets shot occasionally. I have owned 4 - 99’s and this is the one I decided to keep so even though the others were much better condition I do like the 303 and handload for it.
Jedman

I tried several times to post a picture but my iPad has some problem with pictures anymore..

[Texas by God]

Privi Partizan makes brass for .303 Savage-
I saw a bag in the LGS last visit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Krag1902]

I have a 99 takedown that thinks its a varmint rifle. I shoot 100 yard 2 inch groups and less all day with 311291, 311413, and 31141 and 311334. Mine wears a Lyman tang sight with a big Watson sight disc. Its one of my favorite cast bullet rifles.

[redhawk0]

I've got a 1899 model mfg in 1911. I shoot Sierra 30-30 bullets and Lyman 311041 cast through it. It's a fine old rifle....The very first rifle I fired when I was 11 yo was a Model 99E in 303 Sav....when a lady offered her husbands rifle to me (he's passed)...I jumped on the offer.

redhawk

[Abert Rim]

Redhawk, I am assuming by your results that your rifle has the .300/.308 barrel specs? It is hard to pin down when and even if Savage went from .303/.311 barrels to .300/.308. Ken Waters reported that his rifle, serial just under 44,000, had the tighter bore.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

If is unlikely that Savage ever made an 1899 Savage in 303 with anything but a .308 bore. I have a couple or four and all shoot well with 'standard' .30 cal bullets. I have used several .308 jacketed bullets, Speer and Hornady but mostly shoot the .310 180 gr flat nose Gas Check from Matt's Bullets with 16 grs 5744 or 18 grs IMR 4198. Most of the .309-.311 cast bullets work well. Prvi Brass is usually available from Powder Valley and Graf's. The Prvi brass is good stuff so chasing after old Winchester/Remington ammunition is not necessary. Graf's does list 303 Savage factory ammo -$45 a box. Powder Valley 303 Savage brass - $27.99 for 50. Barnes doe make a 190 grain .308 bullet pure lead core, pure copper jacket, the Barnes 'Original' style but a 170 gr Swift A-frame or Nosler Partition designed for the 30-30 probably will work just as well, with most 30-30 bullets working just as well. LeverEvolution should work well, case capacity of the 303 Savage and the 30-30 are just about the same so most 30-30 load data can be used as a guide. I have a couple with the 'pointy' rifle buttplate, I put a slip-on recoil pad on those.

[Abert Rim]

Doing further research it appears MostlyLeverGuns is right about barrel specs. I ran across a Terry Wieland article on the .303 in a 2019 issue of Handloader and he references an apparently definitive article by Mike Nesbitt in the May 1985 issue, No. 115, that pretty much confirmed Savage always used a .300/.308 barrel with this caliber. It is less clear if Savage used both a 1/10 and 1/12 twist over the years. I'll be working with the Privi ammo and brass.

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/303-savage

[Krag1902]

I think I would go along with those who believe that the .303 was always a .308 diameter bore. Muddying the water somewhat is the Ideal 308243 bullet which is said to be for the .Savage 303. It is the same bullet as 311241, but .002" larger. I have both molds ( 125 gr and 150 gr ) in 311243.

[redhawk0]

Redhawk, I am assuming by your results that your rifle has the .300/.308 barrel specs? It is hard to pin down when and even if Savage went from .303/.311 barrels to .300/.308. Ken Waters reported that his rifle, serial just under 44,000, had the tighter bore.

Yes...it is definitely .300/.308" However...When I received my 303Sav die set...the expander button was .310" I had to purchase a separate .308" button for it....my die set is RCBS....from about 1990.

My SN is 129XXX....my apologies I mis-typed...its SN dates it to 1912....but it has a 1911 patent date on it.


redhawk

[Abert Rim]

Well I ordered the Lee dies, so I guess I'll find out soon what size the expander ball is.

[redhawk0]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Most likely .308"

[Dom]

I've got 6 or 7 factory loaded 303 Savage ammo. Would give to someone, but ban not ship legally.

[26Charlie]

My .303 M99 is a takedown, but I have never done that. No need. Before the PRVI Partizan brass was available, I cut off .40 S&W brass to make a sleeve, and pressed it down over a .30-30 case to make a fatter base, then sized it & loaded it with a cast bullet, usually 311291. I got the occasional perforation of the case wall at the top of the sleeve. This was detected by blowing into the empty case to see if it held pressure, an action a friend thought odd, because he thought I was sucking powder smoke for some sort of ritual.

[Abert Rim]

Well Charlie, that is a mighty creative solution, I must say!

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I checked the Decapper/Expander in my Lee 303 Savage Sizing Die, it is .3066. That diameter, .3065 or so is very common for .30 cal expanders for jacketed bullets. Keeping in mind that the 303 Savage is a true .30 caliber, .300 bore, .308 groove. For cast I use a a Lyman .31 cal 'M' die or an NOE expander - .307/.311 or .308/.312 for .310 boolits I usually use.

[Ajohns]

Spec called for .308 groove dia, so I've read
Savage, I was also told and read loaded .311/12 jacketed to pump pressure up a bit and try be on par with speed 30WCF while using their 190gr bullet. Truth or not I don't know, but all bores I've ever slugged (5 of them) measured .308 and pulled old Winchester factory rounds measured a .311 bullet. Old Remington was 180gr and measured .308.
30 WCF data is a good start, cases are more based off of the 30US (Krag) with the base a bit smaller dia.
Very popular rifle and round here in northern MN, still used today by many old timers.
Mine looks like what Jedman said with red stained color wood, Lyman receiver sight, shoots wonderful

[Abert Rim]

Well phooey. Slugged the bore of this rifle made in 1902 and I get .303/.311. It came with 80 rounds of Wisconsin Cartridge bullets loaded with 180-grain .308 soft points over 32 grains of a ball powder that could be 748. I will shoot some up just to free up the brass, but do not expect stellar accuracy. Looks like the initial nod for cast will go to the Lee 312-185.
By the way, I mentioned this in an email to Mike Nesbitt and he is eagerly awaiting range results.

[15meter]

I've got one, it was given to me 3-4 years ago. I haven't had the time to fool with it much. I'll dig out my load data for it. I think I used a NOE 150 grain spire point. Fun little rifle to shoot.

A neighbor from where I was raised gave it to me, it started at the house on the corner, migrated to the third house from the corner for work that he had done. Moved one house back east when he died, went to his son. Moved to the 4th house from the corner when I did a couple of favors for the son. Moved to my house several miles away when my mother died and I sold the farm. Multiple owners, not much traveling time. It'll stay with me for awhile, until somebody does me a good turn or two