PP a .303

[no34570]

Hi fellas
I have a 4 .303's that I want to pp,I had info on pp the .303,but had a computer malfunction and lost it,so have to start again

Where do I start?
What is the bullet size to use before I pp?
Maybe 303guy could help there?,please
Any info would be great.
Thanx in advance

[pdawg_shooter]

For my 303 I use a 311446, sized .304 patched with 16# green stripe printer paper. I then size .314 with BAC lube. I load with AA2495 to full jacketed loads. Have fun!

[1874Sharps]

Pdawg,

Do you place a gas check on the above named boolit at any time? If so, at what point in your process?

[docone31]

No gas checks.
I size my .303 mold to .308, then wrap with two wraps of printer paper. When it dries, I then size it to .314. I use Turtle Wax for lube.
No checks, no lube when loaded. The wax used in sizeing doubles as a lube and weatherproofer.

[1874Sharps]

Docone31 and Pdawg,

Do you twist the tail on the paper patch or do cut the width such that it gives a little hang over that is then rolled under the base?

[pdawg_shooter]

I do twist a tail and clip it when dry. No gas check needed, the paper protects the bullet even better than a check.

[docone31]

I twist the tail, let dry, and then snip it off. I have about 1/2 turn on the base of the boolitt. This gives me some crushdown when I size. The paper fills the gap where the check is.

[docone31]

To paper patch my .303 British, I cut strips 1" in width. These I cut 1 3/16" long with 45* ends. I roll my boolitt up in that. I start the patch fairly high, but not overly so.
These give me plenty of room to twist, and cut.
The dimensions on my .30cals are the same also.

[no34570]

For my 303 I use a 311446, sized .304 patched with 16# green stripe printer paper. I then size .314 with BAC lube. I load with AA2495 to full jacketed loads. Have fun!

Thanks for that pdawg
Have a few .308 moulds,will try to remember what I had on the computer and will try your advice.

[no34570]

To paper patch my .303 British, I cut strips 1" in width. These I cut 1 3/16" long with 45* ends. I roll my boolitt up in that. I start the patch fairly high, but not overly so.
These give me plenty of room to twist, and cut.
The dimensions on my .30cals are the same also.

Thanks for that mate,thats what I was trying to find,is the patch requirements,going to put in all on an external hard drive and also have a hard copy Bloody

[303Guy]

no34570, most (make that all) my experimenting has revolved around a tapered boolit, moving on to a two-diameter boolit with some taper and a tapered step. The idea is to fit the boolit in an unsized neck.

What 303's do you have, if I may ask?

[no34570]

no34570, most (make that all) my experimenting has revolved around a tapered boolit, moving on to a two-diameter boolit with some taper and a tapered step. The idea is to fit the boolit in an unsized neck.

What 303's do you have, if I may ask?

303guy
I've seen your tapered boolit,nice,I would like one like that.

.303's that I have are
Lithgow 1942 No1 MKIII* in excellent condition
Fazerkley(spelling)1945 No5 MkI Jungle Carbine in very good condition.
1943 Savage No4 MKI* in good condition
1904 Citadel (egyptian)Martini Henry .303 in very good condition,but the wood work is stuffed,in the process of rebuilding the wood work,last person to own it must of docked the forend and rasped it down with a rasp,as you can still see the marks in it.
Was going to make a .303 Epps out of the Martini,but decided (money,lack of)to keep it the way it is and later down the track re-barrel the No4 to the Epps.
Thanks for your input mate.

[303Guy]

no34570

Your single shot would be an ideal candidate for seating into unsized necks. That's a trick that works great but is not that good for magazine storage. With custom sizing dies the mag rifles can be made to shoot any size boolit you choose to. I like the big fat tapered bolits that snugly fit the throat and swage into the bore. Can't say that it's accurate that way, but it does seem to work for plain cast with a 'wax patch'.

Is your Savage a two-groove? That would be perfect for Epps and J-word's. (I still want to make patched boolits work in my two-groove (Longbranch No 4 Mk1*) which is pretty accurate with J's and is a handy rifle and would be my go-to. Failing PP, I shall swage copper tube bullets for it. (It likes Highland 180gr J's).

Would you happen to have a 303-25? (Beautiful cartridge!) I have a Lithgow with a long skinny barrel and fitted with a suppressor. It seems pretty accurate and strikes like a lightning bolt (with the right bullets). I'm working on patched boolits for it at the moment. (120gr RN's or semi-point - long skinny boolits).

I am working on a mold system which I haven't seen anywhere before. Perhaps I could ask you to test a proto-type when it's ready? (I would like to make them as a hobby once the bugs are ironed out).

[no34570]

no34570

Your single shot would be an ideal candidate for seating into unsized necks. That's a trick that works great but is not that good for magazine storage. With custom sizing dies the mag rifles can be made to shoot any size boolit you choose to. I like the big fat tapered bolits that snugly fit the throat and swage into the bore. Can't say that it's accurate that way, but it does seem to work for plain cast with a 'wax patch'.

Is your Savage a two-groove? That would be perfect for Epps and J-word's. (I still want to make patched boolits work in my two-groove (Longbranch No 4 Mk1*) which is pretty accurate with J's and is a handy rifle and would be my go-to. Failing PP, I shall swage copper tube bullets for it. (It likes Highland 180gr J's).

Would you happen to have a 303-25? (Beautiful cartridge!) I have a Lithgow with a long skinny barrel and fitted with a suppressor. It seems pretty accurate and strikes like a lightning bolt (with the right bullets). I'm working on patched boolits for it at the moment. (120gr RN's or semi-point - long skinny boolits).

I am working on a mold system which I haven't seen anywhere before. Perhaps I could ask you to test a proto-type when it's ready? (I would like to make them as a hobby once the bugs are ironed out).

303Guy
My Savage is a two groove,(I think,I had that info on my computer before it went kuput)slugs around the .314-315 mark,the bloke that had it before me was using it in competition,it has been floated and bedded the old way. I seem not to be able to get a good grouping,but I was using old ball ammo from various makes.
have not tried pp this yet.
If I get the No4 done to the epps,it will be awhile yet,but it would be perfect for it.
I like Highlands J word 180gr too,I have 300 of them going to try some in the No4.

If you like,yes I would like to try a prototype of your mould,no worries.
Thanks for your input