caught the enfield flu

BCrecce

BCrecce

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Finally got my new 1943 no4 mk1 all cleaned up and ready to fire, at first it looked like a wall hanger couldnt see any rifling down the barrel but after a few hours of butch's bore cleaner and stainless brush/40+patches I have gorgeous 2 groove barrel woo hoo.
After a couple hours of shooting in the snow I have found my new deer slayer, good god these rifles are accurate with their old peep sights. Can anyone recommend a better bullet I tried winchester 180 SP which where better groups than the remington 174 fmj's, should I be looking into hand loading with the 303? if so would a cheapo classic lee set suffice for loading.
Im afraid Im going to have to buy a couple more of these classics.
 
I use a Lee Loader for my SMLE and it works great. I'd be hand loading if I was going to do any amount of plinking at all. Like cyclone said you need to keep the fired brass seperate for each rifle since the lee loader only sizes the neck. But that's no big deal. I have three mosins and use a lee loader for them as well.
 
Welcome to the incurable condition of the love of Enfields. For bullets try the Sierra 180 soft point they have a flat base the Remington FMJ have a boatail and sometimes two groove Enfields have problems with them.
 
SW28fan said:
Welcome to the incurable condition of the love of Enfields. For bullets try the Sierra 180 soft point they have a flat base the Remington FMJ have a boatail and sometimes two groove Enfields have problems with them.
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I did notice a slight grouping difference with the boatails but no keyholes at 200m, my beass head expansion is in the .004 range not sure if that is normal for enfields tolerances also there was zero length difference in my brass.
Can anyone recommend a good powder and load point to start at.
 
For a fun load, 32 cal HBWC, HB down and 5gr of 700X
My 2 groove Savage barrel measure's 304/320. It like's the WC load but that's the only one that work's for it.
 
Yes, you should reload for the .303British. It will be cheaper, and even with low cost reloading tools like Lee you can produce ammunition that is as good or better than commercial production, partly because you can tailor a load to suit your rifle. Try a variety of hunting bullets, you never know which one your rifle likes best until you do trials and compare results. E.g. my No.4Mk.2 likes Hornady's 174grain round nose best, but only by a slight margin over Sierra's 180grain and 150grain and it just never did well with Speer's 180grain Cor-bon.

Most of my brass came from shooting Remington UMC 174grain FMC, Remington Express Core-Lokt 180grain (good hunting ammunition in my rifle) and Federal 180grain and 150grain spitzer hunting ammo (also good hunting results in my experience.) It helps to neck-size only rather than full-length re-size when you reload this cartridge, you will get longer case life.
 
I have used several brands of 303BR in my various Lee Enfields and Enfield rifles. I have found that Winchester seems to have come across a great recipe with their 180 grain spire point loads. It works well in all of the firearms I shoot them in and really shines in a 1950 Long Branch. I most handload but the odd time I get to a match these days, they don't always allow hand loads and factory only ammo is the rule. The Winchester Gray Box is about as good as it gets if the bore is decent.
 
bearhunter said:
I have used several brands of 303BR in my various Lee Enfields and Enfield rifles. I have found that Winchester seems to have come across a great recipe with their 180 grain spire point loads. It works well in all of the firearms I shoot them in and really shines in a 1950 Long Branch. I most handload but the odd time I get to a match these days, they don't always allow hand loads and factory only ammo is the rule. The Winchester Gray Box is about as good as it gets if the bore is decent.
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Of the two I tested Id have to agree iron sights at 50m had a 3 clover with the Win180, thinking about making some plinking rounds out of surlpus 7.62x54r and my spent brass just trying to find an appropriate load with the old powder now.
 
BCrecce said:
Of the two I tested Id have to agree iron sights at 50m had a 3 clover with the Win180, thinking about making some plinking rounds out of surlpus 7.62x54r and my spent brass just trying to find an appropriate load with the old powder now.[/QUO

Pulled 7.62x54r worked great for me.
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