Cost of reloading .303 British ???

Dillybar87

Dillybar87

Regular
Rating - 100%
12   0   0
Location
British Columbia
Hello , I love shooting my Enfield''s but as we all know .303 is getting pricey , I want to start reloading my own , but I am just wondering after investing into the equipment, what is the aproximate cost of making 1 round?? Thanks a lot!
 
If you have the brass already and don't count that cost it comes to about 65-70 cents per round depending on what you use for bullet and powder.
Thats assuming about $55 per pound powder at 41 gns. each and $35 per hundred bullets.
 
Hornady .303 174Gr FMJ Bullets $48.95 per 100 bullets
Powder can be anywhere from $40.00 to $50.00 (average)
Brass: ( a Vickers machine gun usually helps with this! ) $50.00 to $60.00 per 50 pieces ( Hornady unfired )
Large rifle primers $7.50 per 100

Add up for 100rds roughly $2.11 per

If you can get brass other than unfired the price is reduced drastically.
 
My cost is:
Cast bullet 0.22
Powder 0.11
Primer. 03
Total = 0.34 each

or

Jacketed bullet 0.35
Powder 0.26
Primer 0.03
Total = 0.64

I usually find once fired brass for less than 50 cents each, and get about 5 reloads out of each. So add 10 cents each to the costs above.
 
I include shipping and tax in my Calc.

Projectile 174gr Hornady Match: .75
Powder 3031: .31
Primer CCI 200: .07

So 1.13 and the "best" projectile I could find.
 
I'm running bulk 7.62x39 123gr projectiles which are pretty cheap, Herters brass which is also pretty cheap, and for powder surplus WC735 which was $17/lb. I forget the load right now but I chroneyd it at 2800fps which is mild, and it's MOA out of my P14.
 
Wow thanks for all the reply''s everybody!! Lots of info , the brass is no problem and old fella gave me 300 once fired casing he collected so for now it won't cost me much , but I suppose investing in the equipment is fiNE because as the gUn collection grows I can make anything as the years go by , awesome thanks everyone!
 
Im looking at getting pulled 7.62x39 .310 123gr fmj projectiles. good price, just unsure of the powder to use, imr 4198 is apparently the substitute for v-N130 but around $50LB love somthing around $30 anyone know ? Have 60+ brass.. Thanks!!!
 
Kondor said:
Im looking at getting pulled 7.62x39 .310 123gr fmj projectiles. good price, just unsure of the powder to use, imr 4198 is apparently the substitute for v-N130 but around $50LB love somthing around $30 anyone know ? Have 60+ brass.. Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

Be careful, I bought some 7.62x54r pulls and they turned out to have steel cores. And when fired and kicked in the seat pants they do not fill the bore (obturation) and they shoot terrible in a worn bore with cordite throat erosion.

The online add said nothing about steel core. :bangHead:
 
For economical plinking/target shooting in most bolt milsurps cast bullets are the way to go. Good loads can be as accurate as jacketed-,recoil is less, brass life much longer, less powder, bore wear reduced and cost of bullets usually around a third the cost of jacketed. Haven't bought any jacketed bullets for my 303's in years but I hear of shooters paying 50-60 bucks per hundred.
 
If u want to keep cost down u can run 29-30 gr of h4895 for a pretty accurate 50-75 yard load. Makes the metal butt plate easy on the shoulder when shooting with just a t-shirt on. I cast with the lee mold .312 180gr sized to .314 with a gas check. I've also sized to .311 and powder coated. This will definitely bring your cost down. As far as salvaged loads from 7.62x39 I've found the bullets are fine but the straight dumping of powder have led to several rounds not igniting and sticking a bullet in the barrel. The bullets themselves shoot fine in my enfields with a min load of varget. Browse through the posts here in the forum and you will find a wealth of knowledge and info.
 
Fargone4sure said:
My cost is:
Cast bullet 0.22
Powder 0.11
Primer. 03
Total = 0.34 each

or

Jacketed bullet 0.35
Powder 0.26
Primer 0.03
Total = 0.64

I usually find once fired brass for less than 50 cents each, and get about 5 reloads out of each. So add 10 cents each to the costs above.
Click to expand...

My cost is very similar using 180gr gas checked, lubed cast lead bullets over Varget, with CCI LRPs and PRVI brass. Shoots great out of my Longbranch No. 4 Mk. 1 so I don't see myself going back to pulling 7.62x39/54r or head hunting Hornady 174gr. FMJs again.
 
Ed Smurf said:
What's the story on cast bullets..can you make your own for .303?. Does this mean there is no copper jacket? Just wondering.
Click to expand...

Yes, Lee has molds for cast .303 a .312 mold is what I've used. The bullets need to be hardened to a certain level and need gas checks plus a coating of the Lee Alox, at least that's what I use. Trail Boss is a good powder to use. Certainly cheaper, but I do prefer the heavier recoil and feeling with a jacketed bullet.
 
I have an Excel spreadhseet factoring in component and equipment costs to give cost per round, payoff time, etc. PM me with your email address if you would like a copy.
 
With 303 Brit, the biggest cost variable for reloading is brass. If you get 10 reloads out of the brass it costs you less than $0.10 per shot. If you get 2 reloads from the brass it will cost will cost $.50 for each firing. Enfield chambers tend to be on the generous side dimensionally because they were designed for battlefield reliability, and not reloadability.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom