.303 on the cheap, pulldown 39s and d4198

[diananike]

Just ordered a bunch of 123gr, .3105 steel core pulldowns and d4198 from canadammo.
Was thinking a light cheap plinking load would be doable for my no.4 mk1.
Was thinking a light load for plinking at 50yds. My go to load is .311 Sierra prohunters with reloader 15 but that costs me a schwack load per shot. Obviously POI would be different but maybe Kentucky windage would be tolerable.

Whadda you guys think?

Otherwise I might resize them and use them in my .308s. Looks like 123gr 4198 loads are published for .308 and it has almost identical case capacity to .303 British....

 

[oops]

I will up your game...

I pull surplus 39s down......load 303 with the 39s bullet and powder(approx 34 grs)...

Then I use the 39s case,load cast bullets with a splash of 4227

It's a bit of work,but enjoyable as a reloader...and bang for the buck friendly

 

[B]

I do the same as oops. I'll be into the D4198 soon loading 205grn lead bullets. I get 18-1900 fps with good accuracy using IMR/H 4198 and am hoping it perform similarly.

 

[Stevo]

Otherwise I might resize them and use them in my .308s. Looks like 123gr 4198 loads are published for .308 and it has almost identical case capacity to .303 British....

Can a steel-core bullet be resized?

 

[Hitzy]

I mostly shoot Hornady 123fmj's with WC735 through my 303. Actually shoots very well with these pills.

 

[diananike]

Can a steel-core bullet be resized?

Apparently with a push through resizer and lots of lube it works no probs​.
The Lee sizers work well for this.
Some people just run .310s through .308 bores with no issues ( older mini 30s were .308) too as long as itll chamber and your loads are in the lighter side.

 

[diananike]

I mostly shoot Hornady 123fmj's with WC735 through my 303. Actually shoots very well with these pills.

If I could get more wc735 (I use it in .223) I'd be a happy camper.
Do you have a line on any?

 

[Hitzy]

If I could get more wc735 (I use it in .223) I'd be a happy camper.
Do you have a line on any?

No...just horded a bit.
CanAmmo has IMR made D4198, 10lbs for $260 and free shipping which is a pretty decent deal.
https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/5-pounds-of-d4198-rifle-powder/

 

[bigedp51]

I mistakenly bought the same steel core bullets and did not get good accuracy, I thought the bullets I ordered had a lead core.

A lead core bullet when fired and kicked in the seat of the pants will expand to bore diameter, and a steel core bullet will not.

A Enfield rifle will have cordite throat erosion and may even have a oversized bore as large as .317 or larger.

Meaning flat base lead core bullets work best in worn Enfield barrels.

NOTE, Cordite powder had as much nitroglycerin as many pistol double base powders have today. Meaning it burned "HOT" and was banned from machine gun use because of rapid throat and bore erosion. I use Hornady flat base .312 bullets in all my Enfield rifles and even use Hornady .312 100 grain pistol bullets with *Trail Boss for fireforming my cases. (*SR 4759 no longer being made)

 

[diananike]

I mistakenly bought the same steel core bullets and did not get good accuracy, I thought the bullets I ordered had a lead core.

A lead core bullet when fired and kicked in the seat of the pants will expand to bore diameter, and a steel core bullet will not.

A Enfield rifle will have cordite throat erosion and may even have a oversized bore as large as .317 or larger.

Meaning flat base lead core bullets work best in worn Enfield barrels.

Mine shoots great with .311 Sierra prohunters so I have high hopes.
I have heard of some requiring larger diameters, mine is an exception I believe.

 

[bigedp51]

Mine shoots great with .311 Sierra prohunters so I have high hopes.
I have heard of some requiring larger diameters, mine is an exception I believe.

The Sierra Prohunter bullets are flat base lead core bullets, I hope you have better luck than I did with the steel core bullets.