Die help 303

WhelanLad

WhelanLad

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hey im goin to bite the bullet an get some dies for this 303 #1 an shoot it more than now, (borrowing dies)
Q is, with the ruger 1 chamber, the 303 spec and actual chambers, am i better off with a FLS RGB lee set, or the collet set an just neck em mostlY???

guna buy asap i get some sort of confirmation -

rgb $35 + 8 post
collet $63 + 8 post
so no real drama either way, which way might save a few more cases?
 
On my Lee Enfields I only neck size,end up with too many case separations otherwise,the action stretches being rear locking.
The Ruger has a lot better action,so full length sizing is probably OK as well.
 
Get the Lee deluxe set with both FL and collet dies. Neck size only until they get a bit tight then bump the shoulder back with the FL die. They are a great buy and produce quality ammo.
 
Not sure Lee makes a Deluxe set in 303... You cant get by with a neck sizing die only, because after two or three firings, the case becomes too tight in the chamber and you have to use the FL die. Alternatively, you can use the FL die and just partially resize the case to fit in the chamber - this mimmicks the neck sizing die, and gives reasonable brass life. If you have more than one 303, using the FL die to partially resize to the tightest chamber is advantageous as you can use the same brass in both rifles. Otherwise, with the neck sizing die, you need to segregate brass between rifles...
 
With the Ruger #1, I full length resize. I don't want anything to cause hard clambering, especially when hunting.
I have been shooting a lot of my own jacketed bullets and have had no signs of head separation yet.

Because when hunting, things can go wrong, I made two broken case extraction tools which are now in both my range kit and my hunting pack.
 
hmmm, i have experienced partial full length sizing with the 270 i had with a pretty dodgy chamber... so that makes sense. the ruger chamebrs ok but i noticed some brass and the shape was very different to my chamber from factory, so it stretched on first firing..
thanks
i think il go with stock standard rgb
 
M1-Garand said:
On my Lee Enfields I only neck size,end up with too many case separations otherwise,the action stretches being rear locking.
The Ruger has a lot better action,so full length sizing is probably OK as well.
Click to expand...

Peecos said:
Get the Lee deluxe set with both FL and collet dies. Neck size only until they get a bit tight then bump the shoulder back with the FL die. They are a great buy and produce quality ammo.
Click to expand...

Ganderite said:
If the brass changes shape on firing, that suggest a neck size is a good idea, to reduce brass working. You can use a neck die, or back the FL die out a bit.
Click to expand...

Been my experience as well. I purchased a Redding body die instead of adjusting the full length die to complete a shoulder bump. I wasn't smart enough and needed to break each step down after the case stretch in two Enfields. Shoulder bump one step and neck size with the Lee collet afterwards. Lee collet doesn't need lube which I find an advantage if the shoulder bump isn't required.

Regards
Ronr
 
The main question is does the .303 British Ruger No.1 have a SAAMI chamber and headspaced to SAAMI standards. Meaning headspace between GO .064 and NO GO .067 and a chamber smaller in diameter than military Einfield rifles.

Even today rimmed and belted cases have new cartidges with the shoulder location shorter than the chamber. Meaning your full length die will need to be adjusted for minimum shoulder bump and not adjust the die to make hard contact with the shell holder.

Below a .303 British cartridge being fired in a large military Enfield chamber with longer military headspace. With a rim thickness of .058 and at max military headspace of .074 you will have .016 head clearance and you only need .001 to .002 head clearance or shoulder bump. Meaning your head clearance is how far the case must stretch to contact the bolt face when fired.

sHgqVJR.gif


I would assume the Ruger No.1 has a smaller SAAMI chamber and partial full length resizing would work without causing case head separations. And the critical full length die adjustment would be minimum shoulder bump to help prevent case stretch.

AQEQ9Vw.jpg


Bottom line, we need more feedback from .303 British Ruger No.1 owners on their chamber size and how they resize their cases.

Below two type cases fired in my 1943 No.4 Enfield rifle and the effects of the case base diameter. The Prvi case on the left has a thicker rim, has a larger base diameter and is .010 thicker in the base web area. The HXP case was smaller in diameter had thinner case walls and shows how much the case expanded to contact the chamber walls. And the smaller diameter cases will droop more in the rear of the chamber and effect the case concentricity when fired. Meaning you will need to fire form the cases and insure the rear of the case is centered in the rear of the chamber. Meaning using a small thin rubber o-ring, a false shoulder or jamming the bullet into the lands for the first firing. If your rifle is tightly headspace with a smaller chamber diameter and your cases do not have thin rims these fire forming methods may not be needed.

eM3H3ls.jpg
 
I don’t have a Factory barrel in my Ruger but have used Lee neck die ,RCBS neck Die, and full length dies as well- absolutely no issues at all and have many reloads on my cases.
However I always full length my hunting rounds on my Ruger . For my Lee Enfield rifles I neck size however .
Cat
 
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