LF Recipe for 303 British, Speer .311 180 gr bullet and Ginex primers

CroakingToad

CroakingToad

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Okay guys, here's the question.

I'm planning on reloading some Winchester casings.

I've assembled the following components:
- Speer HOT-COR RIFLE 303 CAL/.311 180GR SP RN (BC 0.299)
- Ginex 5, 5/3-N Primers (for LR)


Speers data file for this bullet:
https://reloadingdata.speer.com/downloads/speer/reloading-pdfs/rifle/303_British_180.pdf

Here's what I'm wondering....

What powder would be best?

The rifle has been zeroed in using Winchester Super-X PP 180gr (2460 fps, BC 0.369), and I'll be using that the spent brass from those early rounds for the reload.

According to the data sheet, the closest in muzzle velocity (at max charge) would be either IMR 4895(2420 fps) , or Ramshot Big Game(2471 fps)

While neither once of the proposed powders produces an exact match, and the two bullets ballistic coefficiencies do not line up, I'd still like to get these rounds as close as possible. I only have 40 of them to reload, and have well over 180 of the Winchester so it's more important to me to get there reloads as close as possible rather than re-sight the rifle.

Anyway, any help on teh powder selection would be appreciated.

Bear in mind, I'm not a reloader, my cousin is the reloader. I'm just trying to line up the components so I'm not mooching from his supplies.

Thanks.
 
As a reloading newbie, there is a steep learning curve for 303. There are lots of powders that suit 303, suggest you go to the Hodgdon website for more info. The load data need not be specific to the brand of bullet, just the bullet weight. My go to powders for 303 are IMR 4064, Varget, and Reloder 15. The first two are currently available. If you want to match Winchester loads, they use ball powder, like BCl2, but you would need a magnum primer. I wouldnt bother going down this route...
As far as matching service load velocities, this is not optimal. Even if you managed to do so, the fact that are using a different bullet and powder makes it unlikely that you will achieve the same POI as the Winchester fodder.
The point of reloading is to "tune" your load by varying the powder charge and minimizing your group size. I can assure you that you can make better ammo than the Winchester. For 303, the best load is rarely found at max book loads. In my experience, mid-range loads work best, and are easier on the rifle and brass.
Finally, round up a neck sizing die, or learn to partially resize using your FL die - your brass will thank you.
 
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4064, 4895 are both i have used. Never checked accuracy per say. Worked up to about 40 grains on both so far in my p14. Hit my 250 steel with it all the time with a somewhat grouping. Still working up. If accuracy stays in the somewhat grouping ill keep it there.

Hxp brass really takes the abuse. So I am loading it hotter. And p14 chambers seem alot better than lee's
 
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@cosmic We're sticking with LR primers not magnums. as you noted, I'm a newbie, so my knowledge is is still in very much in the developing phase, so thanks for the input. I did manage to track down the 4064 at Epps (there was non available local to me in Eastern Ontario that I could find). Ironically Epps is where I I sourced the Speers 180 gr, and I'm going to be in that area later this month so no shipping costs. :)
 
I don't use the Speer bullets you are using, at least not until I use up the last ~150 CamPro projectiles I have left. I personally use IMR4064, but that is because that's what I stock because it works in every 30 calibre surplus firearm I own
 
I use the Sierra 180 gr with IMR 4895. My Ross likes 37gr, Enfield 38gr. You should find good accuracy between 37 to 39. No need to push to max.
 
So now we got a hitch in the plan. My primers may not get here in time, so my guy is suggesting that we use some of the magnums he has in stock.

Is that going to be an issue?
 
At the moment the best powder to use is the one that you can get.

For a load, you need to start out at the minimum and work up, keep an eye and an ear our for things that are weird.

Your load will probably not hit the same point of impact as the factory ammo, but then again most factory ammo does not hit the same point of impact as other factory ammo.

You should be trying to achieve 1 of 2 things, both if you are really lucky. First, you are loading for accuracy in your gun, second for a specific velocity for the game you are after. When you get great velocity and good groups you have hit the jackpot.

My 303 load uses IMR4895 and 180gr Sierra flat base spire point bullets with PPU brass and winchester primers. I chose the brass because it is thicker and there is less chance of the head being ripped off due to a case failure. I chose Win primers because I had them and IMR4895 was abundant for me and works.
 
cosmic said:
Dude - rather than using the internet to learn (poorly) about reloading, suggest you pick up a reloading manual. It will answer all your questions.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your candor and plan on getting a manual and studying more formally. This trip to visit my cousin, who is into reloading came about suddenly so I'm trying to get the resources so HE can do the reloading, and teach me, without depleting his resources so yeah, I turned to the fine folk here for some advice prematurely in my learning curve. The good news is that mission has been accomplished so now I can take the proper time to study more formally. Again, thanks for the input.
 
CroakingToad said:
I appreciate your candor and plan on getting a manual and studying more formally. This trip to visit my cousin, who is into reloading came about suddenly so I'm trying to get the resources so HE can do the reloading, and teach me, without depleting his resources so yeah, I turned to the fine folk here for some advice prematurely in my learning curve. The good news is that mission has been accomplished so now I can take the proper time to study more formally. Again, thanks for the input.
Click to expand...

I hope that you did not just load up from the minimum, truly it may not be safe. For one rifle I have the brass, primer, powder and bullet combo had pressure signs just up from the minimum load, it was very odd and freaky to be honest. So please, start at the minimum, build up 5rd loads, I generally do 5x5, 5rds per 5 loads spanning the min to the max and then use that as the basis for my load development. Once you know what works well for your gun then you are good to go to load a pile of them.

Borrowing gear and learning from a mentor is ideal, just as long as they actually know what the heck they are doing, ha ha, not just guys who watch some redneck on youtube and decide they are an expert.

Good luck, reloading is great and accurate and allows me to shoot more, but is also something that requires the proper knowledge and remembering that you do not know everything.
 
Chrono's are nice. One can watch the loads 'Staircase' up / down as you tweak the loads.
I have to head down the bunkhouse...recipe book is there, but my loads are for an M10. Whilst different in various ways...at least it locks from the front of the bolt like a P-14.
Mine were softer, 175-180 gr pills over 39ish grains of likely 4895. But they sort of mirror the original loads curve.
Smellie ( he passed...but was like a 303 / milsurp legend on here) or Buffdog passed the load recipe to me.
I solved someone else's problem on a wounded elk at about 350 yards with that load round combo...best shot I have ever made ( its my only boast I think...tryna stay humble).
Are you rocking glass on this unit? If so, you can be a little braver with options.
Regards
Tokguy
 
Fox said:
I hope that you did not just load up from the minimum, truly it may not be safe. For one rifle I have the brass, primer, powder and bullet combo had pressure signs just up from the minimum load, it was very odd and freaky to be honest. So please, start at the minimum, build up 5rd loads, I generally do 5x5, 5rds per 5 loads spanning the min to the max and then use that as the basis for my load development. Once you know what works well for your gun then you are good to go to load a pile of them.

Borrowing gear and learning from a mentor is ideal, just as long as they actually know what the heck they are doing, ha ha, not just guys who watch some redneck on youtube and decide they are an expert.

Good luck, reloading is great and accurate and allows me to shoot more, but is also something that requires the proper knowledge and remembering that you do not know everything.
Click to expand...

Oh no. My cuz is a true gun guy, not just a hunter/shooter like me. He's been reloading for all his collection for years.. He has decades of experience reloading. Like I said to cosmic, I was asking here so I could do the ordering/shopping/paying for the components. The plan is to load up some, hit his local range with my .303, test them out, and figure out what the best recipe is for the the rifle and components I have, then I'll hit the range this spring and shoot off the FMJ surplus ammo, then reload those. That should give me more than enough hunting ammo to outlast me.

It is a bit shamfeul to admit, but at 60 years old, and having been shooting since I was 12, you'd have figured that I would have gotten into reloading a lot earlier in life, but as they say, it is what it is. ;-)
 
tokguy said:
Chrono's are nice. One can watch the loads 'Staircase' up / down as you tweak the loads.
I have to head down the bunkhouse...recipe book is there, but my loads are for an M10. Whilst different in various ways...at least it locks from the front of the bolt like a P-14.
Mine were softer, 175-180 gr pills over 39ish grains of likely 4895. But they sort of mirror the original loads curve.
Smellie ( he passed...but was like a 303 / milsurp legend on here) or Buffdog passed the load recipe to me.
I solved someone else's problem on a wounded elk at about 350 yards with that load round combo...best shot I have ever made ( its my only boast I think...tryna stay humble).
Are you rocking glass on this unit? If so, you can be a little braver with options.
Regards
Tokguy
Click to expand...

350! Great shot for field shooting at meat. My best, at meat, was about 225, but that was with the same factory load (same box even) that I zeroed the rifle (and yes with a scope) in at 300.

The glass on this girl is nothing special, just an old Bushnell that I picked up decades ago and had mounted by a local smith. It's not fancy, but has never let me down. ;-)


My best with that old girl so far, is 10 in 3.5 inches at 600, but that was slow, bench shooting; not the same as field shooting. As a younger lad, I could do about 6 to 7 inches, with a graduated iron sights on an old FNC1 at 600, but I was a lot younger and had a very load Sargent screaming at me for motivation. LOL So in other words, I'm an average shot.
 
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CroakingToad said:
350! Great shot for field shooting at meat. My best, at meat, was about 225, but that was with the same factory load (same box even) that I zeroed the rifle (and yes with a scope) in at 300.

The glass on this girl is nothing special, just an old Bushnell that I picked up decades ago and had mounted by a local smith. It's not fancy, but has never let me down. ;-)


My best with that old girl so far, is 10 in 3.5 inches at 600, but that was slow, bench shooting; not the same as field shooting. As a younger lad, I could do about 6 to 7 inches, with a graduated iron sights on an old FNC1 at 600, but I was a lot younger and had a very load Sargent screaming at me for motivation. LOL So in other words, I'm an average shot.
Click to expand...

I am but an average shot as well. I look at long distance shooting from a Kruger-Dunning effect POV...stay humble. And that shot had an Elk with a foot shot off of it ( not by me); normally, I would never shoot at an animal that far.
Been throwing pills out to 850 m in an amateurish fashion this morning. Just when I think I'm getting it down I get a flier.
Harder than it seems...sometimes.
Other times it seems easy...frame of mind I would guess.
 
tokguy said:
I am but an average shot as well. I look at long distance shooting from a Kruger-Dunning effect POV...stay humble. And that shot had an Elk with a foot shot off of it ( not by me); normally, I would never shoot at an animal that far.
Been throwing pills out to 850 m in an amateurish fashion this morning. Just when I think I'm getting it down I get a flier.
Harder than it seems...sometimes.
Other times it seems easy...frame of mind I would guess.
Click to expand...

Agreed..

Some days I'm driving tacks, other days I'm driving the bus through the grouping. ;-)
 
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