215 grain .312?
- Thread starter enefgee
- Start date
My favorite load for 215 grain bullets in the 303 British is 43.0 grains of IMR4350 over CCI 200 LR primers. If you use magnum primers drop the powder charge by two grains.
Velocities run right around 2300fps.
This is an old load developed by P.O. Ackley. It's very likely in his book "Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders"
Ken Waters also recommends this load as well as one other with powders available today. 46.0 grains of H4831 with standard large rifle primers for 2100fps and 46.0 grains of IMR4831 which is slightly faster burning for 2160fps, over standard large rifle primers.
Ken Waters did something unusual with his load work ups for the 303 British and the 215 grain cartridge in that he listed both the "H" and "IMR" versions of 4831 powder.
Back in the day, the writers of this information did their own pressure testing, usually by trial and error, rather than on scientific equipment, which back then was a pure copper pin, which was screwed down onto a piston, which had a gas vent from just in front of the chamber, which caused the pin to be crushed when the cartridge was fired. Then they measured how much "crush" there was on the pin to be able to extrapolate the resulting measurement into pounds per sq inch of pressure.
Ackley had the pressure testing equipment in his shop. Whether or not he bothered to check the results or even knew how to calculate the results, I don't know.
I've used all of the above loads and they all work well in the No1 MkI, No1 MkII, and No4 rifles as well as the Pattern 14 Enfields.
I've shot a few of these out of the Mk5 carbines and the recoil is brutal to say the least.
Velocities run right around 2300fps.
This is an old load developed by P.O. Ackley. It's very likely in his book "Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders"
Ken Waters also recommends this load as well as one other with powders available today. 46.0 grains of H4831 with standard large rifle primers for 2100fps and 46.0 grains of IMR4831 which is slightly faster burning for 2160fps, over standard large rifle primers.
Ken Waters did something unusual with his load work ups for the 303 British and the 215 grain cartridge in that he listed both the "H" and "IMR" versions of 4831 powder.
Back in the day, the writers of this information did their own pressure testing, usually by trial and error, rather than on scientific equipment, which back then was a pure copper pin, which was screwed down onto a piston, which had a gas vent from just in front of the chamber, which caused the pin to be crushed when the cartridge was fired. Then they measured how much "crush" there was on the pin to be able to extrapolate the resulting measurement into pounds per sq inch of pressure.
Ackley had the pressure testing equipment in his shop. Whether or not he bothered to check the results or even knew how to calculate the results, I don't know.
I've used all of the above loads and they all work well in the No1 MkI, No1 MkII, and No4 rifles as well as the Pattern 14 Enfields.
I've shot a few of these out of the Mk5 carbines and the recoil is brutal to say the least.
It has been years since I have seen 215 gr bullets forsale from any retailer. Heaviest I see is 180 gr. I don’t think any bullet maker produces them anymore. Always a possibility that someone has stuff stashed away. Put an ad on the EE.
fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Woodleigh? Seems like anything Woodleigh might as well not exist in Canada.
Intersurplus has Reed's 200 grain jacketed .318" soft points. A handy guy might get away with resizing them?
Reed's says they are 196 grains.
Reed's website does not show what the bullets look like, they just show a pic of a fired bullet.
These are for the 1888 Mauser with the so called 'J' bore.
Well that sucks! Poor folks.
Intersurplus has Reed's 200 grain jacketed .318" soft points. A handy guy might get away with resizing them?
Reed's says they are 196 grains.
Reed's website does not show what the bullets look like, they just show a pic of a fired bullet.
These are for the 1888 Mauser with the so called 'J' bore.
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Midway but at least they exist; https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010571844/?msockid=20c77e8b7f3a6e683ebd6b9b7e176f03&pid=746084
If Bullet Barn still ships (their site is up at least) they have 210gr lead; http://www.thebulletbarn.com/bullets-lead.html
If Bullet Barn still ships (their site is up at least) they have 210gr lead; http://www.thebulletbarn.com/bullets-lead.html
I cast my own 210 gr. Two deer have fallen to them so far. They also make cheap target loads.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Cannot believe no one has suggested trying 308 220RN bullets from hornady.
I haven’t used them in a LE or a P14, but I have shot them from early Rosses. And they shoot quite well with a good bore. Early Rosses are a 308 bore rather than 308 however. But it might be worth a try!
I haven’t used them in a LE or a P14, but I have shot them from early Rosses. And they shoot quite well with a good bore. Early Rosses are a 308 bore rather than 308 however. But it might be worth a try!
fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The midway listing says discontinued. Who knows what intersurplus really has in stock.
Got a couple boxes of Woodleigh .312 215gr Weldcore bullets. Have data if needed. Accuracy load IMR 4895-39.5gr /215gr/2188fps There was a guy from Alberta who is a Woodleigh rep. They are tooling up again after the fire at Woodleigh. stevespages.com has more data
