303 / 308??

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jimbubba

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I accidentally stuffed a 303 bullet (311 diameter) in a 308 case.Should I take it apart or will it fire in my Norc M14 clone?
What say you,oh wise ones?
 
A .303 bullet is actually .311 and some makes are .312 (Not .323), not that it will matter, it is still the wrong size bullet for your barrel and will either blow up the gun, or lodge in the barrel with the following round blowing up the gun. (The british measured the bore from the grooves, not the lands, so you can add .008" to a .303 to convert it to North American measurements)
 
I hope the case neck would be so fat it would not chamber.

Pull it. It is dangerous to have bullets of both diameters that look the same - like the Sierra match bullets in 174 and 175 (303 and 308).

It would not likely cause a problem, but accidents tend to come from a stack of errors. This would be a bad first step. Seconfd could be a bullet ogive farther forward and touchng the rifling. The third might be a hot load. The fourth might be a hot day or cooking the round in a hot chamber.

Some rifles are designed to shoot oversize bullets, but they have long tapered throats.
 
Actually, the sort of pressure you can generate from that sort of mismatch in a gas-gun is frikken dangerous. Also, 303 british bullets are NOT .323, they are only .311, but that is still too big for a .308 gas gun
 
Sorry guys, much as I respect your opinions, .003 is going to make little or any difference to a rifle designed for battle. I'm willing to bet that M305 rifles have diameter variations larger than that. There may be a slight spike in pressure, but I would be surprised if it presented any danger other than it may either be more or less accurate.

bearhunter
 
bearhunter said:
Sorry guys, much as I respect your opinions, .003 is going to make little or any difference to a rifle designed for battle. I'm willing to bet that M305 rifles have diameter variations larger than that. There may be a slight spike in pressure, but I would be surprised if it presented any danger other than it may either be more or less accurate.

bearhunter
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welltry it and lets see some pics:slap:... how did u make that misstake? and did u check your other loads to see if u but the wrong bullet in?
 
GANDERITE said:
It would not likely cause a problem, but accidents tend to come from a stack of errors.
Click to expand...

I agree. While some poorly made bullets may very well fall into the +.003 in their tolerances, and this being the ONLY facter, MIGHT not cause an accident .. why risk it.

I for one would like to know 110% that nothing will explode when the rifle is held right next to my very priceless eye balls.
 
bearhunter said:
Sorry guys, much as I respect your opinions, .003 is going to make little or any difference to a rifle designed for battle. I'm willing to bet that M305 rifles have diameter variations larger than that. There may be a slight spike in pressure, but I would be surprised if it presented any danger other than it may either be more or less accurate.

bearhunter
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My friend slugged the barrel of his M305 and it was .308" exactly.
I think telling someone to risk their rifle and fingers is irresponsible. Unless he has slugged his barrel and knows it to be oversized he has no business firing a larger diameter bullet out of it. That's one of the first rules of reloading as far as I know--- proper bullet selection!

For the love of pete DO NOT FIRE that bullet out of your rifle!
 
bearhunter said:
Sorry guys, much as I respect your opinions, .003 is going to make little or any difference to a rifle designed for battle. I'm willing to bet that M305 rifles have diameter variations larger than that. There may be a slight spike in pressure, but I would be surprised if it presented any danger other than it may either be more or less accurate.

bearhunter
Click to expand...

The M-305 is not designed for battle, It is a cheap Chinese knock off, using Chinese steel, with Chinese tolerances of manufacture.

It is (in my humble opinion) utterly asinine to suggest that a mis-load like this is anything OTHER than a tragedy waiting to happen ....that would only serve to prove that the general public are too stupid to have semi's and they should be banned. (ok, THAT's maybe a stretch, but you get my point).

Why would anyone want to take the chance of effing themselves or their gun, not to mention anyone else around when it fails?

Tragedies like this are almost always preceded by the phrase, "Hold my beer... watch this!"
 
Obtunded

"The M-305 is not designed for battle, It is a cheap Chinese knock off, using Chinese steel, with Chinese tolerances of manufacture."

You were doing well until you started to type. The guns are inexpensive but hardly cheap. As to the steel in them you might be surprised Sir, just how strong the forged, not cast, receivers are.

Save the commie comments in your reply please.

Don't shoot an oversize bullet in any gun. You only have two eyes and one brain - all three are necessary to get by in life. The loss of function of any of the three is really bad.

Take Care

Bob
 
I too, would recommend just pulling the bullet and starting over.

That said, some of you might want to go look up what P.O.Ackley had to say on the subject after doing some real-life testing.
 
I would not fire this combo in a gas gun, since there is a long chance that it may do some damage. However, I am with Bearhunter as to the likelihood of any real problem with a bullet a mere .003" oversize in MOST rifles. I have an acquaintance, who, a number of years ago, loaded a bunch of .311 bullets in his 30-06 cases and fired them without incident out of his M17 boltgun. He complained about the accuracy, but the cases did not even show any signs of high pressure. He discovered his mistake on returning home and discovering the .311 bullet box still on his bench. Sierra 180 FB Spitzers. I am NOT advocating this practice!! Regards, Eagleye.
 
I saw what happened to a lever action Savage .308 casing that had a 303 bullet loaded into it by mistake,big bang,blackened and flattened primer with gas escaping around firing pin hole. Not good.....
 
SniperSean said:
Pull it!!!!

303 is .323 diameter and 308 is .308 diameter.....this can cause dangerous pressure and potentially blow up in your face
Click to expand...

.303 is .311-.312" diameter usually.
.323" is more the diameter of the modern 8mm. Mauser round.
But in any case, PULL that bullet NOW and check all your other reloaded rounds of the same batch.
You'll be glad you did.
PP.;)
 
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