My biggest problem for this (I own a Nr 1 Mk 3 Lithgow) is upon finding a great combo I run out of the components and have to start all over with different components, I run out of the components and have to start all over with different components, I run out of the components and have to start all over with different components............
303 Brit reloading advice
- Thread starter niccwlim
- Start date
It's not really a problem, just a good excuse to shoot more.
DancesWithEmptyCasings
CGN Regular
- Location
- The Wet Coast
I agree. If you have various 303's you may want to get them all head spaced.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Not quite sure that I follow what you are getting at. Headspace dimension on a 303 British is from closed bolt face to where the front face of the rim will rest. Has nothing whatever to do with the chamber. All one's firearms should be "headspaced" - as in checked to be in compliance with some standard. I have several that do not - no standards that I know of to use - so those need careful sizing of the brass to fit snuggly within the chamber, so no case head separation is possible. But, on the ones that would have rimmed cases, that is not "headspacing" them, that is me transferring the "fit" function to the case shoulder, from the rim or the belt. I would have pretty minimal concern what a headspace gauge might say or not say on those rimmed cases.
I think what he's referring to is that 303 rim thicknesses vary from lot to lot and even between manufacturers. Sometimes a lot.
That's why so many folks keep the cases separate for each individual rifle.
That's also why people will use a small rubber band under the lip of the rim, before shooting new cases.
The rubber band holds the cartridge face against the bolt face in a nice straight manner, when the bolt is closed. When the cartridge is fired, the case expands to the dimensions of the chamber of that particular rifle. This only has to be done the first time.
If you take the time to anneal the brass, it will last a long time.
Then all that is needed, is about 90% neck resizing.
I like to leave the base of the expanded necks unswaged as it helps to keep the cartridge centered to the axis of the bore.
After a half dozen firings, the cases should be reannealed and the shoulder set back a few thou or closing the bolt can become difficult as the brass hardens from repeated firing.
Some folks throw the cases away when they become hard to swage down and won't hold the bullets well. It's a waste IMHO.
That's why so many folks keep the cases separate for each individual rifle.
That's also why people will use a small rubber band under the lip of the rim, before shooting new cases.
The rubber band holds the cartridge face against the bolt face in a nice straight manner, when the bolt is closed. When the cartridge is fired, the case expands to the dimensions of the chamber of that particular rifle. This only has to be done the first time.
If you take the time to anneal the brass, it will last a long time.
Then all that is needed, is about 90% neck resizing.
I like to leave the base of the expanded necks unswaged as it helps to keep the cartridge centered to the axis of the bore.
After a half dozen firings, the cases should be reannealed and the shoulder set back a few thou or closing the bolt can become difficult as the brass hardens from repeated firing.
Some folks throw the cases away when they become hard to swage down and won't hold the bullets well. It's a waste IMHO.
In close to sixty years, shooting at least 50 personal Lee Enfields, Metfords, P14s, likely over a hundred thousand rounds, mostly handloads, I've only had one case head separation. That was with surplus Australian ammo in an Australian No1 MkIII made at Lithgow.
The failure was the fault of a defective case, with extremely thin sidewall. That was the only failure in that crate. Otherwise, not bad ammunition. That was close to fourty years ago.
Most case head separations occur because of handloaders refusing to neck size only and keep the brass for each rifle separated from those of other rifles.
Those rifles were never intended to shoot reloaded cartridges, so a bit of discrepancy didn't matter and the chambers were usually cut to maximum dimensions. This was done to reliably chamber all makes of ammo and allow dirty rounds to be chambered in the field or under stressful circumstances.
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- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
well that would be me. Having to feed a herd of enfields I full length resize all my reloads and just cull them when they start looking sketchy
I've had plenty of case head separations and so far never needed a stuck case remover. Normally the brass falls free when you stand the rifle vertical and give it a good rap on the butt.
I understand where you're coming from.
If you aren't having any issues removing a stuck case from your chambers, that indicates to me that you're loading within spec.
The rather sharp taper of the 303Brit case helps as well, since after it's fired the brass will usually shrink a few thousandths and make for easy removal.
I've pulled out several cases without heads from different variants of Lee Enfield rifles, owned by fellows that full length resized every time.
Only one needed a stuck case puller and I had to tap it out through the bore with a brass rod. His load was composed of a full to the base of the bullet case of IMR3031 under a 200 grain bullet. Didn't harm the rifle but that case was almost welded to the chamber walls. I thought I might have to pull the barrel but luckily the case remover lip held on enough to allow me to tap it out, without damaging anything.
The extractor kept sliding off the rim of the stuck case remover, that's why I resorted to the hammer and brass rod.
