.303 British reloading

KB_TheDireWolf

KB_TheDireWolf

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Whelp, I plan I having a Lee-Enfield as my first rifle. However, I got a fixed income every month to work with. So am trying to find the cheapest option to keep the old girl feed once I find I Lee-Enfield that is something I'll spend money on.

Update: Most of my questions have been answered.

So this is my list so far:

Okay

1st Receive my PAL, cause I do not have it. Doing training May 15 for my restricted

2 Get Lee Enfield rifle

3 Buy a crap ton of factory ammo which the cheapest is like 30 to 40 a box for 20 rounds.

4 Keep that factory ammo brass.

5 Get a manual on reloading! FINE ALRIGHT ILL GET ONE!

6 Lee Loader and bullet remover (you will see why) that is in fact at my local Cabela's

7 IF I WANT TO RELOAD I will begin doing it.

Now here is much thought put into this, by reaching and watching videos on youtube:

The 7.62x54R rounds are .312 to .311 which is what Lee-Enfields fire. Now I may be wrong in using this method but, if it works it cuts down significantly on price. Because, a case of 400 7.62 is $200ish, that is double the bullets to the cost if I just bought stand alone projectiles...

People have even used the powder from the 7.62 cutting down to a 303 load. Again it could be a major cost cutter, not spending $40 on a bottle of powder and I could just sell the old milsurp casings as scrap more money saved...

If it works, which from all evidence it does. I might try it with some factory 7.62x54R rounds first. Then move on to milsurp.

Look, am a big time history buff. At 18, nobody around me really cares. I had a great uncle KIA in Italy Sept 1944, then his brother was killed after hitting cables that crossed a river while flying an Oxford 5 weeks later.

The best way I could think of honoring them was finding a good Lee-Enfield No.4, while able to have some fun in the sport of shooting!

I have a small fixed income. I have guaranteed money every month, just that I have a budget of 200 to 300 for ammo every month (unless I wait a month and do not shoot). I should of have said this at the beginning. So that's why am looking at the reloading option.

I might just say forget it ill pay that $1.10 to 1.50 around. Do I want to, no...

If I want to hunt Ill just grab some SP ammo and away I go...
 
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1. First see how your Enfield rifle shoots with factory ammunition before investing in reloading equipment.

2. If the bullets hit the target sideways you don't need reloading equipment.
 
Usually, from personnal experience, Lee Enfield will shoot better with a spitzer/flat base bullet instead of a boat tail bullet.

I've been using Hornady 150gr interlock .312 with good to great results
 
Ive been reloading and casting for all my Lee Enfields for a few years now, mostly casting for them and ive wanted to try that box of pull down for a while but i dont like the idea of .310 BT bullets im use to casting .314 and loading with .312 flat base jacketed. So instead of buying it to try, i took 100 of my 7.62x39 rounds and made some Mexican match ammo, to try the .310 BT in a few of my lee enfields.

Well they go through the target sideways in a few of my rifles at 50m, And shoot awsome in a few of them...... im still on the fence if i want 1000 bullets that only shoot well in a few of my rifles.

Buy a couple packs of 20, 7.62x39 surplus ammo and pull them down to try the exact same bullets in your gun without buying 1000

I would split that box with you if they do seems to work or you want to buy them anyway.

For powder in my lee enfields use, H4895( use this the most, super versatile), varget, titegroup and w231
 
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If you full length resize, before you start reloading your first (and most important) purchase should be a broken case extractor. Depending on the manufacturer, you might only get 4-5 reloads from a cartridge case before the base separates from the rest of the cartridge
 
bigedp51 said:
1. First see how your Enfield rifle shoots with factory ammunition before investing in reloading equipment.

2. If the bullets hit the target sideways you don't need reloading equipment.
Click to expand...
I was just planning on using a Lee loader so they're only fifty bucks. Is just overall cheaper to be able to use reloading. My Walmart has 26 dollar boxes of 20 303 ammo. Just that it is still half the price to do reloading. So far nailing a Enfield down has been hard. I was hoping I could maybe put a down payment and somebody could hang on to it until I have my firearms license. However number fours aren't that common that haven't been sportier.

I also just found out yesterday that my uncle actually has an 1917 SMLE. However it's been all hack to hell, the stock is been beat the crap and it's actually loose, the bolt is really sticky, and for whatever dumbass reason someone put a 5 round magazine well into it...
 
Garand said:
If you full length resize, before you start reloading your first (and most important) purchase should be a broken case extractor. Depending on the manufacturer, you might only get 4-5 reloads from a cartridge case before the base separates from the rest of the cartridge
Click to expand...

Oh no no no no no I'm not doing that. Just using a Lee Loader system.
 
All new 303 ammo and brass wil be boxer primed, and the basicily the only primers you can buy in north america is boxer primers. So you just need some brass ( you can buy in bags of 20, 50 and 100). And also pick up a few packs of primers, 100-1000 for 6-60$ and then powder.

For how far you are into reloading, just look at the lee reloading card that came with the loader and buy that powder and use their loads. You want to keep it simple, thats the best way to do it.

Also you can buy cast bullets and if you shoot them at about 1400-1800fps you will get all kinds of reloads out of your brass. I have some brass that i have been loading at 1050fps for a few years, ill bet there is over 100 reloads on each piece of brass in that group of brass.

I like buying 90-100gr cast pistol bullets for just plinking. They are .313 sized and 50$ for 500 of them. ( and by, buy cast bullets, i mean i cast them as a lee mould is only 35$ and lead is free, but you can buy them, i buy a batch of bullets before i buy the mould to try them out. Bullet barn or rustywood has them)
 
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KB_TheDireWolf said:
Whelp, I plan I having a Lee-Enfield as my first rifle. I know which dies to use. Just the bullets and primers are getting me.

I know of casting just do not feel like dealing with a toxic metal like lead...
Just that there this:
https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/bullets-303-7-62mm-123-grain-pull-down/
Saying that a 7.62 can be used with .303?!?

If you think that I shouldnt do that, what you would recommend for price to performance, hell the cheapest.

For the primers, am finding hard to discern where they are boxer or brendan when looking at web stores.

I kinda find it cool how relatively easy to do reloading with a simple reloading kit.

Edit: forgot to ask about what kind of powder I should get...
Click to expand...

Bigedp51 was right - buy and try with factory ammo first. If it shoots like crap you don't need to waste time loading for it, if it shoots ok then you have some 1-f brass for reloading.

primers you see for sale in North America will be 100% boxer, unless it specifically says they are Berdan. Berdan primers are very scarce because Berdan brass is rarely reloaded.

For powder, start looking at reloading manuals, and then check and see what is available locally. You don't say where you're located so can't help with that. IMR4895, H4895, IMR4064 work well. So do many other powders.

Use flat based bullets, 150-180 gr. There's not much point in buying expensive high-grade bullets, find the best price and go from there.
 
KB_TheDireWolf said:
I was just planning on using a Lee loader so they're only fifty bucks. Is just overall cheaper to be able to use reloading. My Walmart has 26 dollar boxes of 20 303 ammo. Just that it is still half the price to do reloading. So far nailing a Enfield down has been hard. I was hoping I could maybe put a down payment and somebody could hang on to it until I have my firearms license. However number fours aren't that common that haven't been sportier.

I also just found out yesterday that my uncle actually has an 1917 SMLE. However it's been all hack to hell, the stock is been beat the crap and it's actually loose, the bolt is really sticky, and for whatever dumbass reason someone put a 5 round magazine well into it...
Click to expand...

It's not cheaper to reload if the rifle doesn't shoot. Then you've wasted $150....

If you buy the loader for $50, you still need to buy powder, primers, brass. Powder = $45, primers = $5, bullets = $35, brass = $20. Total investment is closer to $150, not $50. :)

If you buy a box of factory ammo and shoot it, that will also give you 20 brass to reload. You could pay almost as much just for new brass alone.
 
Evanguy said:
Ive been reloading and casting for all my Lee Enfields for a few years now, mostly casting for them and ive wanted to try that box of pull down for a while but i dont like the idea of .310 BT bullets im use to casting .314 and loading with .312 flat base jacketed. So instead of buying it to try, i took 100 of my 7.62x39 rounds and made some Mexican match ammo, to try the .310 BT in a few of my lee enfields.

Well they go through the target sideways in a few of my rifles at 50m, And shoot awsome in a few of them...... im still on the fence if i want 1000 bullets that only shoot well in a few of my rifles.

Buy a couple packs of 20, 7.62x39 surplus ammo and pull them down to try the exact same bullets in your gun without buying 1000

I would split that box with you if they do seems to work or you want to buy them anyway.

For powder in my lee enfields use, H4895( use this the most, super versatile), varget, titegroup and w231
Click to expand...

he meant to say the 4895 and Varget with jacketed bullets and TiteGroup and 231 with cast bullets. TG and 231 are pistol powders and will blow up a rifle loaded with a jacketed bullet.

OP, 99.9% of the primers advertised are Boxer. You need to buy the Large Rifle size. To make your loading easier, a ball powder is easier to work with, so I suggest H335 or BLC2 with jacketed bullets.

If you find a dealer selling cast bullets, try to buy a heavy round nosed bullet. That has the best chance of shooting well in your rifle. It should be sized around .314.

I use pistol and shotgun powders with my cast bullets. Unique or Universal are my favourites.
 
You just missed a great deal on the EE. A fellow had hundreds of of 303 brass, cleaned, primed, and FL resized for $0.20 each. I'm loading some 123 grain pull downs as we speak, and I just finished loading some 123gr Hornady SST flat bases for comparison at the same weight. If i ever get to the range, I'll let you know how they do.
 
jethunter said:
Bigedp51 was right - buy and try with factory ammo first. If it shoots like crap you don't need to waste time loading for it, if it shoots ok then you have some 1-f brass for reloading.

primers you see for sale in North America will be 100% boxer, unless it specifically says they are Berdan. Berdan primers are very scarce because Berdan brass is rarely reloaded.

For powder, start looking at reloading manuals, and then check and see what is available locally. You don't say where you're located so can't help with that. IMR4895, H4895, IMR4064 work well. So do many other powders.

Use flat based bullets, 150-180 gr. There's not much point in buying expensive high-grade bullets, find the best price and go from there.
Click to expand...

Calgary AB
 
jethunter said:
It's not cheaper to reload if the rifle doesn't shoot. Then you've wasted $150....

If you buy the loader for $50, you still need to buy powder, primers, brass. Powder = $45, primers = $5, bullets = $35, brass = $20. Total investment is closer to $150, not $50. :)

If you buy a box of factory ammo and shoot it, that will also give you 20 brass to reload. You could pay almost as much just for new brass alone.
Click to expand...
okay let's get this out the way I don't even have a pal yet. I'm looking for advice before I start doing it. I have my eye Irish contract Lee-Enfield I was hoping that somebody would maybe take down payment and hang on to it till I have my pal...
 
bigedp51 said:
1. First see how your Enfield rifle shoots with factory ammunition before investing in reloading equipment.

2. If the bullets hit the target sideways you don't need reloading equipment.
Click to expand...

pplanning on getting my brass was shooting Factory ammo. Walmart near me has a couple of boxes of Sellier & Bellot 303 for $26. When i receive my rifle first place I'm heading is that Walmart and then my local shooting range called the shooting edge in Calgary.
 
Evanguy said:
I have some brass that i have been loading at 1050fps for a few years, ill bet there is over 100 reloads on each piece of brass in that group of brass.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Just started learning about hand loading and was curious about how much life you can get out of brass. So basically, if you're not loading too hot (just plinking/target rounds, no long range) you can extend the life of your cases. Was thinking about just getting a lever gun in 357 since handgun brass seems to have more reload life than rifle but that's good to know.
 
Ganderite said:
he meant to say the 4895 and Varget with jacketed bullets and TiteGroup and 231 with cast bullets. TG and 231 are pistol powders and will blow up a rifle loaded with a jacketed bullet.

OP, 99.9% of the primers advertised are Boxer. You need to buy the Large Rifle size. To make your loading easier, a ball powder is easier to work with, so I suggest H335 or BLC2 with jacketed bullets.

If you find a dealer selling cast bullets, try to buy a heavy round nosed bullet. That has the best chance of shooting well in your rifle. It should be sized around .314.

I use pistol and shotgun powders with my cast bullets. Unique or Universal are my favourites.
Click to expand...

And I do not plan on dealing with cast bullets, I'm thinking about maybe trying to use pulled 7.62x54r surplus as my rounds.

Just keep in mind I have been a monthly budget of $300 that I can put towards ammo...
 
KB_TheDireWolf

1. A Enfield rifle is a nice rifle, "BUT" bedding and the fore stock can give you headaches.
2. If the fore stock wood has dried up and not a tight fit the rifle might shoot patterns like a shotgun.
3. A Australian with a typical Ozmaniac sense of humor told me once that the fore stock should fit as tight as buggery.
4. A new rifle might serve you better in a modern caliber like .223, .308 and not fight headspace and bedding issues.

For some reason this Ozmaniac didn't like my Paul Hogan magnum Roo light and koala bear target. :evil:

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