3031 and the 303

Ken Waters "Pet Loads" lists 40.5 grs of 3031 with a 174 gr RN Hornady in the .303 Brit. His comment is that this is a maximum load and not to exceed. Given the variances found in various .303 rifles, I'd start significantly lower. The Lyman #47 gives 3031 data for a 180 gr. bullet starting at 35.0 grs and a maximum of 39.0 grs. I think that 35.0 grs of 3031 would be a good starting point for your 174's backed with 3031.
 
FYI, the predecessor to IMR 3031 was called MR16, I believe. It was developed in 1916 as a single-base powder for .303 military loads. I believe the original military .303 load was something like 37.5 grains of Cordite pushing a 174 fmj at 2,400 fps. However, Cordite was a double-base propellant and burned out machine gun barrels too quickly in the heat of WWI, so they wanted a cooler powder with about the same energy level.

The new load worked out to something around 37.5 grains of MR16 with the same bullet. In other words, essentially the same charge. (This is why some people think that IMR 3031 is a pretty close match for Cordite.) Though I've never tried it, I've heard that this same load works well with IMR 3031.
 
Excellent, thanks for the help.

Got some 36 - 38.5 loaded up for a No.4 and No.5.

The 3031 meters great, now to see how it shoots for me.

Going to compare with some 4350 loads.

Cheers,
DT
 
p-17 said:
FYI, the predecessor to IMR 3031 was called MR16, I believe. It was developed in 1916 as a single-base powder for .303 military loads. I believe the original military .303 load was something like 37.5 grains of Cordite pushing a 174 fmj at 2,400 fps. However, Cordite was a double-base propellant and burned out machine gun barrels too quickly in the heat of WWI, so they wanted a cooler powder with about the same energy level.

The new load worked out to something around 37.5 grains of MR16 with the same bullet. In other words, essentially the same charge. (This is why some people think that IMR 3031 is a pretty close match for Cordite.) Though I've never tried it, I've heard that this same load works well with IMR 3031.
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P-17 -

Good informative post!
 
Cast bullets

I would be curious to se what a load of 3031 would do under a 200gr. hard cast and gas-checked bullet in an Enfield.
I already have tried "The Load" with 12 grains of Red Dot under a 200 gr. cast bullet and it is a very good plinking load.
PP.
 
PerversPépère said:
I would be curious to se what a load of 3031 would do under a 200gr. hard cast and gas-checked bullet in an Enfield.
I already have tried "The Load" with 12 grains of Red Dot under a 200 gr. cast bullet and it is a very good plinking load.
PP.
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PP,

The best group I ever shot with cast in a 303Br was the 210 gr Lyman #311284 ahead of 30 gr of 3031. It shot into an inch from a scoped five groove No4 Mk1.........one time! :D

Usually it is around two inches, but that isn't bad at all.

Ted
 
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