Fave .303 bullet weight for hunting?

What's your fave .303 bullet weight for hunting?

  • 125gn

    Votes: 2 2.3%

  • 150gn

    Votes: 15 17.2%

  • 174gn

    Votes: 8 9.2%

  • 180gn

    Votes: 49 56.3%

  • 215gn

    Votes: 13 14.9%
  • Total voters
    87
I always used 180 grain expanding bullets in the .303 and got bang/flop results on whitetails and moose at ranges of under 100 yds (you don't get to shoot much farther in the parts of Ontario I hunt).

The bullets I've used in the past were CPE's and Sabre Tips from Imperial which, unfortunately, are no longer made. I'm starting to swage some of my own .303 bullets that are much like the old CPE. If they made a Ballistic Tip in .303 it would be a winner in my opinion.
 
I load 174 or 180grn for hunting, the 174's are round nose and the 180's spirepoint. I prefer the spirepoints unless I'm going to be in heavy bush at closer range then its the round nose 174's
 
I haven't really hunted with a .303 but my Jungle Carbine is loaded with 180gr Canadian issue softpoints when I occaisionally pack it for cougar and bear protection on family hikes. From the bit of crude testing I've done I figure these would decisively drop the biggest black bear or send mr. kitty into orbit no problemo :cool:
 
It's interesting that plenty of people load their 308 with 150gn pills and yet .303 Brit, which is similar in power usually gets a 180 grainer.
I'm aware that the SMLE barrel twist likes heavier bullets and it's reasonab;ly popular for big deer and moose but 150gn can move a little quicker than the 180gn.
 
I like my old stash of CIL 215 grs loads. Hits like a hammer and very accurate. I hear Norma has a heavy bullet availble in the .311 dia. Anyone know where these can be found (purchased) ?

cheers Darryl
 
Its not that we dopn't want them John
They're simply not available unless you import them from south africa.
Otherwise its cast bullet city.

I had to choose the 180gr because its what I can get affordably.
 
My best results so far have been with Hornady's 174 grain round nose, perhaps because they are .312' diameter rather than .311" like all the others I have tried. Of those others, 150 grain and 180 grain Sierra spitzers have worked fine but Speer's 180 grain round nose have given erratic results.

I have aquired some old CIL 215 grain KKSP but haven't tried loaded them yet.
 
Woodleigh make a 215gn RNSN.
They aren't cheap but they're bloody amazing.
But then apparently the importer in your country doesn't bring in everything Woodleigh make so you'd be best ringing them to find out.
Here in Australia you can get pretty much everything Woodleigh makes but then we're lucky.
Apparently Taipan, another Aussie firm who've been around since the 50s & specialise in making bullets using original equipment, also make a 215gn RN.
Their product tends to be cheaper and non-premium although quite capable.
While I've seen plenty of 303 bullets made by them(mainly the 174gn HPBT match style bullet which a mate also uses for hunting with considerable success) I've never seen their 215gn despite the fact it's on their website.
I should try and score some I guess.
 
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Well, I emailed and then rang Taipan this afternoon.
Not only are they out of stock of the 215gn .311 bullets, they rotate their production on a 2 year cycle!?:confused:
So if they sell out 2 weeks after they've finished making them no more for 2 years!!:eek:
I guess they have longer production runs on the more popular stuff.
It does explain why I've never seen any advertised.
They must sell out pronto and the back orders must be fairly considerable too.:(
They may be able to tell me if a dealer has some in stock but otherwise I'll have to wait until they come up again......whenever that is!!:rolleyes:
I can't help but think that if they kept producing them, or at least produced them every few months, that they may find an overseas market for them.....like perhaps Canada!:redface:
 
Gibbs505 said:
kombi1976 said:
Fair enough.
The Military round was a 155gn wasn't it?
Click to expand...
174 grains!
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Yes, the MkVII .303 military load was a 174gn Spitzer FMJ but I was asking about the military load for 7.62 NATO.
I believe the loads for the 30-06 & 8x57IS were Spitzers weighing 150gn & 154gn respectively.
Now I'm home and can check my notes it turns out the 7.62 NATO was loaded with a 150gn pill so I was close.
Sorry if I was unclear.
 
John Y Cannuck said:
The 215 isn't getting a fair shake, because most of the guys here are not old enough to have fired any.
Very effective bullet in the 303
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The 215 grn would be great but the range would be limited. 180grn for general use!:D
 
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