first cast paper jacket reloads

infideleggwelder

infideleggwelder

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just fired my first 50 reloaded 303. no chrono was used
IMR 4895
202 cast
onion skin paper wrap, 2 layers.
No1 MkIII* iron sights
shooter- 44 yrs, bad eyes(not as good as they were), ok shot

first test- reduced load 20.4 gr powder. 10 rds. 75 yds
no recoil what so ever. bullet shed paper jacket pretty much whole upon exiting. round dropped 24ish inches from point of aim until sights were adjusted to 300 for the last 2 rounds. two tumblers but they may have hit a branch on the way to target. the branches were cleared out before any more shooting was done. also had incomplete powder burn. could hear bullet strike target board after the shot.
second test- 32 gr powder 10 rds 75 yds.
limited light recoil, bullet shed tattered paper on exiting. scattered group 10-12 inch, with low strikes
third test 33 gr 10 rds 75 yds
same recoil/not noticeably different anyway. horizontal group(trigger control) 3 inch below POA. paper was shed as confetti.
fourth test- 10 rds. slight increase in recoil over second test. horizontal group, paper confetti.
in no way were these comparable to factory loads.
as for the reduces load, i think i`ll change to a smaller, lighter bullet.

i think that i can increase the load, slowly. no pressure signs, necks did not expand much, still hold a bullet firmly. no flattened or protruding primers.

is there anything else i should look for for pressure?
 
1---What diameter does your barrel slug out to? I think your bullets have to be sized to = bore diameter + .001." (Ideal for 303 should be about .304")
2---What is the thickness of your ONION SKIN? With 2 wraps should = groove diameter + .001-.002". (Ideal for 303 should be about .314")
Did you wet the patches before installing them on the bullets to allow them to shrink onto the slug? Some just use saliva, others use 1 egg white mixed well with 1/2 cup water.
3---Did you lube the finished, patched slugs before seating?
Your powder should be fine but I've had better results with cast stuff using either UNIQUE, IMR4198, IMR3031 or even shotgun powders.
Best of luck.
 
I've got a Martini-Enfield I've been meaning to try paper patched bullets in. The groove diameter from the slug is .3155" to .3160" (5-groove, hard to tell) and my largest cast are only .3145" before sizing. I have some .311" cast I could patch up to .317" or so.
I've been shooting paper patched through a single shot 45-70 for a few months now with black powder (an H&R Buffalo Classic) with decent results.

A flattened primer is not necessarily a sign of overpressure. Depending on the brand of primer you're using it might not flatten until 50k psi. The pressure a primer will flatten at is fixed and based on the thickness and hardness of the primer cup. The maximum pressure of the cartridge has nothing to do with it. A primer can flatten at a perfectly safe pressure in one cartridge/rifle but not flatten until dangerously overpressure in another cartridge/rifle.
If primers are backing out you aren't necessarily experiencing over pressure but most likely bad headspacing which is common on surplus 303 British rifles.
 
BigBoar covered the main points. I had to get a custom sizer made up for my lead core (bullet), before I had any reasonable accuracy in my 303.

I wet my pre-cut patches between the folds of a soaking wet face cloth and then gently wrap them so that the ends meet after two wraps. It takes some effort to remove the patches with my finger nail after the patch has dried.
 
My bore slugged out to 317….ish.
the mould is a NOE 314202. somebody recommended after that i get an 8mm mould and a sizer.(yay, more money)
the onion skin came from staples, wet wrapped, then lubed with lee resizing lube after they dry.
i would use other powders if they were available or had load data for .303 200 gr bullets.
all in all, i`m happy with it, no hang fires or misfires.
i`ll be upping the charge a bit, starting the next at 35 gr IMR 4895, and progress in 1 gr increments.

incidentally, i did some fun shooting with my buddy, he had his 308 with bipod & scope. and i with the above. we shot at a motor cycle hemet. his bullets left holes like someone pounded in a nail, then pulled it out. mine left a hole big enough to put and entire 303 casing thru. it was interesting.
 
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