Hello ive got a lee loader for 303 brit for my smle , i will be fire forming my brass and only neck sizing, im goin to slugg the barrel shortly for bullit size spec. Im looking for advise from u pros on powder , primer , bullit type that works with the lee hand loader in the red box, its my first attemt at loading so any help is great. It will just be for paper at the range, nuthing too serious. Thx
Lee loader
- Thread starter yes man
- Start date
aspenkarius
Member
- Location
- West central alberta.
if you can find any, hornady 174gr round nose seems to be the best. speer 180gr rn works too.
varget or imr 4895 are good 303 powders too.
varget or imr 4895 are good 303 powders too.
I have Lee Loaders for 270, 6.5x55 and 7x57 Mauser.
I was happy with my 270 loads using the scoop but finally got a scale and tested my scoop weights and found that no matter how consistently I tried to scoop, I was always inconsistent.
Using the scale takes a bit longer per cartridge, but I like it a lot better as I am more confident that I am being more accurate in my weighing.
I got a RCBS 505 scale at a gun show.
I was happy with my 270 loads using the scoop but finally got a scale and tested my scoop weights and found that no matter how consistently I tried to scoop, I was always inconsistent.
Using the scale takes a bit longer per cartridge, but I like it a lot better as I am more confident that I am being more accurate in my weighing.
I got a RCBS 505 scale at a gun show.
Check the headspace before you slug the barrel. If the headspace is safe, you need to decide if you're going to hunt with it. Then pick a bullet closest to the barrel id.
Throw the scoop away and buy a scale. There's no data in CC's and they're inaccurate. Then you'll have to work up the load. IMR3031 is one powder.
Throw the scoop away and buy a scale. There's no data in CC's and they're inaccurate. Then you'll have to work up the load. IMR3031 is one powder.
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Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
Get a scale, like others stated.
Lee scoops are not real accurate, and they also ususally are set to give very low powder charges. The low charge thing was the biggest factor for me. For hunting loads out to 200 yards or something, honestly, the lack of accuracy out of the scoops is not a major factor that most hunters will notice in the sizes of their groups. Your 303 shooting with the awe-inspiring power of a 30-30 though, that may be a big dissapointing for scoop-users...
Otherwise Lee loaders work very well.
I like Sierra 180 grain pro-hunters for 303 British.
Good powders are IMR4895, BL-C2, Varget, RL-17.
Lee scoops are not real accurate, and they also ususally are set to give very low powder charges. The low charge thing was the biggest factor for me. For hunting loads out to 200 yards or something, honestly, the lack of accuracy out of the scoops is not a major factor that most hunters will notice in the sizes of their groups. Your 303 shooting with the awe-inspiring power of a 30-30 though, that may be a big dissapointing for scoop-users...
Otherwise Lee loaders work very well.
I like Sierra 180 grain pro-hunters for 303 British.
Good powders are IMR4895, BL-C2, Varget, RL-17.
Thx for the help everyone ,i will get a scale . Now is headspace still a issue if i use o rings and fire form all brass for this rifle? I wont be hunting with this 1908smle,just the odd range trip . Im just lookin for ideas on a load for general target shooting. Thx again for advise
Yep, fire form with the o-ring trick and buy a scale. If you're patient and good with your hands, the Lee scale is very accurate. I don't care what anyone says. They are also very finicky to use and will slow you to a crawl when charging cases. The RCBS 5-0-5 is a much better scale and gives you the range to weigh bullets, cases and reasonably sized loaded rounds. Its all money, how much shazaam do you want? 
And do get yourself a manual before you try loading any rounds. It will teach you more in a few hours than you'll learn online in days. Its all safe information you can trust your life on. The internet is not regulated or lawyer approved so if you blow your fingers off and rip your face apart its all on you. Use the manual so you don't get that condescending speach from the doctor.
And do get yourself a manual before you try loading any rounds. It will teach you more in a few hours than you'll learn online in days. Its all safe information you can trust your life on. The internet is not regulated or lawyer approved so if you blow your fingers off and rip your face apart its all on you. Use the manual so you don't get that condescending speach from the doctor.
Instead of a Lee safety pscale, I would get a $40 Frankford Arsenal digital scale. Much much quicker and pretty much foolproof. If you're using jacketed bullets, I wouldn't bother slugging your bore. Just buy bullets made for the 303Br, not .308" bullets.
For paper at the range the cheapest way to go is with cast. I buy mine from R&R in Ontario. I paid $88 shipped for 500. I use 16gr of Alliant 2400 pistol powder. A pound of powder goes a long way at only 16gr per shot. I use a lee loader also. My cast are sized at .314 and won't fit through the lee loader. I get around this by charging the case then taking it out of the loader. I place the bullet in the mouth of the case and then place the loader back on top of it all and seat as usual.
lee loaders only neck size, so if using cast, be careful how tight it makes the neck.
you may want to dedicate a LL to ONE bullet, by opening up the neck a bit, and opening up the bullet hole.
as for scoops, consitant technique is the key. no different than a powder measure, and lots of competitive shooters use them and don't weigh their loads, once they have developed on. (think "Progressive Press")
as for light loads, once you find a weighed load that shoots well, get the next oversized scoop, and with a heat gun, or careful use of a hot plate, warm the base and gently push it up, making the capacity smaller... then dip a few and weigh them.
after you get it sized right, mark it and put it with the LL and mark the whole info one the case.
also note, the LL loads as listed may be light, but for cast, they "May" be spot on.
you may want to dedicate a LL to ONE bullet, by opening up the neck a bit, and opening up the bullet hole.
as for scoops, consitant technique is the key. no different than a powder measure, and lots of competitive shooters use them and don't weigh their loads, once they have developed on. (think "Progressive Press")
as for light loads, once you find a weighed load that shoots well, get the next oversized scoop, and with a heat gun, or careful use of a hot plate, warm the base and gently push it up, making the capacity smaller... then dip a few and weigh them.
after you get it sized right, mark it and put it with the LL and mark the whole info one the case.
also note, the LL loads as listed may be light, but for cast, they "May" be spot on.
The scoop on the Lee loader! Oops, sounds like a pun.
Northman999 tells it like it is and I agree the scoop can be accurate enough, if one is careful and uses the same technique for every scoop load, just as you must do with a powder measure. He also has it right about that the loads given by the Lee scoops are extremely light. I think you will find that the loads with a 303 scoop will give considerable less velocity than a 30-30 should give. As many have said, get a scale.
Now, about this headspace thingy. The rimmed case of the 303 headspaces on the rim. If you take a factory loaded cartridge, put a little O-ring around it so as to hold the base of the cartridge tight against the bolt face, the fired brass will fit the rifle perfectly. However, the cartridge now will headspace on the shoulder. After maybe about three firings the case will stretch a bit, the little Lee loader doesn't push the shoulder back, so your new load now may not go into the chamber.
It is much better if the rifle has tight enough headspace that you can continue to just headspace on the rim.
So here is a quick way to test the headspace on your 303. Fire factory round in your rifle.
Push, or pound out the spent primer.
Start a now primer in the case, but let it protrude.
Put the case in the chamber, slowly close the bolt and push the handle full down.
This will seat the primer and however much primer is left protruding from the case is how much headspace your rifle has. The closer the primer is to being fully seated, the better.
However, the shoulder of the case will still be pushed forward and in a few firings it may still not go back into the chamber, unless it is resized in a press.
Northman999 tells it like it is and I agree the scoop can be accurate enough, if one is careful and uses the same technique for every scoop load, just as you must do with a powder measure. He also has it right about that the loads given by the Lee scoops are extremely light. I think you will find that the loads with a 303 scoop will give considerable less velocity than a 30-30 should give. As many have said, get a scale.
Now, about this headspace thingy. The rimmed case of the 303 headspaces on the rim. If you take a factory loaded cartridge, put a little O-ring around it so as to hold the base of the cartridge tight against the bolt face, the fired brass will fit the rifle perfectly. However, the cartridge now will headspace on the shoulder. After maybe about three firings the case will stretch a bit, the little Lee loader doesn't push the shoulder back, so your new load now may not go into the chamber.
It is much better if the rifle has tight enough headspace that you can continue to just headspace on the rim.
So here is a quick way to test the headspace on your 303. Fire factory round in your rifle.
Push, or pound out the spent primer.
Start a now primer in the case, but let it protrude.
Put the case in the chamber, slowly close the bolt and push the handle full down.
This will seat the primer and however much primer is left protruding from the case is how much headspace your rifle has. The closer the primer is to being fully seated, the better.
However, the shoulder of the case will still be pushed forward and in a few firings it may still not go back into the chamber, unless it is resized in a press.
A .311" LE? Did you clean all the copper out before slugging? It can make a difference of several thousandths of an inch. You'll want to be 1 to 2 thou over groove diameter. Also, if its a 5 groove barrel they're a little harder to measure the engraved bullet.
Yes it was clean, and yes its a 5 groove from what i see on the slug i mesured from groove corner to opposite corner . Cleaned it really good after will try another one. Ok did another after good cleaning .311 is the biggest measure i get across the groves
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Age doesn't matter. How much the rifle was fired does.
I'd be surprised if the headspace is bad on a 1908 vintage rifle. Only because they're not exactly common and usually haven't been ravaged by Bubba and his cohorts. I'd still check it. Nothing fixes bad headspace buy a change of bolt head. Factory cases, bits of tape, 'O' ring's, washers or anything else tell you a thing.
I'd be surprised if the headspace is bad on a 1908 vintage rifle. Only because they're not exactly common and usually haven't been ravaged by Bubba and his cohorts. I'd still check it. Nothing fixes bad headspace buy a change of bolt head. Factory cases, bits of tape, 'O' ring's, washers or anything else tell you a thing.
