Loading for ruger#1 303 British

[Peecos]

Anyone ever get an accurate measurement to the lands on a No 1 ? Just made some dummy rounds this morning of the three bullets I have on hand and can’t seem to get close. Even with 215 gr Woodleighs when they were seated only halfway down the neck they just dropped right in. Set them so they are seated just to the bottom of the neck and will commence testing, first up will be 180gr Sierra’s and BL-C2. Didn’t think I would ever find or own one of these but CGN strikes another off the bucket list.

 

[WhelanLad]

Anyone ever get an accurate measurement to the lands on a No 1 ? Just made some dummy rounds this morning of the three bullets I have on hand and can’t seem to get close. Even with 215 gr Woodleighs when they were seated only halfway down the neck they just dropped right in. Set them so they are seated just to the bottom of the neck and will commence testing, first up will be 180gr Sierra’s and BL-C2. Didn’t think I would ever find or own one of these but CGN strikes another off the bucket list.

nah i dont think i reached mine either with 215s.

Ive come to Ask if anyones Loaded 174 gr PPSN Woodleighs in their #1......... what did you do for seating those puppies?

i was happy with the 215a but got sent a box of 174a, being remote its no use sending back.. will be using Varget

 

[Eagleye]

My #1 and my 1910 Ross [both in 303 British] like the 180 Sierra Spitzer FB
and the Speer 180 FBRN. The 174 Woodleigh has been spotty as to accuracy
up to this point. I'll keep working on it.

Loads that worked best were: 43/44/45 grains of Norma 202.
44.5 grains of IMR 4320. 45 grains of Vihtavuori N140. [Caution!! these are
not Lee-Enfield loads] Reloder 15 also works quite well.

These strong actions will digest 308 loads without any issues. Dave.

 

[WhelanLad]

My #1 and my 1910 Ross [both in 303 British] The 174 Woodleigh has been spotty as to accuracy
up to this point. I'll keep working on it.

These strong actions will digest 308 loads without any issues. Dave.

EE are you expecting moa or such accuracy? what are the spotty woodleighs like?
im pretty much up to loading the 174 PPSN with Varget in coming weeks and perhaps sooner as i burnt thru a few S&Bs last week-

the woodliegh manual is given me 38-43gr with 2208 /Varget , no idea on the pressures there though, the old 303 really lights up when ya load it accordingly!!

 

[nitro-express]

EE are you expecting moa or such accuracy? what are the spotty woodleighs like?
im pretty much up to loading the 174 PPSN with Varget in coming weeks and perhaps sooner as i burnt thru a few S&Bs last week-

the woodliegh manual is given me 38-43gr with 2208 /Varget , no idea on the pressures there though, the old 303 really lights up when ya load it accordingly!!

I settled on a load, seems good for any 303 Br I've shot. I like 150's, and either a Speer Hot-Cor or a Sierra seem to work. Hornady's didn't seem to do the trick for me. With my FL die I leave app 0.022" gap between the shellholder and die, (measure while resizing a case), YMMV. The point is that you want the shoulder setback to be minimal, 0.005" at most. 303 Br is one caliber where reloaded ammunition will in most cases be custom fit to your rifle. I used a Winchester LR primer, and I seat the bullet to the point at which all of the neck is filled with bullet and the base of the seated bullet is even with the top of the shoulder. None of my rifles have a tight throat. This load seems to work, I've used it in 2 different #4 Mk 1's and a Martini. Cold weather and hot, good to go.

I'm not a fan of the heavier bullets, but if you are, try IMR 4350.

One rifle that caught my interest is the Uberti Courteney stalking rifle, looks real nice.

ht_tps://www.uberti-usa.com/1885-courteney-stalking-rifle

 

[WhelanLad]

Im about to start loading the 174 Gr PPSN from Woodleigh, some data i have is 38-42gr of Varget for max pressure of around 38000 cup.......
in me ol Ruger banger, im wanna get these stoked up and see 308 data is around 42-45 compressed for up around 48,000 cup.... Rekon we are alright to start at 41gr in the Number 1 ?

loving the compact rifle and usable power of the 303 cartridge, using it on the big deer im moving up to the 180 class as i want a bit more assurance in possible close range shots as the deer turn to take off. 174 woodleigh aught to be just the ticket... and useful for 250m away

 

[WhelanLad]

dissapointing results with 2208/ 40gr and the 174 woodleigh...
goin to go up to 43 gr and work up from there an see if that does anything substaintial , otherwise im honestly reconsidering rebarreling this thing.

 

[Boolitcaster]

As these guns will only become more valuable, I recommend selling yours and getting another in a preferred caliber.

I have had good success with my Ruger, but then I don't expect to take game at 350m.

 

[WhelanLad]

As these guns will only become more valuable, I recommend selling yours and getting another in a preferred caliber.

I have had good success with my Ruger, but then I don't expect to take game at 350m.

sorry to jam this thread a bit, perhaps the internet roumers are true,... im just not sure which one.
180gr speer hot cors seated out a fair way - my coal is around 76.5mm ( varget in the low 40s)
playing with the torque of the action bolts
adding a piece of stuffs between the forend and screw to raise it from the barrel.

but one of those is working...... i'll only report back here if i can get satisfactory results- as you would of seen i also have some .323 swaged to .3145 which i have been able to chamber in RP brass of all without sizing, an will eventually test those out compared to these 180gr Speers! which im coparing to the 174gr Woodleigh PPSN load of current. (i will update tomorow its MOA rating)

thanks for all help CGN

 

[iron cat]

I've been killing deer with mine since the beginning of it all, with everything from 150's to the big 215 C.I.L. bullets with all the major manufacturers (including Barnes) using both Varget and 4895.
I have some Woodleighs but haven't killed anything with them yet.
Furthest shot was just shy of 250 yards IIRC, closest was about 40.
I still really like the 180 grain Speers, though.
Cat

Since I made this last post, I have killed some more deer, using IMR4895 and 150 TSX's. The longest at 372 yards ,One at 194 yards , a couple between 50 and 125, and other at just over 20.
All one shot kills and nothing went for than 20 yards.
Oh, and two coyotes! LOL
Cat

 

[WhelanLad]

is anyone else still using their 303 ?

i found decency with those .323 drawn down to .313-.314 as suspect some sprung back but all good for what they were doing., 170gr speer hot core .323 .

what i have found good was the specific projectile being Speer hot cor 180gr rn type, its long as , i settled on like 41.5-42gr of varget at 76.5mm coal..

i now only use this gun for 100m an under hunts.. im seriously thinking of re barrelling it lol

 

[Claven2]

A bit OT, but some needs to bring these in again. Ruger still does special runs of these upon request.

I missed the boat the first time, been kicking myself ever since. Wish I could join you all in this fun.

 

[WhelanLad]

A bit OT, but some needs to bring these in again. Ruger still does special runs of these upon request.

I missed the boat the first time, been kicking myself ever since. Wish I could join you all in this fun.

hey mate, honestly, goin via alot of online stuff an even in Aussie.... no one else is havin much fun with these 303s except me an cat in hat lol.... maybe a couple other dudes on here but yeah,.... no ones happy with the bore dimensions? some do get em shootin good tho, its a combo of the forend an bullets etc....

but yeah theres some other cool cal one off runs i see you guys get oppertunity to land!

They are cool though, cats proberly the man for info, he's are special built tho i rekon from memory

edit to say a day later of tis post, i had been carrying the ruger for an hour or so, had one op at a max range but some drama with tripod ment no shot taken, an hour later i had some deer come up out of the small pine an crest the clearing infront of me, i couldnt get a good picture oft he first but 20m behind i swung an got a good picture on the 2nd an let a 180gr Speer rip..... i watched that thing at full gallop, stumble, chest plant the earth, then continue on another 15m into the blackberry... alot of noise later of bush breaking, then silence...

will write report tomorow when find.

 

[Peecos]

Still shooting mine. It’s not my most accurate No1 but certainly good enough and better than any Lee Enfield I’ve shot. I’m going to try some of those 180gr Speer RN next as I run some through at the range last week that were loaded for a different rifle and no longer have. While they were only slightly over 2000fps, the group was as close to 1 moa has I’ve got to date.

 

[WhelanLad]

i tipped this over with the swaged down .323 projies, iirc 170gr hot cor- ill dig it out tomorow an post a photo of it?? its in there somewhere.

these an my 180gr hot cors .311 shoot similiar poi with the open sights so i just use whichever hits the hand first- im stoked today was the 170 hot cor jobby, as the hind i killed but could not recover due to the blackberry thickets is likely carrying the 180gr hot cor which both shots being similiar distance , woulda been good comparision, but il keep at it

 

[WhelanLad]

so RWS do a 196gr .318 calibre bullet....... has anyone tried or thought of trying these? they would swage easier than .323 im sure.

 

[bearhunter]

If that were my rifle and good commercial .318 bullets were available and if they will fit into the neck, throat after being loaded, I would just shoot them as they are. Especially in a rifle as strong as the Ruger #1.

I would also invest in a .317 expander ball for my sizing die.

I would at least give it a try. A few thou over won't make much difference and some rifles actually shoot better with over size bullets.

I have a 308Win that prefers .310 diameter bullets and it has a standard .3085 bore measurement.

It's like the girls we dated, some do, some don't, some will, some won't.

 

[WhelanLad]

If that were my rifle and good commercial .318 bullets were available and if they will fit into the neck, throat after being loaded, I would just shoot them as they are. Especially in a rifle as strong as the Ruger #1.

I would also invest in a .317 expander ball for my sizing die.

I would at least give it a try. A few thou over won't make much difference and some rifles actually shoot better with over size bullets.

I have a 308Win that prefers .310 diameter bullets and it has a standard .3085 bore measurement.

It's like the girls we dated, some do, some don't, some will, some won't.

PM in bound mate

 

[Claven2]

hey mate, honestly, goin via alot of online stuff an even in Aussie.... no one else is havin much fun with these 303s except me an cat in hat lol.... maybe a couple other dudes on here but yeah,.... no ones happy with the bore dimensions? some do get em shootin good tho, its a combo of the forend an bullets etc....

but yeah theres some other cool cal one off runs i see you guys get oppertunity to land!

They are cool though, cats proberly the man for info, he's are special built tho i rekon from memory

edit to say a day later of tis post, i had been carrying the ruger for an hour or so, had one op at a max range but some drama with tripod ment no shot taken, an hour later i had some deer come up out of the small pine an crest the clearing infront of me, i couldnt get a good picture oft he first but 20m behind i swung an got a good picture on the 2nd an let a 180gr Speer rip..... i watched that thing at full gallop, stumble, chest plant the earth, then continue on another 15m into the blackberry... alot of noise later of bush breaking, then silence...

will write report tomorow when find.

Well if any Canadians give up on theirs, it's easy to pm me and lete know what they need to get out of their rifle cost - wise. I'm a die hard 303 fan, pretty sure I can make these shoot ok, and if not, you can always rebarrel to a .311 or .312 bore.

 

[spooksar]

mine likes the Hornady 174gr