Loading for ruger#1 303 British

Gatehouse

Gatehouse

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At the range right now. 150gr Tsx with varget powder. Ladder load using 41 to 46.5 gr

first 6 shots made pairs next to each other but each pair is 3 inches apart from the next one!!

Last 3 shots made a 2 inch group. Very weird. Maybe I will have to play with the forend or something. And maybe I will try 4895 podwder. Wish I brouht my loading gear with me.

Let's share some loading info on this thread
 
do you have any other bullets?

mine will be getting factory loads to start, don't have time in the next 40 hours for loading.
 
Yeah I've got some 150gr sierras and maybe some hornadys. This rifle might want heavy bullets or different powder or different seating depth or more velocity or....
 
Here is the target from today. I think the powder (Varget) is not going to work...The pressure seems pretty erratic, especially as on 2 occasions the powder charge was increased and I saw a decrease in velocity. Going ot try H4895 tomorrow. The rifle shot 1.75" group with 174gr FMJ factory ammo, so I htink the rifle is not diseased, and I've never ever had TSX bullets shoot so erratically, so I'm thinking it's a powder problem.

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Clarke,
In the No.1 the 303 is just like a 308 Winchester and that's how I would load it. With 150 grain, I would load 4895 starting at 42 and going up from there. Regards, Bill.
 
Leeper said:
Clarke,
In the No.1 the 303 is just like a 308 Winchester and that's how I would load it. With 150 grain, I would load 4895 starting at 42 and going up from there. Regards, Bill.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill

I figured similarly and actually filled up a .308 case with water to compare capacity with the 303 case. I was surprised to see that the RP 303 case had 2 grains more water than the .308 Lapua case!:)

I've got a new set of TSX and Sierra 150gr bullets loaded with H4895, so hopefully I get to the range tomorrow and have some success. :)
 
Given the amount of #1 303s that got sold to members here at CGN, this thread should have a sticky.

I have one coming in on the second batch. :(


.
 
Interesting thread, I'll probably try some 174 hornady round nose using good old 3031. I have never had much success with Varget and the 303 either, I also have some N140 to try as well.
 
Clarke,

Never tried it with 150s, but one of the best powders for the 303 Br is also one of the least used: Ball C2. It will get 180s going over 2500 fps, with both excellent accuracy and case life. IMR 4320 is another good one.

Ted
 
Ruger twist

I see the twist is 1:10 which is made primarily for 174gr. (MKVI I believe), but 150's should work also. Olan to get to the range again this weekend to do a little load development.
Geoff
 
Mine made a 0.88" group with a 180 Speer and RL15 in Win. brass.
Almost every 303 I've loaded for has worked well with the 180 Speer.
Am also looking forward to trying the Barnes bullet, but never seem to have much luck with them in most rifles, except for my 348 and the 404....
 
Kevan said:
Mine made a 0.88" group with a 180 Speer and RL15 in Win. brass.
Almost every 303 I've loaded for has worked well with the 180 Speer.
Am also looking forward to trying the Barnes bullet, but never seem to have much luck with them in most rifles, except for my 348 and the 404....
Click to expand...

I'm beginning to think this rifle will want either some tweaking to the rifle or those heavier bullets -or both. Makes sense that the twist would favour the 180/174gr bullets as that is most often encountered in factory ammo, but damn, you'd think 150s would work okay...

Sierra 150gr load work up with H4895 was disappointing, and the H4895 with TSX bullets turned in one cloverleaf with 3 powder charges, but the rest strung vertically more than usual with a load work up...

And yet the 174gr factory ammo seemed fine.

I dont' have any bullets heavier than 150 rigth now, so I will try again wiht the Barnes and maybe go buy a box of 180gr factory ammo (yeeech...did I just say that? I feel dirty.) Maybe the local shop has some 180 gr bullets from 1975 in thier back room, too.:)

Barnes bullets have almost universally sot well for me, so I am a bit perplexed. But I'm pretty new to the Ruger #1;)
 
My best 3 shot group was an almost perfect triangle, however another 3 shot group with IMR 4895 strung out vertical and a bit to the right.
Will try some 150 Hornadys tomorrow, will be interesting to see if they work as well as the 180s, if not the Speer load will go hunting. :)
 
Clarke, with your "ladder" test, you are simply seeing the Ruger's sensitivity to varying velocities and/or barrel times. Keep in mind als that consistent velocities may or may not mean consistent barrel times (although it usually does). There are two things which can minimize but not eliminate this. The first is proper bedding of the forend to achieve the proper pressure and stability. The second is lightening of the hammer to reduce the interia and momentum of the hammer.
Like Ted said, BLc2 can be a good powder. I have a bit of prejudice against ball powders which is probably unfounded. I'm sure guys nowdays enjoy this "ladder" test stuff but I would just throw in a reasonable amount or the powder I wish to test into 5 rounds and shoot. The powder which seems to work the best would then get further attention. My load workup techniques would probably seem pretty lacadaisical to today's internet educated shooters/reloaders. The only time I use a ladder is to climb up on the roof. Regards, Bill.
 
From the Hodgdon website:

180 GR. SIERRA SP Hodgdon BL-C(2) .311" 3.075" OAL 41.0 gr 2395 fps 37,100 CUP 45.0 gr 2563 fps 43,000 CUP

Imagine what it would do at 55,000 CUP.

Ted
 
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