Looking for load data for .303 british, Hornady 174gr FMJ/BT

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TrevorW

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Hello!
I am looking for load data for some bullets I just picked up, it is for my old .303, the bullets are Hornady 174gr FMJ/BT.
I can not for the life of me find any load data on the interweb for these bullets. I have lots of Ramshot Tac, H335 and IMR 4064.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
 
Try 38.5 of IMR 4064, light and accurate - those are very good bullets for a 303 that hasn't been shot with cordite, I'm surprised they aren't labelled as match bullets, they're amazingly consistent. IMR 4064 is a great powder for 303 loads, as the load density is just about perfect.
 
enefgee said:
Try 38.5 of IMR 4064, light and accurate - those are very good bullets for a 303 that hasn't been shot with cordite, I'm surprised they aren't labelled as match bullets, they're amazingly consistent. IMR 4064 is a great powder for 303 loads, as the load density is just about perfect.
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:)Agreed. A short while ago I picked up a good quantity of 174gr FMJs. With them I used basically the same charge I'd a 'few' years back with the 174gr Sierra HPBT MatchKing, 39.5gr of IMR 4064.
41gr of IMR 4320 worked well for me also.
 
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Depending on your bore some .303B surplus rifles don't like boat tail bullets.
Those Hornady bullets are .3105" where as most bullets for .303B are .311" or .312". They tumble every shot, no matter the velocity, in my rifle and at least 2 others I've seen shot at the range. They work great in my P14 but it'll shoot .308 bullets too.
If you have a rifle with a tighter bore they will work great but don't be too surprised if they are all over the place and key holing.
Data for any 174gr bullet will work for them. They would also be fine with data for 180gr loads because they are lighter and will produce lower pressure anyway.

For COAL just seat to the cannalure. The bullet was designed to be seated to that depth and crimped into the cannalure.
 
I have heard that about them, I didnt know this until after I got them as they were all I could get in .303 in Calgary, I figure I will load up a couple and see how they do!
Thanks for the info!
 
LUTNIT said:
Depending on your bore some .303B surplus rifles don't like boat tail bullets.
Those Hornady bullets are .3105" where as most bullets for .303B are .311" or .312". They tumble every shot, no matter the velocity, in my rifle and at least 2 others I've seen shot at the range. They work great in my P14 but it'll shoot .308 bullets too.
If you have a rifle with a tighter bore they will work great but don't be too surprised if they are all over the place and key holing.
Data for any 174gr bullet will work for them. They would also be fine with data for 180gr loads because they are lighter and will produce lower pressure anyway.

For COAL just seat to the cannalure. The bullet was designed to be seated to that depth and crimped into the cannalure.
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Did a little checking. I don't know who made the FMJs I have that were pulled from military ammo, but
-they, 174gr, mike out @ 3.113"
-Hornady 174gr RN, 3.118"
-Sierra 180gr Spitzer, 3.108"
-Woodleigh 215gr RNSN, 3.119"

For the most part, my best accuracy in most calibres has been where I've minimized the freebore as much as possible. And, in most hunting rifles, that maximum C.O.A.L. is goverened by what will fit in the magazine.

The last few years, my primary rifles chambered in 303Br. have been, one of a number of No.5 Mk.1 Jungle Carbines,;)and still is:D.

 
Johnn Peterson said:
Did a little checking. I don't know who made the FMJs I have that were pulled from military ammo, but
-they, 174gr, mike out @ 3.113"
-Hornady 174gr RN, 3.118"
-Sierra 180gr Spitzer, 3.108"
-Woodleigh 215gr RNSN, 3.119"
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The Hornady 174gr RN's and 150gr SP's are listed as .312". However the 174gr FMJ/BT ones they sell are under a different category on their website and are listed as .3105". They have two different categories for ".303" bullets; you can check their website.
Hornady .312" rounds work flawlessly in my No.1 Mk.3 but their .3105" ones tumble.
 
I looked on their site but could not find any info for load data for the 174gr FMJ/BT. I may have been looking in the wrong place, seems like there are no .303 bullets anywhere, I guess I should MIC my barrel to see what it is then?
 
Hornady doesn't list load data because they publish a book they want you to buy.
You can see their available rifle bullets here:
h ttp://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle
Note that there are two different "303 cal" sections; one is .3105" and the other is .312"
There are also the 7.62 bullets (meant for 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R) that are all .310"

Hodgdon has load data for 174gr bullets with 10 different powders. Only their powders though as they are a powder manufacturer (so Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester, Hornady, etc.)
Their online database is here:
h ttp://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

Slugging the barrel in old surplus rifles is never a bad idea. I recently found out my Vz.24 1942 Mauser was .3265" instead of .323". Enfields can be anywhere from .308" to .317" or higher. Mine is a fairly loose .315" but can still shoot .311" jacketed bullets. As said the .3105" ones tumble so I guess that last .0005" is critical. I stick to .312" just in case.
 
LUTNIT said:
The Hornady 174gr RN's and 150gr SP's are listed as .312". However the 174gr FMJ/BT ones they sell are under a different category on their website and are listed as .3105". They have two different categories for ".303" bullets; you can check their website.
Hornady .312" rounds work flawlessly in my No.1 Mk.3 but their .3105" ones tumble.
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Oh, okay, thanks for the info. I wasn't aware they had two different categories for their .303 bullets, one being slightly smaller in diameter. All I've ever used is the 174gr RN. I went by their manual and that lists both the 174gr RN and the 174gr BT-FMJ both at 0.312".

In addition;On an old Speer bullet chart that is part of the decore of my reloading room, just to the left of the little window.



It's a 175gr RN, listed for the 7.65mm, 0.313" diameter. The bullet is listed on my old Speer display board but no longer available. That would be interesting to test in some of the older 303's with larger the bore diameters that are run into.
 
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There is a line of thought that's widespread on various forums that Lee Enfields can't shoot Boat Tail bullets well, because "the rifling doesn't like Boat Tail bullets". I've found that to be true, but for a different reason than most people believe. Lee Enfield bores tend to be quite a bit larger in groove diameter than available Boat Tail bullets and so they can tumble, yaw or be otherwise inaccurate. Flat Base bullets of the same diameter can shoot well in the same gun, and hence the conclusion that it's the Boat Tail that's at fault. This is a half-truth - Flat Base bullets can obturate ("increase in diameter") whereas Boat-Tail cannot.

So the problem is not the existence of the Boat Tail, it's that the bullet is under-sized, and does not obturate like a Flat Based bullet can.

Find, or make a Boat Tail that's large enough, e.g. 0.314" and they can shoot well. Since that size of bullet is practically non-existent, Flat Base. Bullets of 0.312" seem to be the best bet.
 
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I checked my barrel last night and it is .311, i also checked the bullets and they are actually .309, not .3105, unless my micrometer is lying to me that is smaller than what the box says and could explain a lot!
What is slugging?
 
TrevorW said:
I checked my barrel last night and it is .311, i also checked the bullets and they are actually .309, not .3105, unless my micrometer is lying to me that is smaller than what the box says and could explain a lot!
What is slugging?
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Slugging the bore is when you pound a soft lead ball through the barrel and mic it when it comes out. This is the most common way to tell the size of the inside of a bore without special tools. Measuring the muzzle end with a caliper or some such isn't usually too accurate.
Lube the barrel and start out the ball with a non-marring hammer. I then use ~4" long 1/4" wood dowel sections to pound it through. When one is all the way in and can't be hammered anymore I start another. Trying to use one long dowel is too awkward and difficult.
I use 00 buck pellets to slug most barrels. They are .330" so can be used from .308" up to 8mm (.323"). Buying cheap 00 buck 12ga shells and cutting them open will yield some near pure, soft, .330" lead balls if you don't want to buy an entire box. The expensive shells are often hardened lead or even nickle plated and wont work as well.

What Andy says makes a lot of sense but the only boat tail bullets I've tried in mine where .3105" and I know .310" flat base bullets tumble as well. Since flat base .312" work and my LE just has iron sights anyway I don't bother testing other jacketed bullets (but do cast for it.)
 
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TrevorW said:
What end do you start from? Thanks again!
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It doesn't really matter unless you want to see the diameter of the throat in which case you start from the chamber and pound it the other way after it enters the throat.
For full length bore slugs I start at the muzzle end. It's just easier that way.
 
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