recipe for .303BR with a two groove barrel?
- Thread starter rhino519
- Start date
i done the hegdon's internet tool for reloading bdft, the issue here is, im assuming, the 24in barrel would be 5 groove, im specifically looking for something that will go well in a two groove
thanks brewmech, ill try that
thanks brewmech, ill try that
That will depend on "your" rifle, the bedding and the up pressure at the fore end tip and no two rifles will be the same.
Make workup loads and see what your rifle likes.
Below my first Enfield rifle "with a two groove barrel" the top photo is the best target out of five targets. The bottom photo is after tightening up the bedding and increasing the up pressure at the fore end tip. Top target is a five shot group and the bottom is a ten shot group, both fired at 50 yards.
The military didn't reload and each Enfield rifle was "regulated" or tuned by varying the up pressure at the fore end tip. The maximum allowable group size at 100 yards was a group one inch wide and three inches tall. As you can see above tightening up the fore stock and the correct up pressure at the fore end tip makes a big difference.
I've owned 3 rifles with 5-groove barrels and 1 with a 2-groove. I performed the same load development techniques for all of them.
The issue I had was I had to use different bullets for different rifles because of the slugged bore diameters. I shoot mostly cast though. My rifles ranged from around .311" to almost .317".
My 2-groove No.4 slugs .3134" in the grooves and .3020" on the lands. At 100yds (as far as I shoot with irons) my rifle shoots .308" jacketed bullets just as well as .312". I use a 308 Win expander plug in the die to get the necessary neck tension.
With cast it shoots .311" very well which I find odd as normally cast you want .001" to .002" over groove diameter. My totally unconfirmed guess is that the large land area displaces more metal into the 2 grooves to fill the bore completely.
I use regular .303B load data for the same bullet weight, start at the bottom and work up. Normally I find the load I shoot best within a grain or two from the starting load.
The issue I had was I had to use different bullets for different rifles because of the slugged bore diameters. I shoot mostly cast though. My rifles ranged from around .311" to almost .317".
My 2-groove No.4 slugs .3134" in the grooves and .3020" on the lands. At 100yds (as far as I shoot with irons) my rifle shoots .308" jacketed bullets just as well as .312". I use a 308 Win expander plug in the die to get the necessary neck tension.
With cast it shoots .311" very well which I find odd as normally cast you want .001" to .002" over groove diameter. My totally unconfirmed guess is that the large land area displaces more metal into the 2 grooves to fill the bore completely.
I use regular .303B load data for the same bullet weight, start at the bottom and work up. Normally I find the load I shoot best within a grain or two from the starting load.
In worn barrels I get the best accuracy with flat base bullets and during WWII the U.S. loaded the double base BLC2 powder for .303 ammunition for the British.
rhino519, your asking about loads "BUT" again you may have a rifle that has not been touched by an armourer in over 40-50 years. Your fore stock may have wood scrinkage, the forward trigger guard screw collar/bushing may be too long. Meaning your bedding should be tightened up per your Canadian No.4 manual and then work up some loads. When the bedding is correct and your shooting circular groups then you "tune" the rifle by adjusting the powder charge to make the groups smaller.
There are two basic ways to "tune" a rifle, adjust the bedding to control barrel vibrations and accuracy. Or adjust the powder charge to control the barrel vibrations, and on the Enfield rifle you need to do both. If you want your Enfield rifle to shoot well you need to understand your fore stock, and how the bedding effects barrel vibrations.
You also have another very good Canadian manual on bedding the No.4 "The Canadian Marksman" which shows the combined effects of center bedding and also up pressure at the fore end tip.
One of the first things I did with a new Enfield rifle was remove the fore stock and let it soak in a 50/50 mix of "raw" linseed oil and turpentine for a day or more. This would cause the dry wood to swell and in many cases fix any wood shrinkage and loose bedding problems you have. But you may still need to shim the stock as the armourers did to adjust the bedding forces.
The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965
http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=305-The-Canadian-Marksman-%28Bedding-the-7.62mm-No.4-Rifle%29-1965
1991 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Manuals (Complete Set)
http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=335-1991-No.4-%28All-Marks%29-.303-Rifle-Manuals-%28Complete-Set%29
Know thy rifle..........All the information in the world is written in books and all you have to do is read.
rhino519, your asking about loads "BUT" again you may have a rifle that has not been touched by an armourer in over 40-50 years. Your fore stock may have wood scrinkage, the forward trigger guard screw collar/bushing may be too long. Meaning your bedding should be tightened up per your Canadian No.4 manual and then work up some loads. When the bedding is correct and your shooting circular groups then you "tune" the rifle by adjusting the powder charge to make the groups smaller.
There are two basic ways to "tune" a rifle, adjust the bedding to control barrel vibrations and accuracy. Or adjust the powder charge to control the barrel vibrations, and on the Enfield rifle you need to do both. If you want your Enfield rifle to shoot well you need to understand your fore stock, and how the bedding effects barrel vibrations.
You also have another very good Canadian manual on bedding the No.4 "The Canadian Marksman" which shows the combined effects of center bedding and also up pressure at the fore end tip.
One of the first things I did with a new Enfield rifle was remove the fore stock and let it soak in a 50/50 mix of "raw" linseed oil and turpentine for a day or more. This would cause the dry wood to swell and in many cases fix any wood shrinkage and loose bedding problems you have. But you may still need to shim the stock as the armourers did to adjust the bedding forces.
The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965
http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=305-The-Canadian-Marksman-%28Bedding-the-7.62mm-No.4-Rifle%29-1965
1991 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Manuals (Complete Set)
http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=335-1991-No.4-%28All-Marks%29-.303-Rifle-Manuals-%28Complete-Set%29
Know thy rifle..........All the information in the world is written in books and all you have to do is read.
