Used brass, is it worth reloading .303?

mikeystew

mikeystew

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I may be trying to cover this issue to death but here i go again...
I just recieved 100+ used brass for 303 and every piece seems to have expanded above the web. is this common for once fired .303 to show signs of case stretching like that?

Is it at all safe to reload any of this once fired(the pretext under which i procured it, not proven) brass? or should i just keep the .303 as a factory ammo only gun? if so i say boo to that.

Even if i were to buy new brass and only get 4-5 loadings out of it i calculated that it's still nearly $1 per round. Why bother?
 
mikeystew said:
Even if i were to buy new brass and only get 4-5 loadings out of it i calculated that it's still nearly $1 per round. Why bother?
Click to expand...

Where else are you going to get match quality ammo tuned to your rifle for less than a buck a round? I'm using Winchester brass, Varget, and SMK 174's for mine.
I'll be doing a ladder test soon.
 
.. The 303 British is one of the most frustrating rounds to reload, yet can also be one of the more satisfying ones. The case life is depressingly short, although it can be maximized if you only NECK SIZE. But if you shoot your reload's in more than one Rifle that may not be all that practical. Regardless, it's still cheaper than buying Factory ! .... David K
 
Last time I did the numbers I came out with around 70 cents a round. Also when you reload the second time and onwards, you subtract the price of the brass. so it gets cheaper still.

Oh and the brass you got should be fine. Just clean them, and re size, thn inspect each piece for cracks or signs of head separation. If they are only once fire, you should be good to go unless the chamber they were shot in was really bad.
 
There are a few things that have helped extend my 303Br. brass life. Check/change the bolt head as required to minimize head space problems. And as David K mentioned, neck size.
 
..Reloading the .303, I generally load CLOSE to the original spec.velocity ( actually a little lower) and out of a couple my SMLE's, I get better results using NON-BOAT-TAIL Bullets. 'Seems like each rifle is a Law unto itself, when it comes to reloading for it. Fun, and definitely a challenge, never the less ! .... David K
 
I cut a couple of pieces of suspicious looking brass in half then filed them smooth and was pleasantly surprised to see no thinning of the brass near the head whatsoever. i guess it just looks worse than it is from the outside. the fed brass was exceptionally thick near the web when it looked stretched from the outside.
 
Do not full-length resize that brass! Adjust your sizing die to resize it just enough to chamber with a little resistance, in the rifle you want to use it in. This will allow minimum headspace for the first firing, and will extend case life greatly.

Only necksize after the first firing and you will be very pleased to discover you are getting at least 5-6 loads per case with reasonable loads.

Ted
 
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