What type is this 303

One has been "improved". A common treatment to cases with a lot of taper. Increases case capacity. I am guessing that with the right powder (say 4350) velocity would be in the 308 range.

Look up Ackley Improved on Google.
 
I remember one guy ranting and raving about how the Epps 303 British (303 British Epps improved? 303 Epps improved?) is the equivalent of a 300 Win Mag in the P14. Turns out he was talking about a P14 that had been rebarrelled for a 300 Win Mag :rolleyes:
(the 303 British and 300WM are very close in head size so it was a somewhat common conversion)

As said, the P14 is the better candidate because it uses the stronger Mauser action. The normal Lee Enfield action can't handle as much pressure safely. I do remember reading about one guy using an Epps 303 British and getting 30-06 velocities with the same bullet weights. I don't know how safe that is in the LE action though.

Another one I hear about quite often is the 30-30 Ackley Improved (or 30-30 AI):
683720_c3d8926a9bc14578b1f155d4c86bddd1.jpg_srz_630_567_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz
 
Looks a lot like a 303 Epps to me, but possibly not quite as steep a shoulder as a true "Epps"

I have a 303 Epps on a P14 action with the original Winchester built barrel [1916 Vintage]

The barrel still is in quite good shape, and has been clipped at 25"

I drive the 180 Sierra FB to 2700 with a good load of IMR 4320, Vihtavuori N540 or Reloder 15.

This rifle shoots 1¼ moa regularly, with an occasional zinger group under 1 moa.

I have taken several head of game with it, and it performs very well, IMHO, for a rifle almost 100 years old.

Regards, Dave
 
That is a 303 Brit improved but it is neither an Ackley nor an Epps, it appears to me to have a 25 deg shoulder, where Ackley always used a 40 deg and if I'm not mistaken (not as familiar with the Epps line up) Epps was 35 or 40 deg as well.

Actually the improved is very feasible in the Lee Enfield action, not so much as from a greater ballistics stand point but as a more positive head space for the cartridge and less case stretch with a moderate improvement in ballistics. It also dramatically reduces bolt thrust which is always a good thing in an action this weak.
 
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c-fbmi said:
That is a 303 Brit improved but it is neither an Ackley nor an Epps, it appears to me to have a 25 deg shoulder, where Ackley always used a 40 deg and if I'm not mistaken (not as familiar with the Epps line up) Epps was 35 or 40 deg as well.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Epps has a 35º shoulder angle. Quite a bit steeper than the one above.

Dave.
 
c-fbmi said:
That is a 303 Brit improved but it is neither an Ackley nor an Epps, it appears to me to have a 25 deg shoulder, where Ackley always used a 40 deg and if I'm not mistaken (not as familiar with the Epps line up) Epps was 35 or 40 deg as well.

Actually the improved is very feasible in the Lee Enfield action, not so much as from a greater ballistics stand point but as a more positive head space for the cartridge and less case stretch with a moderate improvement in ballistics. It also dramatically reduces bolt thrust which is always a good thing in an action this weak.
Click to expand...

I was just reading Ackleys book he used both a 28 and 40 degree shoulder
 
Thanks everyone, I do not have the rifle for this round but was given a couple hundred empty rounds, if anyone has something similar let me know. I will move it on for the freight costs.

Ray
 
Just a W.A.G., but could this be a cartridge that has been fired through a Ross with enlarged chamber? There is quite a variation in these chambers. Some of them are much more oversize and mis-shapen, particularly those done in the field.
 
The Elwood Epp's, "Poor Man's Magnum". Elwood blew out the cartridge ditching the heavy slope on the sides and made the shoulder sharper. PO Ackley "improved" it further by messing with shoulder angles.
I currently have 2 P-14s and 1 No4 Longbranch reamed out for that cartridge. In the Longbranch, you can get .30-06 performance (bottom end) and easily beat .308 with the larger bullets. In the P-14, you can best the '06 and approach the .300 H&H with judicious loading. I am happy matching .30-06 performance and my wife uses one as her elk/moose gun.
 
I had an article from a magazine back in the '80s that was on Elwood Epps' conversion. It was quite detailed with info on load data and his results. He truly did safely reach .300H&H velocities in a P-14. And he cautioned everyone not to attempt this conversion in anything older than a No4.
 
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