Why couldn't I use 303 British for hunting?

C

Callee

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Seguin, Ontario
This is probably going to be a dumb question, a shot in the dark question, but I'm filing it under it doesn't hurt to ask.

The other day I was down in the city and I was in the local Canadian Tire which has a large firearms Department. I asked the clerk what they had for 303 British, because I've been working a lot with the Lee Enfield rifle I got this year trying to improve my aim, and I was running low on ammo.

The clerk replied that they had two brands in stock, the PPU which I ended up buying, and some other brand which I forget.

The clerk right away asked me if this was for hunting, because he said one of the brands they had could be used for hunting while the other could not.

I replied that it was just for target practice and I would take the cheaper one, so he handed me the PPU rifle line and I left.

So I don't remember if it was the PPU or whatever the other brand was that I could not use for hunting, but as I drove home I started wondering about that and wishing I had asked a little bit more what he was talking about. Why would I be able to use one brand for hunting but not the other?

This is just a theoretical question, since I'm pretty sure I'm never taking my lee enfield hunting, but I was just curious as to what could be so different from one brand to the other that you'd be allowed to use one brand for hunting but not the other. I mean what rules would he even be referring to?

Can anyone Hazard a guess as to what that clerk may have been talking about?
Thanks
 
FMJ ammunition is generally not to be used for big game hunting; provincial hunting regulations.
Some hunting ammunition, with expanding bullets, may be superior to others. You will see ammunition loaded with premium bullets.

Assuming the clerk knew what he ws talking about, fmj vs sp may have been the issue.
 
You can hunt with 303 people have been doing it for over 100 years. You need soft point bulllets for hunting. They are made to expand in the animal. Soft point bullets were banned by some international convention before ww1 for that reason and all military’s around use full metal jacket bullets. Many former military calibers are available in both sp and fmj while many rifle cartridges that were designed specifically for hunting are only available in sp.

You can tell just by looking at the ammo that you bought. If the bullet tips are grey (lead exposed) they are soft point. If there is no grey lead visible and the copper jacket covers the entire tip, they are fmj
 
Brain shots on elephant on the dark continent were successful with 303 and 7x57 mauser fmj back in the day.....not something I would want to bet my life on but I guess that's what they had....
 
That makes sense, thanks guys. Just out of curiosity, I called that Canadian Tire store to ask them what the two brands of 303 British were that they had in stock, and whether either of them was FMJ. Getting through to a person and their phone system though was an impossible task. The first time I called, I eventually got through to a person, but then that person said there was no one in the store who knew anything about guns, and could I call back in an hour? I called back an hour later, the first four times I called no one answered at all it just rang and rang and rang. Finally someone answered, but he might have thought it was an internal call or something, cuz he didn't answer in a business way, like saying thank you for calling Canadian Tire this is so and so how may I help you, no he just answered casually saying " hey, I'm on my break, can I call you back?" I said sure, but I'm looking for someone who knows about firearms. He replied oh I'll transfer you, and then it rang and rang and rang and no one answered again. All that to say, the customer service at this Canadian Tire doesn't seem to be all that, so maybe the clerk in the gun Department that day didn't even know what he was talking about! But if the other box they had in stock was FMJ, then that would make sense, thanks.
 
As some explained FMJ (full metal Jacketed) Bullets are not legal to hunt with for big Game in many jurisdictions because they don't expand as well as non FMJ Bullets. However, I cant remember ever seeing a .303 FMJ Bullet loaded in Shells unless they where Military Surplus and I would be surprised if CT sells Military Surplus Ammo. Could it be the Clerk at the CT Store was mistaken in his assessment what kind of Bullets where loaded in the Shells he figured was FMJ, you bet that is a real possibility.

Cheers
 
Callee said:
That makes sense, thanks guys. Just out of curiosity, I called that Canadian Tire store to ask them what the two brands of 303 British were that they had in stock, and whether either of them was FMJ. Getting through to a person and their phone system though was an impossible task. The first time I called, I eventually got through to a person, but then that person said there was no one in the store who knew anything about guns, and could I call back in an hour? I called back an hour later, the first four times I called no one answered at all it just rang and rang and rang. Finally someone answered, but he might have thought it was an internal call or something, cuz he didn't answer in a business way, like saying thank you for calling Canadian Tire this is so and so how may I help you, no he just answered casually saying " hey, I'm on my break, can I call you back?" I said sure, but I'm looking for someone who knows about firearms. He replied oh I'll transfer you, and then it rang and rang and rang and no one answered again. All that to say, the customer service at this Canadian Tire doesn't seem to be all that, so maybe the clerk in the gun Department that day didn't even know what he was talking about! But if the other box they had in stock was FMJ, then that would make sense, thanks.
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That's pretty much canadian tire with all departments sporting goods and automotive, quick story not gun related but my typical experience with "Crap N tire" went for tire and front end alignment and they said can't put tires on and a part was broken, asked what the part was and he said something, wouldn't even put it back up I the air so I could see part. Went to
some Joe blow shop and tires alignment no issues nothing was wrong with anything. F CANADIAN TIRE.
 
B said:
^Pretty much every manufacturer makes a FMJ .303 load. Winchester, Prvi, Remington, Hornady, Federal, S&B etc. All have at least one FMJ load.
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Hmmmmmmmmmm, did not know that even back in the day I spend a few years working in the Sporting Goods section of a BC interior Hardware Store which sold a lot of Guns and Ammo during hunting Season.

Cheers
 
Brassman66 said:
As some explained FMJ (full metal Jacketed) Bullets are not legal to hunt with for big Game in many jurisdictions because they don't expand as well as non FMJ Bullets. However, I cant remember ever seeing a .303 FMJ Bullet loaded in Shells unless they where Military Surplus and I would be surprised if CT sells Military Surplus Ammo. Could it be the Clerk at the CT Store was mistaken in his assessment what kind of Bullets where loaded in the Shells he figured was FMJ, you bet that is a real possibility.

Cheers
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PPU makes modern FMJ 174gr .303 as well as 150gr/180gr sp, definitely not surplus.

I shoot the FMJ 174’s when I verify my No.4 zero, it shoot the same poa/poi as the fed blue box 180gr sp I hunt with in the particular No.4
 
Went to Crappy Tire yesterday, ask about a Octagon barrelled Henry in thier case. Asked about the price and guy said I dont know I cannot see the tag. "Can you open the case and look?" No, Im not allowed to open the case. "Why do you work in the department then?" Stared at me blank. "can you look in the computer? Said he'd have to get his manager who was on his lunch break (it was 3pm). Was so frustrated I left. Was a shame, if it was decently priced I was going to buy it with some accumulated gift cards.
 
There are some parts of Ontario ( southern?) where the .303 Brit is illegal for hunting, I think it is anything over .270 is not allowed.
However, the counter guy was probably taking about .303 FMJ ammo
Cat
 
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iron cat said:
Thete ate some parts of Ontario ( southern?) where the .303 Brit is illegal for hunting, I think it is anything over .270 is not allowed.
However, the counter guy was probably taking about .303 FMJ ammo
Cat
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It’s a small game restriction, asking or getting advice from anyone at Canadian tire is retarded.

No bullet construction rules in the Ontario regs.
 
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