Can anyone help with a Martini Metford Carbine load

[Charlotte the flyer]

As above, with the aid of a friend I am looking to develop a load that protects my Martini Metford Carbine. From what I understand the barrels were OK with the very first ammunition but wore out quickly when cordite/nitro cartidges were introduced, thats when the army moved over to the Enfield rifling. My question is which of the following (or combination of all) do I need to use to protect the bore in my Metford :

Lead or FMJ Bullet/Boolit (can I get away with FMJ if I use diffferent powder loads, is it irrelevant anyway etc)
Black Powder or Pyrodex or Nitro
Download (ie at the lowest published load data) or regular load

At the moment I just have a die set and a load of fired brass so I'll need to be buying the rest anyway. Now's the best time to get it right rather than after I've brought a load of stuff that won't be any good.

For me if I could get away with an FMJ with downloaded Nitro that would be the path of least resistance. I'm not an expert though so any suggestions greatfully received, in particular I'd like to know whats OK with least fuss, what's the best combination for maximum life and what's likely to kill it quickly.

Thanks

Charlotte.

[dodgyrog]

Showing my ignorance but is that a .303 British calibre?

[jjvc]

I would use a cast lead bullet and Alliant 2400 powder. You do need at least a barrel slug to see what diameter bullet is needed. A chamber cast would be useful too.

Check out "CAST BULLET LOADS FOR MILITARY RIFLES" in the library...

http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=810

Joe

[saddler]

Look at the early style bullets too - they were initially heavier than the later Mk.VII

There may be info out there for black-powder substitutes as well, for replicating the early 303 loads for the Martini Metford & the like

[dromia]

You will be hard pushed to replicate the original BP rounds as it is nigh impossible to get the required amount of BP into the case the original used compressed BP. I dabble with Tripple 7 when it first came out but found it had a tendency to pressure spike so quickly gave up on it.

Single base powders used to burn cooler that double base so used to be recommended, however from my experience I'm not so sure that is the case with modern DB propellants. If you are going to shoot condoms then you will need flatbased bullets to work best in the Metford, BES do good bullets and make 215gn original type.

In my Metfords it is cast only, shooting with accuracy out to 600 yrds is easy, so long as your rifle and sights are up to it.The Lyman 314299 bore rider at around 200 gns depending on alloy works well and NOE do a fine 0.316" mould of this design ideally suited to the 0.303" and the Metford. Starting load of 19gns of VV N120 with this boolit has given me fine results.

As Joe has pointed out Harris's seminal work is a must read.

[dromia]

BTW I forgot to mention that the very first 303 bullets weren't actually jacketed but copper gilded so cast boolits are closer to these originals than condoms.

[meles meles]

Copper gilded ?

Is that just a thin plating ?

[dromia]

Correct.

[Charlotte the flyer]

Many thanks to all. I'm going to try the boolit route I think.

Charlotte