Then and now.

[safetyfirst]

One of my favourite pondering pics...

[Dougan]

...indeed; makes me ponder why they didn't seat the .303 properly.

[Sixshot6]

...indeed; makes me ponder why they didn't seat the .303 properly.

Please clarify Dougan? Is there a better way to seat 303? I only ask as my dad handloads and if you have a better way please tell me so I can him.

[safetyfirst]

For those that care, that's a factory privi 303 174gn FMJBT and a hand loaded .223 with a Sierra 77gn matchking

[Dougan]

Sixshot,

If you look at the .303, you can see the 'bulge' of the bullet half way down the neck...which suggests that the neck has been sized down too much or it's the wrong bullet...

...also if the picture is to represent a military spec cartridge then it's seated way too far out.

[Dougan]

For those that care, that's a factory privi 303 174gn FMJBT

Are you sure?...looks to be seated a long way out for PPU...

[Sixshot6]

Sixshot,

If you look at the .303, you can see the 'bulge' of the bullet half way down the neck...which suggests that the neck has been sized down too much or it's the wrong bullet...

...also if the picture is to represent a military spec cartridge then it's seated way too far out.

I see, how close is modern factory ammo ala privi or S&B to the milspec? Or is it just a flaw from the 19 century that can never be corrected? I can see and it does look wrong. Its so weird looking at it.

[Sixshot6]

For those that care, that's a factory privi 303 174gn FMJBT

Are you sure?...looks to be seated a long way out for PPU...

Factory imperfection? Wouldn't be the first time, some fiochi 38 special destroyed the Alfa my dad had (in many ways a good thing, the dealer took it back and my dad ended up with a Ruger Super redhawk lbr and the Alfa money went as a deposit until the slot was changed to be a new one).

[Dougan]

Well there's been a couple of different 'milspec' .303s since it began, but all the copper jacketed ones, milspec or factory, are seated significantly deeper than the one in the picture.

Safety...apologies for 'derailing' the thread...I didn't mean to be picky; it was just the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture...

[Sixshot6]

Well there's been a couple of different 'milspec' .303s since it began, but all the copper jacketed ones, milspec or factory, are seated significantly deeper than the one in the picture.

Safety...apologies for 'derailing' the thread...I didn't mean to be picky; it was just the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture...

And I'm sorry for sharing my little ditty as well. I'm trying to become a raconteur and getting art of telling a story right is hard. I'm a long way off Quinten Crisp. To be fair Dougan when my dad hand loads he uses Richard Lee's book and I half suspect for 303 Lee had the "Milspecs" of one sort or another in mind.