The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I've just bought a No5 and am aware that they kick like a mule due to shorter barrel and are also prone to inaccuracy due to barrel harmonics. Wisdom seems to dictate reducing the bullet weight to even as low as 125gr and reducing the powder charge! It has a scope on it so I don't need to calibrate the original sight and am only going to use it to a max of 300 yds.

Can anybody suggest a good place to start re load and bullet choice?

Loading low can be as bad as loading high so it is worth checking before committing to something. My suggestion would be around 34 grns of N130 with 123 grain spitzers. (I should have 80-90 in the workshop and can bung a handful in the post if you want to try them)

Going down the cast route would be an option as well.

Many thanks for the kind offer. I'll keep that in mind. Do you know how much powder is the military 174gr ball ammo?

Mike357 wrote:Many thanks for the kind offer. I'll keep that in mind. Do you know how much powder is the military 174gr ball ammo?

Wow, I cannot find .303 ball these days but 45 grains rings a bell, you could always pull one and weigh it. I have recently been reading up on 7,62x51 subs and the use of Kapock as a filler, that could be worth looking at as well. I have some notes on it somewhere, building very low loads can be incredibly iffy so again, please do read some more on it.

I will never use the 123's so you are welcome to try some, I used them in my SMLE at short distances and they were quite accurate.

How did we ever survive without t'internet for researching such stuff!

Mike357 wrote:Many thanks for the kind offer. I'll keep that in mind. Do you know how much powder is the military 174gr ball ammo?

Depends on manufacturer, cordite was used a lot. Around 44 strands were made into a "rope" and a measured length (1.55" - 1.6") weighing around 37.5 grains was cut into the case. If nitro cellulose was used the nominal weight was around 41gns. Obviously the charge would be adjusted slightly to give the speccied perfomance depending on the batch of propellant. This is for MkVII ball.

Cast boolits is the way to go to get the best from your rifle.

I've had over a dozen genuine No 5s through my hands over the years and never found them to have any accuracy problems, all giving at least 4" groups at 100 yrds with issue ball. Two inch groups were possible with handloads and I'm sure some most would do better again with more load development and better sights.

Some two or three years ago I had a quite extensive series of emails with Alliant in the USA. They recommended Unique for reduced loads in rifle cases as they claim it will not detonate and does not need a filler. I'm using 10 to 12 grains for a "plinking load at 50 metres" in .303, 7.62 & 45-70. Many friends are using a similar load in older miluitary rifles in all sorts of wierd calibres.

I'd recommend talking with the powder manufacturers, Alliant have (had?) a research dept. who were very helpful.

I have also found Lapua very helpful in the past and prompt to respond to emails.

Welcome to the forum Maurice, you are a Service rifle shooter as well?

Hodgdon recommends a 60% rule with H4895 for reduced loads.

See below

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

I use vit 140 , 41gr & 174 fmj or s/p with superb sub2" 100yd results, scoped. I lost count of how many deer & .......i put in the freezer with her, the recoil is niiiiice, one tip if scoped, get a good eye relif on that scope !! I bust my pecker x2 with mine, but when i get it right, its like the 1st time with a new g/f ..........oooooooooooooh sooooo good. The wandering zero is BS in my op, mine has been set up 2 years + no adjusting & hits hard on the dot, after 100's thru. :) The secrets in the bedding.