Having recently seen more usage of the venerable No. 4 .303 I was wondering if any UKer's regularly used 'reduced loads'?
I believe there are recipies for cast lead gas checked bullets, hereafter known as boolits I believe, and the old pistol powders ie Unique and Bullseye. The use would be 100yds plinking and perhaps to 300yd max.
I would be interested in any comments please.
Thank you
John G :cornwall:
.303 reduced loads
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All handloading data posted on Full-Bore UK from 23/2/2021 must reference the published pressure tested data it was sourced from, posts without such verification will be removed.
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Use reloading information posted here at your own risk. This forum (http://www.full-bore.co.uk) is not responsible for any property damage or personal injury as a consequence of using reloading data posted here, the information is individual members findings and observations only. Always verify the load data and be absolutely sure your firearm can handle the load, especially older ones. If in doubt start low and work your way up.
All handloading data posted on Full-Bore UK from 23/2/2021 must reference the published pressure tested data it was sourced from, posts without such verification will be removed.
Any existing data without such a reference should be treated as suspect and not used.
Use reloading information posted here at your own risk. This forum (http://www.full-bore.co.uk) is not responsible for any property damage or personal injury as a consequence of using reloading data posted here, the information is individual members findings and observations only. Always verify the load data and be absolutely sure your firearm can handle the load, especially older ones. If in doubt start low and work your way up.
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johngarnett
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Re: .303 reduced loads
Trust me, it's a long road to hoe!!!
I really liked the idea. Gone through almost 200 rounds in "load development" and the best I can muster is 5 inches at 100. Granted, not a .303 though.....
I really liked the idea. Gone through almost 200 rounds in "load development" and the best I can muster is 5 inches at 100. Granted, not a .303 though.....
In 1978 I was told by my grand dad that the secret to rifle accuracy is, a quality bullet, fired down a quality barrel..... How has that changed?
Guns dont kill people. Dads with pretty Daughters do...!
Guns dont kill people. Dads with pretty Daughters do...!
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dromia
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Re: .303 reduced loads
I like VV N120 for cast boolit shooting.
24-28 gns will give velocities from around 1800 - 2000 fps with a 200 gn boolit in the .303".
20 gns will give around 1600 fps, still good for target work out to 300yards.
Remember boolit fit to chamber throat/bore/groove diameters for the rifle to be used is key to good cast boolit shooting. Also don't use hard cast boolits a BHN of 12 is more than sufficient if you have good boolit fit, hard boolits will not compensate for good boolit fit and will lead very badly.
The seminal writing on this is Ed Harris's "Cast Bullets In Military Rifles" based on Mattern's far earlier works.
We have a copy here in our library: http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=810
24-28 gns will give velocities from around 1800 - 2000 fps with a 200 gn boolit in the .303".
20 gns will give around 1600 fps, still good for target work out to 300yards.
Remember boolit fit to chamber throat/bore/groove diameters for the rifle to be used is key to good cast boolit shooting. Also don't use hard cast boolits a BHN of 12 is more than sufficient if you have good boolit fit, hard boolits will not compensate for good boolit fit and will lead very badly.
The seminal writing on this is Ed Harris's "Cast Bullets In Military Rifles" based on Mattern's far earlier works.
We have a copy here in our library: http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=810
Come on Bambi get some
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dromia
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Re: .303 reduced loads
Sim G wrote:Trust me, it's a long road to hoe!!!
I really liked the idea. Gone through almost 200 rounds in "load development" and the best I can muster is 5 inches at 100. Granted, not a .303 though.....
What is it Simon?
Come on Bambi get some
Imperial Good Metric Bad
Analogue Good Digital Bad
Fecking stones
Real farmers don't need subsidies
Cow's farts matter!
For fine firearms and requisites visit
http://www.pukkabundhooks.com/
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tackb
Re: .303 reduced loads
get a lyman manual and try some of their reduced loads or cast loads , very useful.
i used the cast bullet data to develop a subsonic load for my 308 which eventually hovered around an inch at 100m.
my next project will be to try the new high volume low energy powders like trail boss to see if i can get better consistency than i did with unique (my final powder of choice)
i used the cast bullet data to develop a subsonic load for my 308 which eventually hovered around an inch at 100m.
my next project will be to try the new high volume low energy powders like trail boss to see if i can get better consistency than i did with unique (my final powder of choice)
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tackb
Re: .303 reduced loads
oh and i found short flat ballistically challenged bullets like a 180g flat based round nose to work best with subsonic for me ?
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johngarnett
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Re: .303 reduced loads
Thanks guys. You know what this means - more range time - Yesssssss!
JohnG
JohnG
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phaedra1106
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Re: .303 reduced loads
Don't know if it's of any use but I shoot a reduced sub-sonic .308 load,
150gr cast lead round nose flat point
10gr Trail Boss
Approx: 1080fps
Very quiet and no recoil
150gr cast lead round nose flat point
10gr Trail Boss
Approx: 1080fps
Very quiet and no recoil
There's room for all Gods creatures, next to the mash and gravy :)
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dodgyrog
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Re: .303 reduced loads
115gr cast boolit (either RN or RNFP) and 4gr Viht 310 - excellent indoor plinker.
Purveyor of fine cast boolits.
All round good guy and VERY grumpy old man.
All round good guy and VERY grumpy old man.
Re: .303 reduced loads
A readily available mould i turn to regularly is the Lyman 314299 combined with Unique or 2400 provides very suitable loads in all my .303's. Refer to Dromia's link to Ed Harris writings.
+1 on Dodgy Rog's indoor plinker load, they make excellent economical shooting.
Joe
+1 on Dodgy Rog's indoor plinker load, they make excellent economical shooting.
Joe
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