Higher pressure for 303 on P14 action

[Ds J]

Can one safely chase higher pressures with a 303 on a P14 action?

If yes, how high could one go?

Reasoning:

Max SAAMI pressure for 303: 49,000 psi

Mas SAAMI pressure for 308: 62,000 psi

If I understand it correctly, the lower pressures of the 303 cartridges are due to the limitations of the Lee Enfield action.

Can one assume that a stronger action can safely produce higher pressures?

Or does the case design limit the pressures as well? In that case, does one need to Epps a case to get it to a modern design?

[Minerva10210]

I have a buddy who runs a bit higher loads in his p14. I have no idea whether it is a good idea or not, but he's not had issues this far.

Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk

[gary-t]

Can one safely chase higher pressures with a 303 on a P14 action?

If yes, how high could one go?

Reasoning:

Max SAAMI pressure for 303: 49,000 psi

Mas SAAMI pressure for 308: 62,000 psi

If I understand it correctly, the lower pressures of the 303 cartridges are due to the limitations of the Lee Enfield action.

Can one assume that a stronger action can safely produce higher pressures?

Or does the case design limit the pressures as well? In that case, does one need to Epps a case to get it to a modern design?

A friend of mine had his P14 re barreled to 300 H&H. The action is capable of shooting at higher pressures. The 1917 Enfield rifle is the same rifle chambered to 30-06 for US military.

The 303 cartridge head spaces on rim and is prone to case separation. Shooting at higher pressures may worsen the problem. The 6.5x55 is spec'd at 51 000 psi to accommodate the M 96 Mauser. Most re loaders load it at higher pressure in modern rifles. Many P14 owners have their rifle improved to 303 Epps which gives about 150 - 200 fps extra with 150-180 gr bullets

[Ds J]

The 303 cartridge head spaces on rim and is prone to case separation. Shooting at higher pressures may worsen the problem. The 6.5x55 is spec'd at 51 000 psi to accommodate the M 96 Mauser. Most re loaders load it at higher pressure in modern rifles. Many P14 owners have their rifle improved to 303 Epps which gives about 150 - 200 fps extra with 150-180 gr bullets

Belted magnums headspace off the belt. Why don't these cases separate despite higher pressures? Stonger cases?The Lee Enfield action's head space trouble is due to the movement of the bolt on firing. It pulls the case backwards, literally tearing the case apart. In the P14 action, this rearward movement of the bolt is non-existing.

[414gates]

Look up Randy Selby on youutube, see his method for measuring case expansion to achieve max performance.

IMO, if you want more power, get a bigger caliber. The extra 11000 psi you looking for is not going to translate into meaningful gain.

[driepootx]

My 7x64 is built on a P14 action and I load to 55+K psi with no problems.

I know of a few people that have Lee actions and a 308 barrel on them. They shoot very well and nobody mentioned reduced pressures.

The 303 was designed and built for warfare. Chambers were built to generous dimensions to make sure that a cartridge full of muck will still chamber and shoot. No reloading in mind, so head space was rather more, than on the money.

[TStone]

The 303 cartridge head spaces on rim and is prone to case separation. Shooting at higher pressures may worsen the problem.

Surely, if you neck size cases fired in this rifle, those cases will head space on the shoulder. This will take care of case stretching and case head separation. The P14 action, with the locking lugs in front, is not as flexible as the rear locking Lee action anyway.

[driepootx]

The problem normally is that the first firing in such a large chamber causes the stretching to the rear of the case. You now have a weak ring and even slight stretching causes the separation.

If the rifle has head space problems the thin solder wire or an O-ring is used to keep the case head against the bolt and then stretching takes place at the thinner and softer front walls. Now neck sizing will work well.

[Ds J]

General 303 / Lee Enfield troubles are mainly due to oversized chambers and whiplashing bolts.

It would mean that a P14 action with tight chamber could readily be used for higher pressures?

[treeman]

You can treat and expect pretty much the same pressure as any other chamber and particularly a rimmed case chamber. They chamber the P14 for 458 if I recall correctly.
I would not fear loading to K98 pressures - the 220 Swift, 7.62 - 308 and 303 Ack have all been built on P14 actions