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Thread: 303 happiness

  1. #11
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    It’s not a headspace issue. The 303 head spaces on the rim, it’s just a chamber designed to function in adverse conditions and not worry about reloading brass.
    Don’t take life too seriously, no one gets out alive.

  2. #12
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Not quite. The chamber is oversize and yes the headspace is slightly more than hunting rifles on regular Lee-Enfields, but brass does last quite a while even when full-length resizing.

    What we are talking about is excessive headspace that you get with some 303's. By that I mean either the action made slightly longer than standard, bolts made slightly shorter than standard, non-original bolt, or from DIY gunsmithing "improving" the locking lugs.

  3. #13
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by janfred View Post
    Not quite. The chamber is oversize and yes the headspace is slightly more than hunting rifles on regular Lee-Enfields, but brass does last quite a while even when full-length resizing.

    What we are talking about is excessive headspace that you get with some 303's. By that I mean either the action made slightly longer than standard, bolts made slightly shorter than standard, non-original bolt, or from DIY gunsmithing "improving" the locking lugs.
    Ah ok, I get what you say.
    Don’t take life too seriously, no one gets out alive.

  4. #14
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Quote Originally Posted by janfred View Post
    Not quite. The chamber is oversize and yes the headspace is slightly more than hunting rifles on regular Lee-Enfields, but brass does last quite a while even when full-length resizing.

    What we are talking about is excessive headspace that you get with some 303's. By that I mean either the action made slightly longer than standard, bolts made slightly shorter than standard, non-original bolt, or from DIY gunsmithing "improving" the locking lugs.
    ******************
    Correct.

  5. #15
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    The round nose Hornady 174 gr bullet almost seems to be a cure all problems bullet. I just works, longer bearing surface. I have .303 thread here some where (2 I think) relating my trip from A5 to touching hole groups.

  6. #16
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Interesting that I also load 38.5gr S335 behind a 174grain bullet. Have hit a 30x30 military plate out to 600 yards with it.

  7. #17
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Quote Originally Posted by mic View Post
    Interesting that I also load 38.5gr S335 behind a 174grain bullet. Have hit a 30x30 military plate out to 600 yards with it.
    The plate lay flat on the ground and bullet fall on it?

    Sorry, could not resist, and kidding of course.
    Still have a .303 which I shoot at times, but could never get mine to group, time to follow some of the advice here.

  8. #18

    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Where did you get that load data Against the grain ? 44 gr S341 is 2 gr above the maximum load as per Somchem. Although they use a 180 gr bullet, the 6 gr difference has little infleunce in this regard.

  9. #19
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Quote Originally Posted by Kola View Post
    The plate lay flat on the ground and bullet fall on it?

    .
    ******************
    And there I was amazed, thinking - to hit the 6 mm thick steel plate from the top down, impressed me!, but much easier if as you say, laying down plate.

  10. #20
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    Default Re: 303 happiness

    Jokes aside, 600 yards is just less that half the total elevation on the peep sight which is calibrated up to (an extremely optimistic) 1300 yards.

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