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View Full Version : Bullet size for .303 British


ShawnM
02-17-2011, 09:40 AM
OK, wikipedia has the .303 British as a .311" bullet and the only .30 caliber bullets I've seen have been .308".

Is the .303 British just a very uncommon size to find or is wikipedia full of s**t and I should use the .308" diameter bullets when loading?

wwbirds
02-17-2011, 09:45 AM
Is available from many manufacturers.

303carbine
02-17-2011, 09:47 AM
OK, wikipedia has the .303 British as a .311" bullet and the only .30 caliber bullets I've seen have been .308".

Is the .303 British just a very uncommon size to find or is wikipedia full of s**t and I should use the .308" diameter bullets when loading?


You can get 311 or 312 diameter bullets anywhere, 308 size are for 308 or 30-06 etc.

sikwhiskey
02-17-2011, 09:51 AM
OK, wikipedia has the .303 British as a .311" bullet and the only .30 caliber bullets I've seen have been .308".

Is the .303 British just a very uncommon size to find or is wikipedia full of s**t and I should use the .308" diameter bullets when loading?

.311" is the correct size bullet for the 303 British, I Have used Speer or Hornady.
I have heard that you can use a .308 bullet, but have never attempted it. Maybe someone else with some more experience will ring in.

duffy4
02-17-2011, 09:53 AM
Bullet dia. is .311.

Of the 4 loading manuals I have, only two of them list the .303 British and data for reloading it.

PJT
02-17-2011, 09:55 AM
.311 or .312

6.5x47 lapua
02-17-2011, 01:07 PM
you can use .308 bullets in them but the accuracy is going to suck.

KegRiver
02-17-2011, 01:10 PM
you can use .308 bullets in them but the accuracy is going to suck.

You are right. It does. I tried it.

311 or 312 is what I use and it is what my manuals recommend.

ShawnM
02-17-2011, 01:35 PM
Thanks for the info guys. My ole' man has a .303 Enfield that he's dead set on using this season and I would like to give him some choices in ammo. If you can find ammunition for .303 in a store it's usually just 180gr SP from Winchester.

Anybody ever order bullets online? Did you get hasseled?

303carbine
02-17-2011, 04:12 PM
Thanks for the info guys. My ole' man has a .303 Enfield that he's dead set on using this season and I would like to give him some choices in ammo. If you can find ammunition for .303 in a store it's usually just 180gr SP from Winchester.

Anybody ever order bullets online? Did you get hasseled?


The Winchester Power Point ammo is very good stuff, I have a few boxes of it when I need good ammo to start with and good brass to reload after.

KegRiver
02-17-2011, 04:43 PM
Thanks for the info guys. My ole' man has a .303 Enfield that he's dead set on using this season and I would like to give him some choices in ammo. If you can find ammunition for .303 in a store it's usually just 180gr SP from Winchester.

Anybody ever order bullets online? Did you get hasseled?

I order all my bullets, for reloading, online. In fact I am waiting on an order I placed last week for some .22 bullets. Second order for this calibre this year.
Last order took ten days from placement to arrival.

No hassles. Keep in mind, bullets are hard to come by these days.
I'm told it is due to the war in Afghanistan taking up most of the manufactures production.

Leeper
02-17-2011, 04:50 PM
The most accurate load I ever used in my 303 consisted of 125 grain .308" Sierra bullets ahead of Blc2. In fact, the only 308 bullets which shot poorly were Sierra boattails. 147 grain fmjbt bullets, pulled from 7.62 ammo, also shot very well. Nonetheless, I would use .311 bullets as a matter of preference. Leeper

Grizzly Adams
02-17-2011, 05:10 PM
Just to confuse the issue,:lol: 7.62x39, nominally a .308, also uses .311 bullets. Then there's the .30 Mini 14;

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/52723-mini-30-date-bore-diameter-change.html

Grizz

wolf308
02-17-2011, 07:33 PM
i use .308 bullets in my russian 7.62x 54 mm its a .310 inch bore, accuracy is not a concern, bush gun with 220 gr round noses for justin. but ya theres a seperate 311 size for the enfield just have to phone around

gitrdun
02-17-2011, 11:12 PM
you can use .308 bullets in them but the accuracy is going to suck.

Not only that, but the bullets may enter target sideways.

Tracker34
02-18-2011, 08:39 AM
i use .308 bullets in my russian 7.62x 54 mm its a .310 inch bore, accuracy is not a concern, bush gun with 220 gr round noses for justin. but ya theres a seperate 311 size for the enfield just have to phone around

I bought one of these old rifles about a year ago and was wondering the proper size bulllet for it. Was thinking of using 180gr. Wasn't sure if .308 bullets would work decent or not.

trooper
02-18-2011, 05:00 PM
I just picked up some .311 dia hornady bullets for my Mosin Nagant 7.62 X 54R. now I'm just waiting for a correct size expander ball for the die..... ordered from Lee about three weeks ago.

222rem
02-18-2011, 10:59 PM
Don't confuse .303 British with .303 Savage
.303 British uses .311 or .312 dia.bullets and .303 Savage uses .308 dia. bullets

Rem - P14
02-19-2011, 04:55 AM
My P - 14 really performs well with the Winchester PP 180s I have also loaded 125s, 150s, and 174 Match Sierras. I had an off-day with the 125s (only tried them once so I have to give the bullet the benefit of the doubt) but the 150s shot very well. I have yet to try Sierras 174 Match but I am entertaining some high hopes.
I do not know anything about loading .308 diameter bullets in the .303. It is my understanding that the British measured the muzzle diameter differently for this shell so maybe they are compatible. i will never know as I do not intend to possibly jeapardize the quality of the rifling in my P-14.
I am careful when offering advice due to my own inexperience but after applying a little logic I find myself thinking the .303 might be a prime candidate for premium bullets. If you stay within the recommended loading guides in the manuals I find the .303 generating a little less in the way of ft. lbs energy. It only follows that a more solidly constructed bullet will serve better when it comes to penetration on big game animals. I once loaded some Barnes Triple shock 150s (when I could not find any others) and I will have to give them a try one of these days to see how they are for accuracy.
If you father is hunting moose he might wish to give this thought some consideration.
By todays standards there are many who consider the .303 light for moose and this remains true even though that very shell kept many eating wild meat for a very long time. Long before the magnums came along and rendered all else obsolete in some people's minds the .303 served very well.
I suppose it is possible that we are looking at longer ranges these days due to more skittish game and that would be throwing yet another factor into the argument. One more case for the premium bullet too.

catnthehat
02-19-2011, 07:22 AM
We actually shoot the 303 a lot up here, there are about 7 of us that have a great time with it.
There are some lousy shooting Enfields out there , for sure , one I remember through bullets sideways into the target at 50 yards!!
That particular No.1 rifle had the Royal Newfoundland regiment cartouche in it, and i suspect it was corroded inside from corrosive ammo and salt water!
The is a fella in our group however that owns a No.1 Lithgow Enfield, and it has always been particularly accurate, especially with 174 Match kings!
The first time he went "long" with it, the first shot was quite a bit short, hitting the water some distance in front of the target.
Oldbadger took the rifle , ran the sight up a bit more, and AO's blackman lay down pron and dropped one in the 2" bull with the open sights.
Not that big a deal except for the fact that the rifle is so old, and the target is
1,000 meters away!!!:sHa_shakeshout:
here's a pic of the shot, and he did it more than a few times that day!:)
Note: we needed to build a little ramp so we could see over the weeds!
Cat
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/catnthehat/clintgoinglong.jpg

Korzy
02-19-2011, 10:57 AM
Oldbadger took the rifle , ran the sight up a bit more, and AO's blackman lay down pron and dropped one in the 2" bull with the open sights.
Not that big a deal except for the fact that the rifle is so old, and the target is
1,000 meters away

This is impressive. I don't think I could hit a barn at 1000m with open sights.

KegRiver
02-19-2011, 01:34 PM
That is impressive cat.

I've been wondering cat, do you have a relative in High Level that works for transportation? Or who did work for transportation back in 2000 through 2005?

catnthehat
02-19-2011, 02:08 PM
That is impressive cat.

I've been wondering cat, do you have a relative in High Level that works for transportation? Or who did work for transportation back in 2000 through 2005?

Nope, no relations up there that Ii know of at all.
My brother and i have always been in construction in the Ft. mac area.
Cat

catnthehat
02-19-2011, 02:11 PM
We actually shoot the 303 a lot up here, there are about 7 of us that have a great time with it.
There are some lousy shooting Enfields out there , for sure , one I remember through bullets sideways into the target at 50 yards!!
That particular No.1 rifle had the Royal Newfoundland regiment cartouche in it, and i suspect it was corroded inside from corrosive ammo and salt water!
The is a fella in our group however that owns a No.1 Lithgow Enfield, and it has always been particularly accurate, especially with 174 Match kings!
The first time he went "long" with it, the first shot was quite a bit short, hitting the water some distance in front of the target.
Oldbadger took the rifle , ran the sight up a bit more, and AO's blackman lay down pron and dropped one in the 20" bull with the open sights.
Not that big a deal except for the fact that the rifle is so old, and the target is
1,000 meters away!!!:sHa_shakeshout:
here's a pic of the shot, and he did it more than a few times that day!:)
Note: we needed to build a little ramp so we could see over the weeds!
Cat
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/catnthehat/clintgoinglong.jpg

WHOA!! I made a mistake in my post - it should be TWENTY INCH BULL!!:sign0161:
He3k, I think the best TR shooters in the WORLD would be impressed with Clint hitting a 2" bull at 1,000!:sHa_sarcasticlol:
Cat

KegRiver
02-19-2011, 02:12 PM
Just wondering, you do remind me of a fellow I used to know up there in HL.
Very cool fellow. Been wondering what he's up too.
Who knows, maybe some day I'll bump into him again.

KegRiver
02-19-2011, 02:15 PM
Even a 20 inch target is awful small at that range.

When I was guiding we used to try to hit a rock about that size at a measured distance of 660 yards. Try is the appropriate term.

We did hit it, some of the guys even hit it quiet often. But I'm sure that was more luck then ability.

ndttech
02-19-2011, 07:38 PM
Thanks for the info guys. My ole' man has a .303 Enfield that he's dead set on using this season and I would like to give him some choices in ammo. If you can find ammunition for .303 in a store it's usually just 180gr SP from Winchester.

Anybody ever order bullets online? Did you get hasseled?

I picked up a couple of boxes of Serbian prvi partizan .303 British FMJ 174gr the other day from Williams Arms in Port Perry, ON for my old No1 Lithgow...

We'll see how this shoots shortly.....

...and I think they will sell over the phone....1-877-833-2634

Brian

ShawnM
02-19-2011, 08:13 PM
I picked up a couple of boxes of Serbian prvi partizan .303 British FMJ 174gr the other day from Williams Arms in Port Perry, ON for my old No1 Lithgow...

We'll see how this shoots shortly.....

...and I think they will sell over the phone....1-877-833-2634

Brian

Thanks for the tip, my dad is going to use it for hunting so FMJ doesn't help him. I'll have to buy online and have the bullets shipped here. No big deal, as long as I can find a couple decent bullets.

jungleboy
02-19-2011, 08:32 PM
I think this is one of the best sites on the net regarding the 303 british.Loads of info and some very good books he has available as well .

http://303british.com/

ShawnM
02-21-2011, 02:28 PM
Finally managed to dig the .303 out of storage and it doesn't have a sight mount anyway! Hopefully this puts his plan to rest of hunting with it... Too bad I just bought a bunch of brass and bullets!:sign0176:

Grizzly Adams
02-21-2011, 03:27 PM
Thanks for the tip, my dad is going to use it for hunting so FMJ doesn't help him. I'll have to buy online and have the bullets shipped here. No big deal, as long as I can find a couple decent bullets.

.303 is my bear gun. I usually just buy the bulk bullets, Wholesale sells.

Grizz

catnthehat
02-21-2011, 04:22 PM
Finally managed to dig the .303 out of storage and it doesn't have a sight mount anyway! Hopefully this puts his plan to rest of hunting with it... Too bad I just bought a bunch of brass and bullets!:sign0176:

Flash a pic and i will send out the sight you need.....
Cat

Rem - P14
02-21-2011, 06:23 PM
"Arghh!" is exactly the expression I would use to express myself were I in your shoes right now. I wonder if there is some way of establishing just how accurate this rifle is without the benefit of sights. Given your father's wishes, if that rifle still shoots straight then it deserves some new sights.
Sorry for being so blunt. I feel pretty strongly about the Lee-Enfield and I feel even stronger for sentimental shooters. The .303 is a very functional piece of history and it would be nice to see your father get his wish where it is concerned.

nanuk-O-dah-Nort
02-21-2011, 11:42 PM
I have a couple Smellies and a No4.

used to have a 5, but sold it in a fit of insanity.

if I were brave, I'd cut down the 4, but might sacrifice one of the smellies.

I had one that Bubba had never seen, it was a thing of beauty. matching bunganet too... I got it from Denner.

Damn the Insanity

ShawnM
02-22-2011, 09:17 AM
Flash a pic and i will send out the sight you need.....
Cat

When I said it doesn't have a sight, I misspoke. It DOES have iron sights, but what I meant was it isn't drilled and tapped for a SCOPE mount.

Sorry for the confusion.

sikwhiskey
02-23-2011, 02:50 AM
When I said it doesn't have a sight, I misspoke. It DOES have iron sights, but what I meant was it isn't drilled and tapped for a SCOPE mount.

Sorry for the confusion.

Well then, I would say it has no need for glasses.

Rem - P14
02-23-2011, 03:31 AM
When I said it doesn't have a sight, I misspoke. It DOES have iron sights, but what I meant was it isn't drilled and tapped for a SCOPE mount.

Sorry for the confusion.
I suppose the necessity of a scope depends on a few factors, some of which I am only dimly aware. I have heard it said infrequently that the scope serves very well for those who suffer from vision problems. Also, in this day and age, some people have not taken the time to learn the way of iron sights. Glad to hear that your father's rifle is not crippled. He probably understands the stock sights and will do very well. Good luck to you.

bowhunter36
07-30-2011, 06:44 PM
:)There is nothing wrong with using a .303 for moose,people who dont want to use them its usually because every one they hunt with has a nicer (not better) rifle,
I've seen moose hit with the 303 and acted like they were hit with a magnum,
It will work out to 200 yards easy but don't shoot past that.
and use 180gr or order 220gr but 180gr would be best.
He is obviously an older man so my guess is that he has plenty of experience and can shoot like no ones business so if any one could hunt with the old gun its most likely him.
and if its his gun its probly a nestalgia thing and makes him feel good because he's got the''OLD'' gun in his hands again.
I learned the hard way to "TRUST THE OLD GUY"
IMO :)

catnthehat
07-30-2011, 08:18 PM
Well then, I would say it has no need for glasses.

X2!! Hunt with the irons!!:sHa_shakeshout:
Cat

Dick284
07-31-2011, 08:46 AM
x2 on the irons issue.

Most Lee Enfield stocks are totally impractical for shooting while a scope is mounted, anyways. Instead of cheek weld you might be lucky enough to get chin weld or whisker weld.

For the amount of $$ spent on scoping Lee Enfield's with lack luster effectiveness there after, I'd say buying a Marlin MR7 or Stevens 200 and putting a $200.00 scope on it makes far more sense.

As for correct bullet size, well a good reloading manual or two would have set this record totally straight.

0.311" to 0.312" is what's on the market.

Steve Ridgeway used to make them to order as some bore dimension can go in excess of 0.314"