Reloading advice

[Charles Devlin]

Hi there, as I have explained before I am very new to pigeonwatch and appreciate all the advice I receive however I have a new question.

I have just reloaded my first batch of .303 ammunition, after following all the data books and watching countless videos I have decided to put the question out there before I actually shoot any of these rounds.

I am using the Lee turret press for the complete operation. The brass I am using is  new PPU, my Lee book says that the OAL of the case should be 2.222 in, my brass is coming in at 2.204. The bullet head is PPU FMJ BT 174 gr. I am using Ramshot TAC powder and putting 37 gens as recommended. I have set up my powder drop with the recommended ‘discs’ however when I checked the powder weight with my Lee scales it was coming out at around 38 grains, is this a problem?

I also checked the OAL of the finished bullet after seating the bullet and it looks like the bullet is not seating down to the collet??

My overall question is, have I followed procedure correctly and (without committing anyone) do you think they are safe to put through my 1917 SMLE?

I have only loaded 20 rounds to see the grouping and if they fire ok.

appreciate any comments

Regards Charlie

[enfieldspares]

Nobody can really answer if it is safe or not as they don't know the condition of your SMLE. In this specific calibre I'd always seat to the same OAL as a round of factory Mark VII ball. As that is what the magazine on your rifle is best designed to work with back in 1907 when the Mark VII cartridge was introduced into British service.

I've no experience of the Ramshot powders so I cannot make any sort of comment save that in broad terms a recommended "starting load" is a guideline and that if ANY component in the recipe in the powder maker's loading chart is changed you should start a little below that. This is especially true of military calibres like .303 and nowadays 7.62mm NATO (aka .308 Winchester) as brass thickness and so case capacity varies widely between brands.

FWIW I have never been a fan of Lee scales. I don't want to upset or anger you but the best place for Lee scales is on somebody else's reloading bench but not mine and not yours. There is however a work around to all this. Possibly. That's to assemble some additional loads where you weigh the charges. Five rounds with, say 36 grains, five rounds with 36.5 grains, five rounds with 37.0 grains and five rounds with 37.5 grains. 

If these work OK without pressure signs then select five rounds of your "around 38 grains" loads and see if they are OK. Obviously if the rounds you've loaded with 36.5 grains aren't stop. Or 37.0 grains rounds aren't stop there. Or 37.5 grains if not OK stop. So like climbing a ladder only advance to the next rung upwards if the rung below seems OK. The advantage of the SMLE with its rear locking lugs is if it is stiffer to open than you normally find with factory ammunition then, again, stop.

Finally have you any factory PPU ammunition you've fired in your rifle? If so a handy indication is measure the diameter of those fired cases just above the case web and measure your fired cases from you homeloads. Ideally the expansion should be the same and, certainly, in your homeloads not greater than the expansion of the factory ammunition's fired cases.

Edited September 25, 2020 by enfieldspares

[Windswept]

Just a couple of comments. You say the OAL of the brass should be 2.222", this is the max length and you should note recommended trim lengths which seems to be 2.212". I can't easily check the minimum length but I think it is around 2.202" but check that for yourself.

I've used TAC in a .308 and know people who are happy with it in a .303, there's data online here: https://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf

38.0 grains is under the max listed but it's a different make bullet. I'd follow the advice above as much will also depend on your rifle.

 

[Walker570]

Bullets do not have HEADS...they are just bullets and the complete unit is a cartridge.

Enfield spares has given you the best answer possible without knowing the state of the rifle.

I have only reloaded 303 for killing soft furry things from a Parker Hale sporting rifle and they did the job in spades. The one thing I nowiced was that the cases tended to stretch quite a bit on each firing and was told that this inherent in the 303.  Check the cases after each firing and see what yours come out at.

The old 303 is a great cartridge and can still hold it's own in the field.

Edited September 25, 2020 by Walker570

[enfieldspares]

34 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

The one thing I noticed was that the cases tended to stretch quite a bit on each firing and was told that this inherent in the 303.  Check the cases after each firing and see what yours come out at.

That's a good remind that for best case life with bottleneck rifle cartridges that headspace off the front of the rim. For these best case life and best accuracy is achieved by what is called "partial full length sizing" the cases from that rifle that are to be fired (after re-loading) in that same rifle. Partial full length sizing is done with the standard factor FL Die but using a wax candle, paper spill dipped in oil or something that gives off sooty smoke. 

Take your fired cases and if so minded tumble and clean. It doesn't matter if you don't but if your process is to tumble and clean before sizing there's no harm done to your partial full length sizing process. Lightly soot the neck and shoulder of three fired cases. It doesn't need the body of the case sooted. Just the shoulder. Now back off your sizing die so that when the case is inserted in the shellholder and pressed into the die as you'd normally do to size it that it feels no resistance as you raise the ram (just as you would normally do) to the full height of the ram.

Now with the ram still at full height gently...one hand only now mole grips or anything...screw down the sizing die on to the case. At some point you won't be able screw the die down any more. Lower the ram to be able to inspect your case. Note if the matt black soot is now "pressed down flat" as it were of no longer matt black. It won't usually be.

Now with the case still in the "ram lowered" position turn down the die a one eighth turn and raise the case full height of the ram as for normal loading. As you do you'll also see the soot on the case neck being scraped down and down towards the shoulder. That's important as obviously you need the neck to be sized correctly regardless of how far you do (or as here are trying to achieve) do not set the shoulder back.

You keep doing the lowering, inspecting, turning the die down one eighth until you see the soot on the shoulder has been "pressed down flat" and all the soot on the case neck has been scraped down. You've now achieved you die set up to neck size the case AND just push the shoulder back to your individual rifle's chamber length.

Turn the die down a final one sixteenth of a turn. Now insert case two and case three that you previously sooted. These both should both emerge with their soot "pressed down flat" on the shoulders and scraped down off the neck. Some say for the last a one sixteenth, others a one eighth or so turn. The purpose of that final turn is to simply give just a small amount of space so that when loaded the cartridge chambers if it is the last round of say a fifty round course of fire and so going into a now dirty chamber.

As said opinion varies of whether it's a one sixteenth turn or a one eighth or so turn that you decide for that final turn before locking the die off. Me? I shot the SMLE and the No4 in competition. Some of which where there was maybe £100 at stake in prize money if you won or placed 2nd or 3rd. So to me confidence in chambering was the decider and so I made a one eighth turn or so for that final adjustment.

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by enfieldspares

[Charles Devlin]

Thank you all for your advice, I will certainly be taking it! I have fired factory ammunition through the rifle and it performed very well.

[enfieldspares]

9 minutes ago, Charles Devlin said:

Thank you all for your advice, I will certainly be taking it! I have fired factory ammunition through the rifle and it performed very well.

Well if that factory was PPU in that rifle AND you've not re-sized it then you have your benchmark for measuring expansion just in front of the case web. By measuring the same place on your reloads done using PPU cases.

Edited September 25, 2020 by enfieldspares