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Thread: 303 bullet size

  1. #1
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    303 bullet size

    Slugged the .303 and got .303 to 318 so what would the correct bullet be ?
    ballkeeper

  2. #2
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    Bullets for 303 are .311 - 313 the narrowest part of the bore is .303 , the bore could be from 311 to 315 due to wartime exigences . There are some two groove barrels whitch slug out at .308 made by Savage in the USA on a government contract . .318 ,if accurate would indicate a well worn barrel , using cast lead bullets sized to your barrel would work .
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by gtpkeeper View Post
    Slugged the .303 and got .303 to 318 so what would the correct bullet be ?
    Is that .318" between the lands? If not you need a new barrel.

    A friend of mine with a SMLE slugged his barrel and between the lands it came to .314". He had a mould made to that size. It wasn't cheap.

  4. #4
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    lad i know uses .314 cast bullets with great success....
    you can make cast bigger bullets from your molds by placing heat resistant aluminium tape on the inside of the molds .
    i done this myself and it works a treat
    yanks over on cast boolits call it beagling
    Last edited by loiner1965; 30-08-2017 at 06:32 PM.

  5. #5
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    The throat of mine slugs at .314, I shoot .316 diameter cast lead bullets through it. If I use jacketed it's going to be .311 which is the standard .303 size due to the odd way they measured it.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by lightning22 View Post
    The throat of mine slugs at .314, I shoot .316 diameter cast lead bullets through it. If I use jacketed it's going to be .311 which is the standard .303 size due to the odd way they measured it.
    First, they made a hole.

    It measured .303" diameter.

    Then, they put grooves in it.

    THAT made ANOTHER diameter that was bigger, namely anything between .311" and .316".

    Not odd, just the way they measured stuff back then.

    Same with .577" and the .600" bullet.

    The 45-70 Govt with the 457" diameter bullet.

    ......and so on.

    The average .44cal BP revolver shoots a ball anything from .451" to .457" diameter.

    It all harks back the days of black powder and deep-groove rifling.

    tac

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by enfield2band View Post
    Is that .318" between the lands? If not you need a new barrel.

    A friend of mine with a SMLE slugged his barrel and between the lands it came to .314". He had a mould made to that size. It wasn't cheap.
    the two bands that stick out on the slug measure .318
    it fired the ppu .311 fmj ok,
    ballkeeper

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by loiner1965 View Post
    lad i know uses .314 cast bullets with great success....
    you can make cast bigger bullets from your molds by placing heat resistant aluminium tape on the inside of the molds .
    i done this myself and it works a treat
    yanks over on cast boolits call it beagling
    thinking of going for 312/314/316 in lead see how that goes ???
    ballkeeper

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by lightning22 View Post
    The throat of mine slugs at .314, I shoot .316 diameter cast lead bullets through it. If I use jacketed it's going to be .311 which is the standard .303 size due to the odd way they measured it.
    just sluged it from the throat and its still .318

    unless this gauge is buggered
    ballkeeper

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by gtpkeeper View Post
    the two bands that stick out on the slug measure .318
    it fired the ppu .311 fmj ok,
    My friends rifle shoots the .311" copper jacketed bullet alright, but lead is not accurate with the standard size bullet which is why he had a mould made with a bigger diameter bullet. The SMLE he has got had been rebarrelled at some point and the rifling is square. The gun had been in storage somewhere and was packed in grease which had to be cleaned off.
    Because of the age of the rifle he only shoots lead bullets to preserve the barrel life and downloads the cartridges.

    If I remember correctly a gas check is needed on lead bulets for velocities over 1200fps otherwise the bullet will strip the rifling. (Ride over it).

  11. #11
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    NOE moulds do moulds off the shelf in most sizes, I've got three for the Enfield and he'll usually get them to you in less than a couple of weeks from the States.

  12. #12
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    measure the inside of a fired ppu case it mic at .313 so thinking ill need aleast that size in lead ??
    ballkeeper

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by gtpkeeper View Post
    measure the inside of a fired ppu case it mic at .313 so thinking ill need aleast that size in lead ??
    That has little or no bearing on the bullet size needed. The casemouth will have been blown wider as the bullet was driven out and up the bore, then sprung back part of the way - practically impossible to know how much, unless you know the chamber neck i/d and the exact case wall thickness.
    ...history... is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind. (Edward Gibbon: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire)

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikB View Post
    That has little or no bearing on the bullet size needed. The casemouth will have been blown wider as the bullet was driven out and up the bore, then sprung back part of the way - practically impossible to know how much, unless you know the chamber neck i/d and the exact case wall thickness.
    Ok so what size do you think
    ballkeeper

  15. #15
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    When you say you've slugged the bore, what method have you used?

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