Author Topic: Good multi-purpose bullet for 303: what's your fave weight? (Read 426 times)

kombi1976 · « **on:** February 22, 2005, 02:13:53 AM »

A friend is just getting his licence and his main rifle will be a SMLE No.1 MkIII as funds are tight.
He'll be using it for everything from roos & pigs to deer.
I'm going to help him reload to further push his running costs down.
Can anyone recommend a bullet they find is good for most of the hunting they do with their SMLE?
Also, what does everyone find is the best bullet weight for .303s?

Val · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2005, 03:41:01 AM »

I had a very difficult time finding a good load for my No1 Mk lll. After trying many 150 grain loads with at best 2" groups, I finally tried the Hornady 7.62 SP in 123 grains. This bullet yielded very nice .75", 3 shot groups after I improved the head space with a longer bolt head. I need to go back and try heavier bullets again but, the hunting season got in the way of my load development work.

Mikey · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2005, 03:58:08 AM »

kombi: my personal preference for any of the 30 caliber rifles is the 180 grain softpoint. That goes for the 303 Brit. I prefer either the Sierra 180 grain softpoint or the Hornaday 174 grain round nose soft point.

I have found that most lighter bullets leave a lot of tissue damage. If you are hunting for the meat, the 180 does the job quite well and will penetrate better at longer ranges.

For both deer and hog, the 180 is best, I feel. HTH. Mikey.

savageT · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2005, 09:29:05 AM »

kombi,
It might be worth slugging the bore before ordering bullets. Try this site:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/reloading/slug/index.asp

Jim

Rick Teal · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2005, 12:37:21 PM »

When I hunted with a .303 I used Ontario's official bullet weight - the 180 grain load. :twisted:

Now that I'm about to begin swaging my own .312 bullets, I plan to make a bullet like the Dominion/Imperial 180 grain CPE that I used to great effect in the '60's.

My only bad experiences with .30 calibre hunting bullets were when I used 200 grain "hard" bullets in my .308 Norma, and when I used 150 grain bullets in my 30-06. 180's have always performed well for me in .30 and .303 rifles when hunting deer and moose.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2005, 12:48:04 PM »

hey rick is the Imperial CPE also called the Sabre-Tip? if it's the same i'd buy as many as you can make! i love the Imperial factory loads, most accurate sporting ammo in my No.1 MK 3 Lithgow. getting pretty pircey at gunshows, though. the Remington SP is also accurate but the $#@^$* roundnose bullet always jams on the feed ramp. both Remington UMC and Winchester SP will not even touch paper out of my rifle.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2005, 01:35:11 AM »

Hey kevin.303 - you're sure right about the Remington and Winchester loads for the 303 Brit. They are so powered down they are hardly better than 30-30 loads. I had to raise my sights a bunch of clicks to even get them on paper at 100 yds. The old Imperial ammo is great, if you can find it.

If you handload, get the Vihta Vuory Oy manual - has a great load for the 303 Brit, right at original mil-spec velocities. Norma has a loading for the 303 that is also right at mil-spec and both shoot very accurately from my older rifles. HTH. Mikey.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2005, 02:55:10 AM »

i didn't know Imperial ammo was sold in the states. the Sabre Tip is basiclly a Nosler ballistic tip 30 years before it's time. i find any factory load kicks harder then milsurp ammo, the Remington Core-Lokt being th worse