What are you loading for your No4Mk1 .303?

[S.B.]

As far as powder and weight and bullets for accuracy and hunting?
Steve

[beerbelly]

I use Hornady .312, 174 Gr RN and H414 powder. I started with the lightest load in Leman's manual. Don't waste any money buying boattail bullets the #4mk1 will not shoot them.
                             Beerbelly

[EVOC ONE]

Lately I've been loading Hornady 123 gr SP bullets with IMR 3031.  Results have been very good: 1" - 1 1/2" at 100 yards with groups from 3-5 shots.

 

[Mikey]

Steve:  Howdy!  In my 303s I use either the Hornady 174 gn .312 bullet or the Sierra 180 gn .311 bullet over a VV book charge (the only one they have:  41.7 gns of N140) for the 303.  The .311 bullets hit 3" higher on the target than the .312s and groups slightly larger, with either being sufficiently accurate for 2-300 yd shots.  My .312 groups with my Savage made No4 Mk1 are around 3/4" at 100m, the .311s group slightly over 1" at the same distance.

I think that if my 303s did not shoot as well as either my 06s or my 8mms then I would probably have it rebarrelled with a nice new .311 diameter bore and a tight chamber.  My problem is that all my 30 bores shoot so well I wouldn't change a thing.  In the 303 Brit - I like the VV loading.  JMTCW.

[Siskiyou]

My Golden States Arms Jungle Carbine started life as a Mark4.  It likes the 174-grain Hornady pushed by 4320 powder, in Canadian surplus military cases.

I have a couple boxes of 180-grain Serria bullets that I have never loaded because of the great accuracy of the Hornady bullet.  By great I mean better than any commerical or factory loads I have fired in it.  Not match winners, but good hunting accuracy. 

[S.B.]

Siskiyou, I bought one of those, years back and haven't shot it much.
Steve

[Siskiyou]

I bought mine in the summer of 1961.  I was happy to loan it to Mom a few years later when she worked on a fire lookout tower with a large bear population around it.  She carried it down to the outhouse, and down to the spring to get water.

She told me she fired a few rounds checking the sights, and not at bear.

I left it with her after seeing 12 black bear in the wild cherrys around the lookout.  A couple were bold enough to climb up to the cat walk.

[gstewart44]

I use Reloader 15/46.5 gr with a  .312 Speer 150 PSP that cronys at 2690.  Got this load from 303British.com and it has proven very accurate in my No4 Mk1. 

[351 power]

i get great results with reloder 15 too. and 150g hornady

[beerbelly]

FedEx is dropping off some reloader 15 tomorrow. So I will be giving it a try.
                            Beerbelly

[MnMike]

I have used RL15 and Varget. Both seem to work pretty good. Try the RL15 and if it doesn't work maybe give Varget a try.

mike

[beerbelly]

I just got some reloader 15. With a Hornady 174 grain RN and 38 grains of reloader 15 , I put five shots in an inch and a quarer.  I went up to 39 grains and the group spread to about three and a half inches. With 40 grains it tightened back up, but not as good as the 38 grain load.
  That is the best my rifle has ever shot. I am sold on reloader 15.
                                 Beerbelly

[S.B.]

Beerbelly, what was your distance?
Steve

[beerbelly]

That was 100 yards off the bench with a 3x9x50 scope. My eyes are so bad now that with out the scope I can't hit anything.
                                   Beerbelly

[gandog56]

I got 2000 .311" 147 grain FNJBT's from Wideners for 152 bucks shipped. Also got an 8 lb. jug of their surplus RG 4895. Supposed to be the British version of IMR 4895. I use lower end IMR recipes to start with.


Use the bullets for both .303 Brit and 7.62X54R. Use the powder for .223 Rem, .270 Win, .303 Brit, 7.62X54R, 8X56R, and 8mm Mauser.