This topic might fit a couple of pages. It is snowing right now so it is a good time to do some unloading and some reloading. The subject might fit in the following subjects, Medium Bore, Military Surplus Rifles, and The Handload for Rifles and Handguns form fits. A topic in the Handloading form got me going on this project.
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,186955.msg1098951281.html#newI expect it will take a few months to complete all the steps in this project with Christmas coming up, the primary pitfall is the areas I shoot are getting snow. The roads may not open up for a few months. I happen to like snow, because snow melt flushes the toilet in August.
A little about the rifle. In the early 1960 period a Southern California outfit created the Jungle Carbine to replicate the British WWII Enfield Number 5, Mark1.
http://enfieldrifles.profusehost.net/sp3.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_CarbineMy rifle was made up from Enfield #4 parts that do not have the true Enfield #5 modifications such as metal cut out of the receiver, the barrel, and the bolt handle. The effort to lighten rifle for jungle warfare may have resulted in a wondering zero issue. The only issue I have had with the rifle is the high point on impact designed into the issue battle sight. I need a taller foresight to get the point of impact down.
The best military surplus ammunition I have found is Canadian, and the brass is reloadable. Looking for Canadian brass is what lead me down my current path.
I spent the summer of 1960 traveling in British Columbia and Alberta Canada. In 1961 I spent some time living on a homestead in the Peace River Country of Alberta. Most of the residences were farmers, and their hunting arms varied. But a number of them were using different Enfield 303 British rifles to shoot deer, moose, and elk. When I was setting at the dinner table of a Canadian farmer eating moose roast he told me about taking it with his 303 caliber rifle I listen closely. After returning home for school I had the opportunity to buy one. I went with a dealer to a wholesaler’s warehouse, and there was a vast collection of military rifles to be had. I had been staring at the Jungle Carbine ads for months, and it was very easy to select one from the many on display.
This has not been a go to deer rifle for me, but when I got married my new bride shot it a lot. Recoil from the rifle is wicked, but she practiced with it. The rifle has a narrow hard rubber recoil pad that must have been designed to inflict pain. My wife never used it because I loaned it to my mother who was having bear problems up at her fire lookout tower. Ammunition at the time was military FMJ, Santa Fe softpoints loaded in military cases, and 180-grain Federal Softpoints.
When I bought the rifle, I had not heard about the bore diameter issues with some of the rifles. I had looked down the bore and observed good rifling in a shiny bore. I had no clue if it was .311 diameter, .312 diameter, or larger. Twenty years after buying it I bought dies to reload for it and some 174-grain Hornady bullets. The Hornady bullets are .312 in diameter, and it might be a clue regarding accuracy. The groups were still high at 100-yards because of the design of the military sight but were tighter than with other ammunition I had used. I settled on a near maximum load using IMR4320 powder.
I bought a few boxes of Belmont 303 ammunition loaded with 150-grain Serria bullets. The ammunition produced a light report, light recoil, and was inaccurate in my rifle. There has been post or articles on other internet sites about the poor performance of the Belmont 303 ammunition. If nothing else I consider it as cheap source of brass and bullets for this reloader. Is the .311 diameter bullet versus the .312 diameter Hornady the issue?
I do not think the .311 diameter bullets are the key to the accuracy problem. I measured a number of British, and Canada service rounds and they are loaded with .311 diameter bullets. I measured commercial loaded 180-grain Federal softpoints, they are .311 diameter. I have a full 20-count box of Santa Fe brand 150-grain softpoints loaded in military cases with Berdan primers. I have had this box of shells for almost as long as I have had the rifle. The bullets have a cannelure and the same profile as the 150-grain Hornady bullets I have. The bullets in the loaded rounds are .312 diameter. I plan on shooting this ammunition up along with any other Berdan primer ammunition I have for it because I believe them to be corrosive primed. That way I know the barrel will get the proper cleaning for corrosive ammunition. Plus it will be fun. The rifle is more fun to shoot now that I have added a slip-on recoil pad.
Belmont 303 ammunition. Last night I started pulling the bullets from the partial box of Belmont ammunition. Field testing will determined what I will do with the remaining boxes.
Some of my observations:
1. I used a kinetic bullet puller. I have used this tool for many years. The effort to pull the bullet from the Belmont ammunition was the least effort ever required to pull bullets. Does the lack of neck tension impact ignition and accuracy of this ammunition?
2. The bullet: I have a foam plug in the end of my bullet puller and they were not deform, and I plan on using them. The bullets appear to be a Sierra Pro-hunter without a cannelura. The bullets consistently weighed 150-grains.
3. The powder: Is very fine grain with a large amount of gray graphite type material with it. I poured the powder from the case to a funnel into the pan for my scale. The funnel became coated with the graphite. The powder did not pass the smell test. The powders I reload with normally have an alcohol-ether odor. This unfamiliar powder did not have this odor. The lack of an odor could indicate the powder has deteriorated, or a different manufacture process was used. Most of the powder charges weight 36.0 grains. Researching .303 British loads in a number of manuals would indicate that a 36.0 grain charge of the appropriate powder behind a 150-grain bullet is at the starting side of the scale. One case had 38.0 grains of the unknown powder in it. In most cases when reloading rifle cases I toss the charge into the pan for my powder scale and weight each charge. I use a tickler to bring the charge to the planned amount.
4. The case appeared to be fine.
Two Red Flags at this time are the lack of neck tension, and light powder charge.
I disposed of the powder.
The plan is to recharge five cases with BL-(2) powder and reseat the Sierra bullet. Before doing this I am going to run the case into the resizing die to resize the mouth of the case about 1/10 on an inch to increase neck tension on the bullet. Hopefully test firing will give me a clue if the original accuracy problem was related to the light powder charges, and light (darn little, neck tension). I will charge the remaining cases with BL-(2) powder and load them with 150-grain Hornady bullets, .312 diameter.
I need to re-examine the rifle to make sure it is okay. I glass bedded it long ago, but after doing some research I am going to check and make sure the upper wood over the barrel has adequate clearance.
It has been suggested that I mount a scope of the rifle. This is a nasty weather, close range rifle and mounting a scope of it would defeat my need. I have scoped rifles.
Would I buy more of the Belmont ammunition at the same cost? The answer is yes because the purchase was a cheap source of components, and as a reloader I believe I can get some use out of them.
It is time to bundle up and head for the reloading bench. Once I get the brass loaded I have another project around the bench. I keep thinking I have a box of 180-grain Sierra .311 diameter bullets.
