Thread: 303 loads

Is anyone loading for 303? looking for loads for 150 grain Hornday soft points.

Thanks

Hornady manual lists 38.9 gr max 2206H and 40.8 gr max 2208 COL 2.992" work up from 10% below should be ok, best accuracy is usually 1.5 -2.0 grains below max.
Cheers

I run 150gr at 44gr 2208, this is safe in mine with no pressure signs, work up yourself. There is huge variances in chamber size,head-space,throat lenght,barrel wear in 303s and max in one may barely knock over a can in another.

what model is it as that'll have an influence on the load. What works in a no1 mk111 might not be so good in a no 4 mk1

Using 37gr 2208 behind a Sierra 150gr. Nice soft round in my no.1 mk 3.

Any of the .303 actions (other than the P14) aren't very gas-tight so you'd be stupid to be running hot loads. The rear locking isn't strongest action in the world and full-house loads usually involve a fair bit of brass movement on FL sizing. My suggestion is to stick with moderate loads and discard the brass after three reloads. Haven't loaded any for a few years but I notched the rim with a triangular file before each reload so I could keep count.

39 grains 2208 with sierra 150 gr gameking in a no 4 action. only use flat based bullets would be my advice as they set up better in worn throats and generous bores mostly found in 303s. My one shoots these into 3 moa or less groups, boat tails go out to 12 plus

Originally Posted by 6x47

Any of the .303 actions (other than the P14) aren't very gas-tight so you'd be stupid to be running hot loads. The rear locking isn't strongest action in the world and full-house loads usually involve a fair bit of brass movement on FL sizing. My suggestion is to stick with moderate loads and discard the brass after three reloads. Haven't loaded any for a few years but I notched the rim with a triangular file before each reload so I could keep count.

While yes run low to moderate loads I dont agree on the early discard of the brass. I have used some brass for over a seasons target shooting so they are on 12+ reloads with no failures in some brass, eg Privy, and S&B and Winchester. 1943 brass isnt so good but then it is 70 odd years old. The brass will show a white line along the bottom 10mm or so circumference as it starts to fail, at that point yes I'd consider scrapping the batch I was using.

brass will vary so you will have to decide a load based on that. So an an example 1943 brass is about 1~1.2gr of ADI 2208 hotter than Winchester brass as teh 1943 softer and thicker walled. Most commercial brass, Winchester, PPU and S&B seem a similar capacity but I have not chrono'd all these yet, its a job to do.

I would not run a load near the max accept in the P14 and mostly you do not need to.

There will probably be 2 nodes of accuracy. As an example for my P14 I found one at or a little below the minimum load and one about 2/3rds in, so as an example 37gr~38gr (depends on case) or so of 2208 for the low.

41gr or so of 2208 for a 174gr projectile should give you about 2440fps which is the military spec.

At the min load your brass will last a long time, at the max then its going to fail a lot quicker. Also I assume neck size only for max case life.