Thread: .303 Reloading help

Dads mate hit me up this morning about wanting a fast light recoiling load so his young fella doesnt get smashed by the rifle so much

I've never loaded like this myself for a .303 I've always used 150's and filled it with powder.

So I'm extra green here but thinking a lighter projectile shouldn't kick so much and will go fast?

I will run getting a better rifle by him too I forgot about that when talking to him this morning

125gr ?

ie SKS/ak47 bullets...

what powder do you have?

target or animal?

Id' suggest just using the Highland 150gr SP.

So for 123/125gr some notes I have come across for hunting,

Adi 2206H / IMR4895 with 125gr bullet starting at 40.5grains 2371fps 300yds =1573fps
ADI2208 / IMR4064 with 125gr starting at 40.5gr muzzle=2297fps 300yds = 1532fps
125gr Sierra spitzer 49gr Re15 = muzzle 2835fps 300yds = 1932fps

I would suggest starting 1gr lower and not tend to go much more than +1 higher given the gun's age now.

Go up in 0.5gr watch for primers starting to squash.

Also the bullet is so short it could be off the lands a long way and a worn throat? would make it worse they may not be very accurate, maybe crimp?

The 125 gr sks bullets are excellent in a 303 I feed a no4 mk1 and a martini carbine with them. Both shoot quite well, the no4 is a 2 groove longbranch and does 3 inches at 100 yds, the martini which is badly eroded in the throat initially shoot around 6 inches. I found that all the powder was not burnt in the martini till I got to 45 gr of 2208 (started at 42) and that accuracy improved at this point to about 4 inches. Both have original sights and that's probably as good as you will get. Both these actions are quite strong compared to the no1 action but start low and work up as steven says. The ADI book says start with 45 gr of 2208 but that's my maximum.

Yep, Worth trying, Barnaul list them,

0.311 - 125gn - SPFB - $230.75 = 1000 $46.85 = 150

flat base is good for any throat wear in an enfield.

Full barnaul cartridges shoot like crap mostly but the projectiles are worth a try. I shoot the Barnaul 311 FMJs FBases 174gr with 38gr 2208 and get < 2MOA and they are 38cents each!