Thread: Greek .303

I saw on another section about a bolt head issue.
Some love it.
Some hate it.
What's your story?

Here's mine........
Brought it because it was reloadable but I was late to the party. Corroded case mouths to the point of being rotted out. Pulled a bunch and saved the projo and powder. Returned eroded empty unfired cases for refund. Tumbled projo's and will reload when I run out of 'good' originals. Seems to be a real mixture of dates amongst the repackaged ammo.

I bought 50 from GC in Hamilton. Cheekily I popped open the zip packs and selected the cleanest, with staff member observing. I’ve had x2 rounds not fire. Spent brass cleaned up well. I don’t use the calibre often, preferring 6.5x55, but my refurbed No4 Mk1 with a new 5 groove barrel sends it ok.

Overseas, the HXP ammo, in particular the 30-06 seems to get good reviews.
The current 303 stuff in NZ has possibly had several trips around the world with stop-offs and storage in very damp conditions.

The really dark tarnished stuff is bordering on unsafe. I've sorted through all of mine into go time ammo and stuff to shoot through my buggered SMLE. I may even tear it all down and scrap the crappy brass.

The stuff that isn't tarnished shoots superbly through my No.4 Mk2 and the P14 you sold me.

After cleaning up the brass with wire wool and the Lee brass cleaning drill attachment and then inspecting the brass for damage, I'll probably discard 10% of brass. I have had one crack open when I fired it, watch out for pink marks on brass.

So, so far no one else has had any catastrophic issues ( see post in for sale section by @Manchester) . Apart from fail to fires, thats good to know. I think I might save the deep brown stuff (looks like a steel case 7.62 x 39 round) and pull it down for components.

Although I did have a damaged bolt, I have had probably fired 200 rounds with around 2 rounds that didn't fire and the one damaging round.

No real complaints here... i knew the risks

Ive brought some from gun city wellington , but have not fired it yet. Will inform when I have fired it. I will use it before I use the brand new PPU stuff.

Originally Posted by johnd

So, so far no one else has had any catastrophic issues ( see post in for sale section by @Manchester) . Apart from fail to fires, thats good to know. I think I might save the deep brown stuff (looks like a steel case 7.62 x 39 round) and pull it down for components.

Apart from failure to fires I have seen one go off as a squib round and lodge a projectile half way down the bore. Luckily the guy concerned realised what had happened.

Apart from the badly corroded stuff (about 10%) the rest is ok and Is good brass. The more recently available stuff is however getting worse and I suspect they are scraping the bottom of the barrel

I agree with Beca is in that some of the highly corroded stuff is probably dangerous. I suspect also that gun city wet tumbled it in a concrete mixer to clean it up and some of the neck and primer sealant has leaked.

You must shake each round to make sure the powder is good. I’ve pulled some that I couldn’t feel the powder in and it had been wet and was like tar.

I see that gun city are gradually putting the price up but even at $130 a round it’s still cheap.

Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

I bought 50 from GC in Hamilton. Cheekily I popped open the zip packs and selected the cleanest, with staff member observing. I’ve had x2 rounds not fire. Spent brass cleaned up well. I don’t use the calibre often, preferring 6.5x55, but my refurbed No4 Mk1 with a new 5 groove barrel sends it ok.

I must try that at broncos and see if they notice��. You keen for a shoot mid week?

Originally Posted by omark

I must try that at broncos and see if they notice��. You keen for a shoot mid week?

Can’t see why not. PM me day before.

I buy the cases and projectiles separately and load my own. Previously to that I had no issues with the loaded rounds as long as I remembered to shake them to make sure the powder wasn't wet. If I had any doubts I didn't fire it.

.303 shooters must give off some sort of pheremone.
I was in Broncos a month or more back, just looking at what was in the reloading section. I hadnt even clocked it, when as I was about to go an assitant asked / told me I should get some "greek Projectiles" before they are all gone.

@johnd, the projectiles are fine. I buy the 174s (projectiles only) in bulk, and just clean them up in the wet tumbler. Couple of hours with a teaspoon of citric acid and dishwash soap, and they come out like new.

Reloaded into better cases, they are perfectly good enough for service rifle etc. Even managed a first-round hit on a 400yd gong with them a couple of weeks ago

Originally Posted by johnd

.303 shooters must give off some sort of pheremone.
I was in Broncos a month or more back, just looking at what was in the reloading section. I hadnt even clocked it, when as I was about to go an assitant asked / told me I should get some "greek Projectiles" before they are all gone.

I find the bsa T shirt is a dead give away !!