Thread: Question regarding some surplus 303

Hi everyone,

I've got old surplus HPX 303 and I noticed that some of them have a weird ring just above the rim and some don't. Is there a reason for this (like easier extraction) or something or a defective case? Already put a few through my gun no worries before I noticed, just never seen them before on rimmed cartridge - not sure if likely to cause any issues reloading or shooting.



Cheers

Do you mean the ring just beside where the projectile sits in the case?

Makes no difference simply the way the case was formed

Nah just above the rim there's a groove on one of the cases.

Nothing to worry about. The deeper groove may aid extractor engagement or may not make any difference.

The Greek ammo has a very good reputation for quality.
Have seen some forum postings overseas suggesting that it is hot. Cannot comment from personal use though.

The greek stuff is good but seems very "dirty" when cleaning after even a few rounds.

Greetings All,
I have seen both sides of the coin with the Greek stuff on the range. From excellent accuracy to awful accuracy and some not going of at all. The cleaner stuff seemed best, one would hope that the primers were non corrosive at that date but who would know. The brass seemed to be good quality.

Mmmm wonder where GC sourced theirs?

Originally Posted by zimmer

Mmmm wonder where GC sourced theirs?

Both of the above lots were from GC. I did hear the story about it being stored in harsh conditions and the discolouration was from the clips it was stored in. How true this is is anybodies guess. Some had obviously had a harder life though. .303 ammo from the US generally has the groove next to the rim but not commonwealth countries. Perhaps the Greeks had a foot in both camps.
Grandpamac.

It's interesting Grandpamac but only a few weeks ago I was surfing on the net and looked up HPX Ammo Company.
They have been around a long time.
They were (maybe still are) part of the NATO Procurement Program and Olin assisted with setting up for this.
Their ammo under Olin (Winchester) was said to be non corrosive primed. I would still be using boiling water though.

The worst 303 ammo I ever used was headstamped with what appeared to be Arabic symbols. In my Fulton I got an excellent group up to 10 rounds and then side of barn stuff. The full length of the barrel was very visably plated with cu. It took me days to remove it. Never fired another shot of it.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Both of the above lots were from GC. I did hear the story about it being stored in harsh conditions and the discolouration was from the clips it was stored in. How true this is is anybodies guess. Some had obviously had a harder life though. .303 ammo from the US generally has the groove next to the rim but not commonwealth countries. Perhaps the Greeks had a foot in both camps.
Grandpamac.

The HXP ammo was packed ready in 5-round chargers, correct. GC separates the ammo from the chargers and sell separately, in part I'm sure to facilitate them polishing up the ammo for sale. Some feel that is a dubious practice. The HXP chargers have a crumbly phosphate finish. Ammo is usually quite corroded where chargers held cases and where bullets/cases were in touch with the outside of an adjacent charger due galvanic corrosopn set up between the dissimilar metals. The double base ball powder was basically Winchester 760. Does not burn as hot as Cordite though.

The stuff ( Greek ammo ) I have shot didnt seem to resemble W760 when shot ( I will be pulling some, sometime ) i have used 760 in a few other rifles and get no where near the residue this stuff gives me.

W760 is a dirty powder though. I shoot it in an Ackley chambering and it's the only powder that has caught me out with the formation of a carbon ring.
I've stuck with it though as it has a lower flame temperature (also read less detectable muzzle flash) and hopefully I will get a slightly extended barrel life.

Sure its a sinner, I've burnt about 6 lbs of it last year in a Creedmoor and .308 I just love the price of it. I was just saying that the Greek stuff seems dirtier. Its no biggy as i poor boiling water down just in case the primers are corrosive.
When I have fired enough cases i will be loading it up with 760 for sure.

Originally Posted by johnd

Sure its a sinner, I've burnt about 6 lbs of it last year in a Creedmoor and .308 I just love the price of it. I was just saying that the Greek stuff seems dirtier. Its no biggy as i poor boiling water down just in case the primers are corrosive.
When I have fired enough cases i will be loading it up with 760 for sure.

The HXP .303 primers are toxic, but they are NON-corrosive.