Thread: Rings on cartridge 303

I recently aquired a sporterised 303 and gave it a bit of a birthday before getting it looked over by someone who knows them very well. He reckoned it should be good to go, so I put a few rounds through it using the string on the trigger and hiding behind the longdrop technique. All good.
Put a few more rounds into a taget at 50 meters and still all good.
Then I noticed that the spent shells had a faint ring around them, which you can hopefully see in the pic.
Is this anything to be concerned about, IE too much pressure ??
Ammo used is Winchester super x 180gn pp

Looks like a headspace issue but I am no expert, sure some of the gurus will help you out!

I get that too, I've reloaded them like that and use them again with no issues

Looks like large chamber and or headspace.
Quite common in the old 303s

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

Dangerous????

I doubt it but Bend a small right angle on the end of a paper clip or something so you can feel down inside the case for a groove .
Or better yet cut a case in half and look.
Groove is caused by excessive headspace and case stretching to fill the gap and can lead to case head separation.

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

Being a rimmed cartridge the head space is on that rim not the shoulder, I think VC is right large chamber and you have fired formed into it.

Thanks all. Very helpfull.

Headspace. Check with a 303brit nogo or field headspace gauge if you want. Your cases will not do many reloads unless you can fix that.

Get a copy of Hatchers note book it will explain it all

Not fussed about re-loading, purely wanted to find out if reasonably safe to carry on using.
It was checked using go/no go gauges, by a guy who is self taught man cave type gunsmith. In his opinion, there was some room for improvement by changing the bolt head, but it was safe to fire. Being as he owns probably 50 rifles and makes his own suppressors etc etc, I took his word on it. Just that having noticed the change taking place on firing, I thought best to ask a wider audience.

I get those on my 270wsm cases from the first firing. I cut it open and found no bad separation. So am still loading them, one lot of cases are up to 7firings. Also I got 8firings out of the nickel plated brass before the necks split, but no case head separation

Info on head space
Hope it helps

Geeeezee all upside down

Bugger! Many thanks for taking the trouble Maca. I will save the pics and flip them to read.
I just cut a cartridge down and cleaned up inside. There are no signs of a ridge inside the case, just a bit of a dark ring that matches the placement of the light ring on outside. From what your book says, it sounds like stretched case. May have to look out for either the original bolt, or replacement, although as I wont be reloading I am not sure it is worth worrying about.
Feel free to advise if you think otherwise, as I am quite looking forward to going to the siska show with my face intact