Out of interest, does anyone still make new rifles in .303 ? Or is it simply seen as an old-fashioned and out-dated cartridge and manufacturers need to sell product so...
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Out of interest, does anyone still make new rifles in .303 ? Or is it simply seen as an old-fashioned and out-dated cartridge and manufacturers need to sell product so...
Uberti do a Winchester 1885 303 reproductionQuote:
Originally Posted by RV1
But in my opinion they got it all wrong with the stock and the modern scope rib
Thankyou @akaroa1,Quote:
Originally Posted by akaroa1
Over the past week or so I have developed some coping straregies and have a back up plan of a quiet room with some soothing recordings of rifle fire on the range that I have recorded for this purpose. With this and your kind warning I should be OK. I must say that I am quite looking forward to your report. This last week I gave my son my No4 iron sight rifle that I no longer use and he sent back a photo of it with fore and top wood very similar to that used on some No4 .308 conversions. It certainly looked better than when it left here. This was useful training for your forthcoming report.
Many thanks Grandpamac.
Here ya go @grandpamac Who says Lee Enfields have weak actions? ;) "Lee-Enfield No.4 Action Extreme Stress Test"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bhWxFbYdyw
@grandpamac you are safe from the padded room for a while moreQuote:
Originally Posted by grandpamac
I struck a very significant problem this morning and won't be test firing for some time
The joys of owning historically significant vintage rifles and wanting to shoot them
I don't blame the previous owner because unless you were going to shoot it you wouldn't have found this problem
Problems are just solutions waiting to be implemented
A real short vid of the first shots through my new girl :) I've fallen for an older lady called Lee..... Lee-Enfield..... :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-42KMIazSzY&t=3s
100 yards using knee as a rest Attachment 200177
It’s all over but the grilling.
All that and with iron sights too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Double tap
GPM.
PS. The dog looks so happy I have to ask. Did you shoot the deer or was it the dog?
Ha yeah he probably thinks it was all his doingQuote:
Originally Posted by grandpamac
Spent the afternoon sighting in the old .303 . Absolutely stoked the way the 106 year old girl shoots. Averaged 3 inch, 3-shot groups at 100 yards when I did my job correctly, and even a couple of 2 inch groups! And that was using PPU ammo too. I found that the PPU wasn't as accurate in my 308 as the Sako Gamehead
It would probably do better with a more accomplished shooter as my shooting ability is always the weakest link in the chain. For me, the lack of a cheek weld is the hardest thing to overcome.
The Nikon Buckmaster scope was problematical. It holds zero, but it's click adjustments aren't as accurate as I'd like. When I start reloading for the rifle I'll probably replace the scope. I have a Bushnell Elite 3-8x on my 308 and an Elite 2.5-10x on the 223 and their adjustments are reliable. So I'll keep my eye out for a suitable 3-9x
Attachment 202072
Attachment 202073
the cheek weld thing has been fixed many times over..pair of wooly socks,one over the buttplate up onto stock and stuff the other one inside it to raise check rest...I must have seen 50-100 different solutions to this over the years.close cell foam mattress and duct tape.... block of wood cut to shape and glued on... fancy doweled on piece of wood.... plastic riser..... canvas pad laced on..... try the socks first...cheap as .
I will try the socks for sighting in. It's in too nice condition to alter the stock. I'm stoked with how well she shoots though
Well 2 inches is easy a deer down at 100 yards at least going by the dinner plate rule.
Definitely. It really amazes me how well it shoots :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Allizdog
I get a reasonable chin or jaw weld aided by some natural facial padding but thats just me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Micky Duck
GPM.
@grandpamac warning !
I have the repaired hammer back in the Remington rolling block no5 303 and expect to fire it tomorrow
This might cause some distress so You might want too look away now
Attachment 202178
While I had the scales in the workshop I put it on and it's exactly 7 pounds even
So a bit on the light side for a 303 but handy in a sporting rifle that won't be shot often
First range session was a total success
5 rounds at 50 yards from a standing rest
Worse than useless buck horn sights
Attachment 202227
Attachment 202228
The tang is tapped for a Lyman or similar staff tang sight
These are pretty challenging as is
Attachment 202229
And as expected if you get this in the wrong position with a 7 pound 303 it's has a nasty bite
Attachment 202230
Greetings @akaroa1 and all,Quote:
Originally Posted by akaroa1
Well I survived that well. Any envy quickly turned to sympathy for akaroa1 when I saw that brutal but plate and remembered some very impolite things said about vintage Remington butt plates in articles I have read. My mind has had a work out lately on things .303 which has made me wonder just what it is that drives our interest in these neat old rifles. Most of we men of a certain age have enough modern rifles for any conceivable use plus more but we still delight in playing about with these old war relics. Yesterday I visited one of our local bang stick emporiums to pick up some surplus Greek projectiles for you know what. There was an impressive rack of new rifles mostly stainless synthetic but right down one end there were some .303's incuding some original ones (there was one Martini), The prices taped to them showed plenty of demand.
So what is it that drives us to collect and use these old rifles? Is it their age or use in most of the great battles of the twentieth century? Is it the challange of getting them shooting well? Is it the challenge of hunting with something that is older than most of us? Frankly I don't know but am just thankful that something does.
Regards Grandpamac.
you do realize there are still slip on recoil pads in the shops??????
Greetings again @akaroa1,
What was the load you were using? Those last three shots are a pretty decent group regardless of the sights. Probably the first time it has been fired in a bit.
GPM.
@grandpamac it was a very respectful load of 41 grains W760 ball powder behind 180 grain Norma projectiles
And somewhat surprisingly the bullets are .310 and boat tail so more likely to be sub optimal in a vintage bore
But I'm very happy with the results
Have 20 more loaded ready to go
And looking for a suitable tang sight to make it more practical to shoot
By respectful I mean a very mild load in a rather valuable 122 year old rifle that's unlikely to have been fired in a very long time
if she does that good with a boat tail hard as nails Norma ......... the mind boggles what she will do with a flat base speer....
Yes it's a respectable first got outQuote:
Originally Posted by Micky Duck
Because it's so rare I won't fire it at targets again until I sort a tang sight
Pointless exercise the way it is because so difficult
But it's hunting ready as is
If anyone knows where I can buy .311 flat base 174 - 180 grainers please advise
Pull from the Greek junk that gun city are sellingQuote:
Originally Posted by akaroa1
Sporting soft point !Quote:
Originally Posted by omark
@grandpamac For me, the old rifles and particularly the 303 is that they have character and an iconic NZ history. I love my little 223, but now reach for the 303 more often. What I've found interesting is that the "birthday hunt with my 303" YouTube video I posted a couple of months ago has already gone through 19k views and will do 20k by next week. That shows me that there is still a lot of interest in the 303. And; the vid was just me shooting a goat for the freezer; nothing exotic!
Wish this weather would clear up so I can fire a few rounds through the ol 303.
Greetings @bumblefoot and all.Quote:
Originally Posted by bumblefoot
I think for me it is the association with people I know or more often these days have known. The current .303 of interest was given to me by a friend who can no longer hunt. It will also be a rough copy of my first ever rifle bought in the late 1960's. More info will follow with pictures even.
Regards Grandpamac.
Greetings All,
Have just been up to my bench to put a couple of rounds through my new to me No1 .303. It is close to centre at 60 metres so will do a final zero at the range on Sunday. ome Grandpa walks are planned with it once things dry out a bit.
Regards Grandpamac.
yes the old faithfull 303 - shot my first deer at 16 with my fullbore rifle -complete with parker hale aperture- tunnel foresight and blade -had shot 200 and 300 shoot day before at Gisborne range -was all I had and it did the job -army ammo and all
The Best Buy was a cut down smellie at the tauranga gun show with a shot out barrel for $650…. I tried to convince some of the lads but they were not keen.
The usual Junk that gets rolled out was there. I’m a little sick of the dealers using it as a venue to get rid of their junk
Apart from a couple of dealers I don’t know and the likes of graham champion at least 50% of the stuff on the tables should be taken to the tip….
yes I know what you mean If you want to see a shocker have a look at the early Browning semi auto .22 for sale on trade me out of Tauranga - now it says some corrosion in bore and they at least have been decent enough to provide two photos - holy crap it has major compression rings and really should not be fired
Took the 106-year old girl out for a walk the other day. Been a heap of pigs out, but think the pig hunters beat me to them. Waited til dark, but no luck. Nice to take the rifle for another walk though
Attachment 204236
Attachment 204237
Attachment 204238
Dads sporterised Long Tom. Bolt and action numbers match, but has been rebarreled.
Attachment 204240
In use ‘55 I think, Fiordland.
Going by the wood, it’s the center rifle.
Attachment 204241
Attachment 204242
He would have been 100 this November.
So this is quite timely.
I’ve scrubbed and patched it out. Had it all apart and scrubbed and degunged everything.
When weather and time permits I’ll go out to the farm and have play.
I have zero expectations, but our boy wants to use it as is down south, so fingers crossed.
B
@shift14 That's awesome!!! :)
My Long Tom sporterAttachment 204262
Greetings @bumblefoot and all,
A nice calm day today so I finally got to do a rough sight in on my latest new to me .303. As reported earlier in another thread the rifle was given to me by a friend and has been returned to shooting condition using components from my parts cupboard and those donated by others including Forum members. The rifle had previously had a preliminary firing using loads cobbled together with some of the Greek 174 grain projectles. Today the loads contained 174 grain Hornady round nose projectiles and had been adopted from another .303 that now lives somewhere else. These were very light loads used for shooting targets. Scope is an old 2.5 power Tasco that I bought new around 40 years ago. First shot was right followed by an adjustment. Next shot was left so split the diff and the last shot will do for now. Shooting was done on my 60 metre Casual Sighting in Range here at home and further testing, including some more load developement, will be done on one of the two rifle ranges I frequent.
Many will wonder why I bother with an old relic when my rifle safe bulges with more modern and more capable rifles and I can only say that it I enjoy doing it. At some time in the coming weeks the rifle and I will embark on one of my mid week grandpa walks in the Kawekas and I will enjoy that too.
Regards Grandpamac.
Attachment 205267
