The CAC I have would probably mid to late 1980's
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The CAC I have would probably mid to late 1980's
That scope looks a lot like the 2.5 power Lyman that is on my scoped .303. Mounts are similar too.Quote:
Originally Posted by doinit
Grandpamac.
Not really sure how,,,but I recall when slogging around the hill for the Government I was asked to accompany a staff member on a trek.
It turned out the top brass were slightly concerned about a supposed stash of very old 303 ammo. A stash not far from a popular hut at the time,,they said it was buried. Arriving at the hut we looked at each other and the terian that we knew very well and thought, well we would have more chance pissin in the Queens hat than finding buried treasure around here.
After 3 days at the hut we never did find the old ammo,we did do some serious scratchin about too.
To end this tale ..we both found out 1 year later on that it was dug up and destroyed 4 plus yrs prior...communication brake down.
The ol 303 took the lives of many,many four and two legged targets for sure ....fact :)
It was a old 3x steel Weaver Grandpamac,,almost the same to look at as your 2.5 Lyman eh.Quote:
Originally Posted by grandpamac
Here's the old Three Oh with the 2.5 steel Weaver. Still have the scope
Attachment 137629
Greetings All,
What a great thread to brighten up what would have otherwise been a pretty slow day. I think we have all been a bit down at times over the lock down and anything that jiggles the brain cells around a bit is most welcome.
Thanks Bumblefoot.
Regards Grandpamac.
Bought a Parker Hale sporter with "Luminar" scope--brand new barrel,very nice "walnut" stock,5 round mag, when I was 17! Cost me 27 pounds 10 shillings ($55), Best bush gun I have ever used! Can honestly say I never had to chase a animal I knew I'd hit, used to reload Norma brass with 150gn softpoints and they were super effective!! When they connected which was most of the time--- man what a mess, Worst decision I ever made was to sell it a couple of years ago! Bought a real nice 7x57 BSA, lovely rifle but too long and clumsy in the bush we were hunting, have a 30/30 Marlin now, very good but not a patch on the old PH! Big regret!!!
75 next birthday and having trouble with a hip so not getting out much now!
Was just thinking that I started the thread the day before ANZAC day; how apt for the Three Oh!
"Bloke on the Range" did a recent video (2 wks ago) on full vs light loads and timed shooting. The rate of fire was surprisingly similar but the group was smaller with the light loads.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bagheera
Firing fast from the bolt reaching the trigger with your middle finger seems to cause a 4-5 o'clock pattern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muw2wgAzgic
Here is my first deer. Shot in 1986 with a Jungle Carbine and 20yr old CAC ammo.
Attachment 137638
Didn’t have sound on but why did he only load one five round charger at a time instead of filling the mag with ten rounds (two chargers) each time?Quote:
Originally Posted by Cordite
on a similar note, would there have been any other round that has accounted for more game animals? From pigs to crocodiles to elephants?
And a host of memories for so many hunters who are very sentimental about it. It might be a sows ear but its main strength was that it never stopped working. It takes me back to when life was simpler.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moa Hunter
Convention. The Lee Enfield's 10 shot magazine is really a 5 round magazine which can have 10 crammed in but does not do it too well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnwolf
Loading in the second 5 found charger is not smooth and slows you rather than just firing five and loading five, and as I said the rounds don't actually feed so nicely from a full 10 round magazine. So he starts out with 10, fires 10, and then loads 5 at a time.
The original mad minute I believe you start with 10+1, fire 6, [5 left] insert 5, fire 6,[4 left] insert 5, fire 6,[3 left] insert 5, fire 6,[2 left] insert 5, fire 6, [1 left] insert 5, fire 6... and you have an empty rifle and have fired 36 rounds.
In combat you'd start out with 10, and fire away, any chance you got you'd drop another charger of 5 in. The idea of the larger magazine seems to have been to ensure that there (usually) always will be space to take a whole charger.
In the last couple of years I seem to be accumulating various 303's.
Not getting out to use them, just accumulating them lol
have to change that-get out and about with some of the forum members I reckon
I've been shooting a light 303 load comprising 125's over 30 gns of Reloader 7, for about 2500 fps. VV N110 with the same charge works really nicely too, very low ES, good accuracy and about 2600 fps BUT use at your own risk, as its not a load from a manual (VV do list N110 for reduced laods with light projectiles).
WHO IS THAT YOUNG FULLA :P HA HA@ Stug good 1
What does "very low ES" mean? Erosion of my Shoulder ? :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Tentman
Useful idea what with all that 7.62 Soviet lying about uselessly with projectiles waiting to be pulled. Another niche use for the old 3-oh in cleaning up Cindy's mess.
Have thought of picking up a Ruger #1 in .303 if one came up for sale.
The test reports indicated they were not that accurate.
Has anybody got one and what is their experience of it?.
It's the variation in velocity. Much care must be taken when using these faster pistol powders and jacketed bullets (cast bullets are different again) It can result in massive pressure spikes. Much better to spend 30 cents a round on the correct rifle powders is 2206h or 2208 than have a bolt come back through your head!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Cordite
I would not recommend using the powder listed with jacketed projectiles and my strong advice is to never except any load data you see anywhere unless you verify it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by omark
And I forgot to add that I have had good results from the X.39 bullets out to 300 . They don't like to be driven to hard though
There is something to do about the barrel. They were apparently way too big from factory-like 314-315" something like that. Only read about it recently on an aussie forum. Ruger went off some spec that said that was the way to go instead of doing some proper homeworkQuote:
Originally Posted by erniec
Maybe Ruger mixed up American convention with European convention. The Americans measure caliber groove to groove whereas the self-confident Europeans with nothing to prove duly measure calibre land to land and end up with a lower measure of the same barrel.Quote:
Originally Posted by csmiffy
Thus .303 Brit is actually a bigger calibre than .308 Win and 7.62 (.30") Soviet is also larger (Russians are Europeans).
.303 barrels land to land are .303" and grove to groove more like .315 with variation in the latter.
.308 is .30" land to land and .308 groove to groove.
The Ruger Mini-30 in 7.62 Soviet(European) was originally shipped with a .30 (American) barrel causing some accuracy issues.
I had one tucked away in the safe for years, never used it so sold it several months ago, kind of wish I had kept it now.Quote:
Originally Posted by csmiffy
@ROKTOY the way i'm going I will probably have a spare one for you.
@Cordite some seem to get theirs to shoot fine and the bores were OK. Maybe later models or just tighter?
here is a cut/paste from Nitroexpress forum-about halfway down. Must've been a kiwi on there that mentioned NZguns and hunting magazine and a review on one. The throats were way long and more suited 215grs as well. The pic is from the same nitro forum thread from another owner and his one in particular had a good sized bore but still a very deeply cut throat. he was happy with how it shot but not with the woodleighs. they shot crap in his rifle
"just thought I'd give an update of what has transpired in regard to my No 1 in 303 Brit. I started this thread after picking up my 303 and found the more the rifle was looked at, the more disappointed with its quality I became. I must admit that I really don't know how well it shoots because since I picked it up last November, I've fired only 5 shots with it. This is due to the completely "pissed off " effect and seeing how many were turning up for sale, I knew that being able to sell it and recover my money won't happen.
Then there was a little ray of hope when I saw that RULE303 had sent his back because the bore in his measured .315". Out to the safe I go and after doing a cast at muzzle and breech, mine turns out to be 315' too. So with high hopes mine is sent back to the importer here in Oz but in just a few weeks the gunshop rings and informs me it is back and I can pick it up. The importer says the bore is "within spec". A note at the bottom of the same letter states that "Ruger designed these rifles based on the the original 303 rifles which had a bore diameter of between 0.314 & 0.316 ".
So not only do I own a new rifle with poor fitting timber, finger prints in the stock finish and metal parts that should fit better, but also with a bore that is at least 3 thou. over any jacketed projectiles I can buy over the counter. I find it hard to believe that Ruger would dimension their barrels based on "original 303 rifles" when all the ammo available uses 0.312" pills ! As we all know these rifle were made in 2010. All modern 303 ammo uses 0.312 or even 0.311 projectiles so for the life of me I can't figure out, if its true, why that would make barrels at 0.315 or maybe even 0.316" !! To me a barrel this much over size is 3/4 worn out to start with. I don't mind playing around with oversize bullets to get a vintage rifle to shoot, thats part of the game, but its a bit rich to have to do it with a factory new one.
Anyway thats were I am at the moment, paid the money in good faith and ended up with a very suspect product that I believe will sit at the back of the safe for quite some time."
Attachment 137736
Greetings Csmiffy,Quote:
Originally Posted by csmiffy
There are likely plenty of .303 Lee Enfields out there with groove diameter's that large that shoot quite well, especially the two groove barrels. I think where Ruger may have gone wrong is copying the groove diameter and using the narrow US style of rifling. Enfield style .303 barrels can shoot pretty well with .308 diameter projectiles. I tried 150 grain .308 projectiles in my no 4 two groove and they arrived point on but strung vertically with my light load. I will try a bit more coal and see if that helps. Other reports I have heard have found the later Ruger no 1 .303 rifles shot well so maybe there was a change.
Regards Grandpamac.
PS This is a great thread. No mention of the latest whizo cartridges, super television scopes or 0.5 MoA groups at 1,000 yards. Excellent.
Just checked with Hatcher's notebook. He gave the .303 bore as that with the grooves 0.0058 deep so the grooves would have been .314 to .315 inch as noted. The lands and grooves were equal width rather than the very narrow US style lands. Hatcher would certainly been aware of the reason for the wide lands (erosive cordite propellant) and the oversize groove diameter (providing space for expansion of the projectile as it was forced into the wide lands). It is a pity Ruger was not up to speed.
Grandpamac.
I like so many others started out with a 303, scoped, and couldn't hit shit with it. Missed the first 3-4 deer I shot at then sold it and bought a PH 270 and next hunt got my first deer.
Over the years I have dabbled with a few cut down 30's and shot a few animals but not a lot really. Currently I have two one scoped the other a 1945 Isophore which has been drilled and tapped but I took the scope off and have it set up for open sights. Problem is the eyes don't focus to well on the foresight to well unless I use low powered glasses, then I can see them as well as the target. I need to take it out and put some rounds through it, they are a great caliber and rifle and have sure stood the test of time. My Isophore model has quite a shiny bore and has matching numbers the other has a newish shortened barrel but no matching numbers.
Would be good to have a forum shoot using these old warhorses.
Have literally just purchased one during lock down in anticipation for the unlock down. Can’t wait to get it to the range and see how she fires then hope to knock over some goats. Once I’m confident with the open sights then take her out and chase some deer with it. Can’t wait!
Back in the Day (71) I use to shoot at the Auckland NZDA using borrowed 303's at first till I bought my first one for $60 scoped . Ammo at the club was military stuff and was 5 cents a round. Hell back then I used to think what a canon the old 30 was but compared to rounds of today it is quite mild. I think stock design has a fair bit to do with felt recoil.
Shot plenty of goats with mine when I first got it so it was capable but I think a bit of Buck fever crept in on those early day deer hunts which caused all the misses.
Up until probably the late 1950’s the rifle of choice for a government culler was a cut down SMLE .303 (not that they had any choice!). The cullers generally rated the three ‘oh highly. Being a battle rifle it was rugged and could take a lot of abuse. Cullers operating in alpine regions could use the butt plate to bash steps into icey slopes, and if you went for a slide the foresight could be driven into the ice to arrest your slide. The 10 round mag and fast (for a bolt action) cyclic rate was also just the ticket for big mobs of deer or other game. It was a very effective tool for the job.
In the 1960’s when most cullers and meat hunters had switched to more modern cartridges, a minority stuck with the 303 because it simply got the job done with a minimum of fuss. A prominent helicopter shooter chose a 303 over an FN 308, and achieved the same tallies as other teams with a shitload less ammo
I have a tidy PH with from memory a .314 barrel.Never was a good shooter untill I tried the Woodleigh 215 gr now its sighted for 170 yds and groups 2" at 100yds.
Attachment 137836
And it will continue to smack deer dead far, far into the future.
Grandpamac.
For left handers the Lee- Enfield bolt is murder on the outside of the left hand during rapid fire, many a blood blister have I had from that.
One is allowed to dream. (o:Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnwolf
Attachment 137867
Question is, IS IT possible? Cut off right side handle and reattach to left side. Would just have to get used to up = locked and down = unlocked. The safety catch would be sacrificed but no one relies on it nowadays, open bolt or not safe. The LE bolt handle does not function as a last ditch locking lug. If you have an old sporter... why not get the dremel out? Or am I insane @gundoc?
there were limited numbers of left hand SMLEs if my memory serves me correctly.
I had a vague recollection that "303" meant something to me :) Had to go well down into the old chocolate box to find this.
https://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Cottrill/025.jpg
Here is a picture of my two 303's top one is the miss matched numbered one the other is the Isophore 1942 No 1 MK111 as I found out it has matching numbers on bolt ,action, magazine and presume the barrel but can't see as its under wood.Attachment 137869Attachment 137870
Nice one Bruce, worth rummaging through the old chocolate box for those old pictures. Back in the "old" days my old instamatic was next to useless and I missed out on many good photo's.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
@Cordite a quick think about it would suggest that while you could just cut and shut the bolt, the physical clockwise action of closing the bolt couldn't be changed that easily. You would then have a bolt that would be pointing straight up when you were ready to fire.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cordite
don't know about a left handed one. Doubt if they did it for the military-you were just trained to use it the way it was designed. I cant remember the source but it suggested that the majority of soldiers weren't familiar with firearms anyway so it is less of an issue to teach a lefty to shoot right handed then make a bunch of rifles for a minority
Did find this comment on another forum:
"There were no left handed service rifles, leftys became proficient at using the rifle in right handed fashion under the gentle ministrations of Sergeants and other Non-Coms. I have seen a 303 from Qld at the Nationals where the bolt handle had been extended and bent back over the striker in such a fashion as to be readily manipulated with the left hand without having to reach over the stock or moving the head too much, and this enabled the shooter to use the left shoulder with ease."
