Thread: 303 group-bad bedding?

[QUOTE=csmiffy;750656]I do remember it being the primers as the baddies in the mix for being corrosive-not the powder. I think I will do a bedding job on it. I do need the experience on this project, just was trying not to do it twice.


@csmiffy

Actually, the Cordite was a hot burning powder which by itself caused premature barrel wear, read the history of the Metford rifling. Likewise the contender British powder, Rifleite used by the US Navy in their Lee rifles - same problem. The Metford rifling was not the problem, the propellant was, as evidenced by the Japanese having no problems with their Arisaka Metford rifling but using better, less hot propellant.


As for primers and what's in them, here is a historical progression:U]

Mercury fulminate: 1800s. OK for barrels, but brittling brass, forget reloading. Toxic to eat or inhale. Really bad idea for indoor ranges.

Potassium chlorate: Typical WW1/WW2 primers. Corrosive for barrels and requiring water clean after shooting to prevent corrosion, OK for brass, toxic to lick but not to inhale (OK for indoor ranges).

Lead styphnate: OK for barrels, OK for brass, toxic to inhale - this is the stuff we usually refer to as "non-corrosive primers". Not great for indoor ranges.

You can buy newer compounds - green non-toxic, non-corrosive primers - don't recall what's in them. I'd use only those (or "corrosive" primers) shooting indoors.

I hope this guy is using corrosive primers, or he might get lead poisoning:

Interesting reading this.
I had a 303 Parker Hale conversion that was rubbish best I could get was all on an A4 at about 60 yards.
Used to bush hunt with it.
I put it down to the side mount for the scope but may have been the ammo.

By the way always used to shoot over the bonnet of the ute, with some rifles expected to and had bullets impact where I was aiming.

Originally Posted by erniec

Interesting reading this.
I had a 303 Parker Hale conversion that was rubbish best I could get was all on an A4 at about 60 yards.
Used to bush hunt with it.
I put it down to the side mount for the scope but may have been the ammo.

By the way always used to shoot over the bonnet of the ute, with some rifles expected to and had bullets impact where I was aiming.

And you got the same results as the OP. Neither of you know what wrong with your .303's. Thats what I am trying to say. They have benchrests at ranges just for this application. It's not a girly thing. It's practical.

Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway

And you got the same results as the OP. Neither of you know what wrong with your .303's. Thats what I am trying to say. They have benchrests at ranges just for this application. It's not a girly thing. It's practical.

I have got over it, was over 30 years ago.