Ammo options...

[Bindi2]

I think the reasoning behind the solid base on commercial projectiles is to reduce the risk of jacket shedding.
The yanks and their silly Saami requirements are all aimed at reducing litigation.

Still, these jackets shed on the face of a coreflute target half the time, I'm often cutting myself on the jackets left behind...........maybe I should do less marking and more shooting.......take more care of my digits.

E Targets Muff. Then you can shoot all day much more fun and not as hard.

[CINDERS]

You get more shoots in due to fast details, we are looking at getting the NATO type D programmed into our system so Service can utilze them as well.

[Ovidio]

Hello sir,
I shoot my SMLE with Hornady brass and, lately, with S&B FMJBT bullets, .311, 180 hrs. Also Hornady FMJBT 174 grs., but they're a bit expensive, like Sierra etc. Powders either N140 or Lovex S060-2. I'm actually quite satisfied with all solutions and mixings.
I have now also some S&B brass I'll soon try out, but since I use them already on a few calibers (8x57, 7,62x54R and .308W), I have no doubts that also the S&B brass will be up to the needs.
You're all making me curious about the Prvi brass now.............

[Bindi2]

S & B brass in 303 does not have a very good name for reloading. Privi is good

[Colonel Enfield]

Forgive me if it sounds like I'm talking a load of bolloxxx*, but I am not nor ever have been a reloader. But I know how nerdy this tribe of humanity can be. In respect to Colonels thread 46, surely if what you're getting is boat tails and what you want is flat base, it'd be simplicity itself to make a shaped cup thing to hold/support the bullet and a press thing to simply press the boat tail shape into a flat bottom shape. It's only very malleable copper and lead we're talking here.

In the end I had the rifle rebarelled, and hey presto, no more keyholing. I'm not sure the barrel was bedded properly though, as I've had to do a bit of messing about with the sights to get it to shoot more or less where I want it (and it's still not great) - but at least the holes it makes are nice and round now.

Also, the term "Bollocks" is well known in Australia/NZ, I can assure you - I've certainly deployed it enough myself in frustrating situations!

[browningautorifle]

I'm not sure the barrel was bedded properly though

That would have nothing to do with keyholing though, just grouping.

[30Three]

I recently tried out the Sellier Bellot 180 grain (boat tail) ogives for my reloading. They are half the price of the 174 grain SMK's and I wanted something a bit cheaper for practice shoots.
There are a few differences with the SB when compared to the SMK.
The SB are open at the base; which may be an advantage in rifles with worn barrels.
The weight variation is bad; only 9 out of 100 were exactly on the 180 grain weight. Lowest was around 176 grains and high end was 181 grains.
However having weighed out and batched them into groups of equal weight. (I bought 500). They actually perform well. Not quite as good as the SMK, but in view of the price difference; it's good value.

[Ovidio]

Hi 30three, I never weighed them, but I'll try one of these days.
I like to shoot them with a load of Lovex, since that allows me to make very cheap round and still have a very reasonable accuracy.
Maybe I'll try some more upgrade bullets sooner or later, just out of curiosity, but right now I still have 600 S&Bs.
How much difference do you find with SMK in terms of accuracy?

[30Three]

I have not been able to test at very long ranges. But using same rifle same day and sandbag rest the difference was about 0.5 MOA.
That's quite good considering the price difference. But you do need to spend the time batching them in to same weight loads. Tolerance +/- 0.1grain
If competing you need to ensure you have enough of the same batch for practice, the match and a few spares. All the odd rounds or small batches are kept for fun shoot's or mates that want to try out the rifle.
With the SMK it's load it and shoot it. There weight variation is minimal.
However both types need some experimenting with powder and load to get the best results.

[CINDERS]

I just had a look at the S&B for their 180gn Factory round FMJ and from a 100M zero it drops 54.8cm or 21.57 inches at 300m that is a fairly rainbow trajectory the M V is 755 m/s which is 2,447 fps out of a 60cm barrel 23.62" barrel.