Recommended 7.62x51 Match Ammo for DCRA No4 Mk2

[CoatiMundi]

All,
Finally getting close to an able to shoot my DCRA rifle. Can anyone tell me what theirs seems to like in match ammo? Having an Enfield on .308 is all new territory for me. Thanks.

Information

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[NORTHOF60]

I suggest that you read the following, before you start:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=20339

[CoatiMundi]

Wow! That thread is a rabbit hole to say the least! I’m gonna have to grab some popcorn and really read it.
The conversion on my rifle was done by Canadian Arsenals Ltd in Longbranch and was proofed after completion.

[NORTHOF60]

Standard proofing was set at 19 tons/psi. I believe that competition regulations were revised so that only rifles proofed to 20 tons/psi were allowed. If yours is proofed at that level, you should have no problems. Apparently, commercial .308 Win. ammunition can be hotter than 7.62 x 51 NATO ammunition, although CIP lists them as identical. I only use 7.62 NATO marked ammunition.

[NORTHOF60]

O.K. my bad. I suggest that you read the following two articles:

https://www.ammoland.com/2020/10/7-6...#axzz6wqgXmK6h

http://https://www.shootingillustrat...he-difference/

[Alan de Enfield]

Or in summary :

[CoatiMundi]

Thank you for the information! I had forgotten that .308 can be hotter than 7.62 nato. I got out of that/those calibers a long time ago and now I am back.

This rifle has been well taken care of and is a real beauty.. Like many Enfield’s, it has had an interesting life. I would hate to injure myself or damage it during use. I am grateful for the help!

[army1882]

At the time that competitors were shooting the No4Mk1 chambered for the 7.62NATO cartridge in DCRA matches, the ammo was issued by the Canadian forces for free. It was the standard issue NATO 7.63X51 cartridge, identical the the US M80 round. The projectile was/is 147gr nominally. At that time, cartridges were manufactured by Dominion arsenal and were quite accurate for mil spec ammo. So, I would suggest creating hand loads that more or less duplicate the original M80 round ballistics using 150gr target bullets.

[Strangely Brown]

I would suggest creating hand loads that more or less duplicate the original M80 round ballistics using 150gr target bullets.

The 150gr Sierra Match King over 44gr's of N140 was the standard load in the early 1970's by those who could reload and couldn't get hold of Raufoss ammunition.
I rediscovered this fact after a scare story put out by the NRA range office regarding the use of 155gr bullets in No.4 actions; I should add that the range office have since rescinded the notice for Enfield built rifles Envoys etc although I still use the above load in my Whitaker Special.

[Daan Kemp]

In general, military ammunition is pretty generic, they have to be, to be used in so many different military firearms and allies. As soon as you go to the civilian cartridge version, things change as the cartridge is then loaded for a specific requirement, which doesn't necessarily equate to the military specification. Similar to handloading for your rifle.

Of course batches military ammunition aren't all identical, certain batches can be markedly hotter than others while being still within the military acceptance specifications. Or more accurate, or with softer brass, etc.