Reloading light rounds for the 303 with Trail Boss

hi,
I have two 303 Enfield rifles. One is a Savage and one appears to be a BSA that went through Turkey. The Savege seems to have more of a problem with case head separation than the BSA (with same loads, getting up around 40+ of IMR 4895)...so, I tried some Trail Boss 10 to 11 grains behind a .312 (32 caliber) 100 gr lead cast bullet (waxed). This was fun to shoot. I haven't worked up an accuracy load. It was more like shooting a 22LR.
I tried 150 grain FMJ bullets behind Trail Boss and one of the bullets became lodged in the barrel about 2 inches from the muzzle...so I don't recommend anything but lead bullets.
Nothing new or exciting here...just fun and I thought some of you guys would be interested.
Lee
p.s. when the 150 grain bullet became lodged in the barrel some of the pressure escaped around the bolt face and receiver and it sounded like air being released from a tire (kinda)....sounded like a 2 to 3 second release of pressure, out of the vent holes near my face. so if ya gotta try it stick to light lead bullets and powder like TB.

Trail Boss says in all their documentation for lead bullets only. So far I have used it in my 1917, I have 3 #4's and a #5 and the #5 is a beast for kick, I may try working up a load with trail boss for it.

let me know if you come up with an accurate TB load and i will do the same.
Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ben Cartwright

Trail Boss says in all their documentation for lead bullets only.

---

Horsefeathers! Here's the opening of IMR's document on the subject. See http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf for the full publication.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0/xd8392-1.jpg

Well, that's easy enough! Oddly, having printed out Trail Boss loading data two or three times previously, this is the first time I've seen that notice. Most useful info, Parashooter!

(DO refer to Parashooter's link above - that's where the tasty bits are hiding.)

I stand corrected, I thought I had read lead only.

I shot 13 grs of Trail Boss in a Westinghouse Mosin Nagant with a 200gr 314299 cast bullet with little over inch groups at 50 yrs. Haven't tried at 100 yet. Open sights and old eyes don't work too well together and I would venture the load shoots much better then me and my eyes do. I bet that same load would work good in 303 also. In fact I think I will try it in one of my Enfields. Ray

Well tried 13grs Trail Boss in my Lee Enfield and it shot about the same 1-1/2" plus or minus groups at 50yrs as the 10 grs of unique and 13 grs of Red Dot. Trail Boss is a bit more expensive having a 9 ounce container with 255 grs as opposed to a 1lb container of Unique with 454 grs that costs only a few dollars more but TB does provide a safety area where you would know if you over filled the case by accident as can be done with Unique. Ray

Well I tried 10 rds of 13 grs Trail Boss again. Used bullets from a 314299, 205gr mould that was beagled/opened to .315 X .305, in my 1918 LE Australian reissue that the bore mikes out to .314 X .304. Fair groups at 50 yrs which I'm sure would improve with younger eyes. Ray

Attachment 28023

Looks like it´s an unqualified success. Will now try that myself.