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Tis valuable information mate, I am really enjoying reading it.
Quick question while we are discussing things, is 150GR factory ammo going to do okay, or 180GR? I have a shoot tomorrow, and am trying to not destroy the wallet. But if it is dangerous or won't get me bullets on target, I will pay the extra.
Thanks for the info Brad!
.303, 150gn factory loads from any of the "big Boys" will be safe and reloadable. Be aware that commercial ammo is loaded to different specs. It may well be that US made stuff is loaded "a bit light" at the insistence of the "company lawyers". S&B from the Czech Republic seems to be a bit warmer.
The kicker is that the bullets may not go quite where you expect them to.
They may well group OK, but not necessarily where you want them.
A bit of vertical "offset" can be quickly foxed by a a tweak of the adjustment worm on the rearsight.
Horizontal "error" requires hold-off, unless you have a Mklll type rearsight with the windage adjustment. Just don't forget its original "zero" point, though.
Holding off for ammo AND a stiff cross-wind is a real pain in the fundamental.
If your rifle was "spot-on with the last lot of Mk7 ball you could find, that is because the rifle was "regulated" for (built around) Mk7 ball. It will be instructive to see how far off the "sporting stuff" is at 300 yards. At 600 yds the difference will probably be staggering.
Ended up with 180GR Remington, should be okay to shoot tomorrow.
Hand loading looks like it will be the way to go.
Thanks for the advice mate, it is greatly appreciated!
As Bruce said, all the factory stuff will be loaded a little below the safe operating pressure of the rifle anyway. The safety factor is so the ammo makers cannot be responsible if your rifle goes all destructo.
One other point Bruce mentioned is the difference in POI between sporting loads and MkVII. The sights being regulated for MkVII so adjustments will probably be needed. Taking it a step further, the bedding has been tuned to suit the service ammo as well, so it might not group any better with factory ammo, may even be a little worse. If you discover one brand that it likes, stick with it and record what sight settings you need to hit bull at the different distances. EG your 180gn Remingtons might need sights set at 240 yds to be on elevation for 200m, and might shoot 1" high at 100m, sights set at 200yds (minimum setting) 300m might need 380yds and so on.
Won't be able to zero it before today I'm too poor! Fingers crossed that with 180GR it will be okay!
I have 50 rounds all up, enough for a fun day me thinks :)
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Hand loading looks like it will be the way to go.
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There is a bloke on here that could help you with some good HXP brass. Some blokes will tell you to use ADI 2206H and others ADI 2208. I use 2208 in my work rifle with 150gn. I have some Highland 174gn open base BTs that i would like a die for so i could turn them into Mk7s then all systems go for the range rifles.
I understand that Corbin in the US can make any bullet tooling you want. Give them a set of reqirements they will have a solution. Their products are solidly built and used by many enthusiastic, but small-scale bullet-makers. If you only want a couple of hundred per year for yourself, it can be either very time consuming or a bit pricey, depending on which way you go. If you and a bunch of mates pitch in, it may be a very good move.
The main trick with "bumping up" a boat-tail is maintaining the shape of the forward ogive whist formng a flat tail.
Just out of curiosity, has anyone thought of simply swaging a "long" .312" gas check onto the base of the boat-tail?
Regarding powders with jacketed bullets: If you are in Oz, AR2206 is a good choice for the 150gn bullets but is on the edge of being a bit quick for 174/180 grainers. Then again, remember that the old Cordite is a fairly fast-burning powder when used in the .303 cartridge. AR2208 is definitely a better choice for 190gn plus bullets. The current ADI/Mulwex manual lists loadings between 38 and 42grains for a 174gn JACKETED bullets.
If you want to play with cast projectiles, you need to consider relatively quicker powders and slightly lighter loads.
See here: http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handlo.../pdfs/sphg.pdf
Haha Christ I am confused! I was just going to buy a lee loader set and try and replicate the 174 grain military ammo :S
I haven't tried my load over a chronograph, but it shoots same POI as HXP MkVII out to 700yds proven.
I use either Taipan 170gn hollowpoints (now unavailable, but of you find some, grab them!) or Sierra 174gn Matchking HPBT in HXP brass with 40gn of 2208. I did load some 123gn light loads for my daughter a few years ago but she never used them... other than that, the load above is the only one I use.
If you come through here, ATC, we'll run through some gear and show you what it's all about.
ATC that is an offer you cant refuse. Reloading is not a black art just an extension of shooting.