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I just noticed a new .303 bullet from PPU on Henry Krank's website; a 182 grn FMJ "Match".
Tantalisingly, there's no "BT" in the title, so, could this be a new flat based bullet?
Anyone tried any?
I used to use the old 186grn FNM bullets when they were available, but the supply seems to have dried up now.
It Sounds promising, Harry!
I just ordered 100 to try out, and after I'd completed the order I noticed that their 7.62x54 cartridge has a 182grn FMJ BT bullet. I hope it's not the same one, but confidence is not high.
I think you'll find they're the same bullet they use in 7.62x54 R. They're available here as a ball bullet too, out of Vancouver area. I can see us creating a die to bump the base out on these too...otherwise they were good for reasonable shooting.Quote:
Originally Posted by harry mac
privi site lists it as a boat tail
I saw that too, Harry and had hoped the same, but checked out the privi website and came to the conclusion it was a boat tail unfortunately.
It's something I can really don't get either - nearly everyone agrees a flat bottomed bullet is better in 303, however they are pretty much unobtainable in the UK. Sierra do a 180 grain hunting bullet - soft point - so currently classed as expanding ammo in the UK and therefore hard to get onto your ticket. But what's stopping them making them in fmj? Tooling can't be that much different, can it? And if they supplied them then surely they'd clear up? Has anybody any ideas why the (temperamental) at best boat tails dominate the UK market in 303? I'm curious as I can't see the logic to it
I live within drive time of Serra and know a couple folks that worked their. The .311 boat tail FMJ can be sold to guys shooting several milsurps. Russian, Argys, Japs, tight L.E.s, etc. apparently there isn't enough market for a flat base FMJ. I think they are wrong as I would buy the heck out of em, but until someone else is convinced we are screwed. I have a couple No 4s that will shoot boat tails. The rest shoot pulled mark 7 bullets...that supply is almost gone.
Supply and demand Seirra's have gone through the roof here @90 cents a pop so we are all looking for alternate sources and with Highland ceasing their 174gn 303 projectile what does that say I guess Seirra could re-tool and make a new cup so the FMJ was flat based but I am guessing they would have to make a complete new forming die as the resultant change in shape may alter the profile. All this will cost $'s and whilst the initial response may be bulk orders the market may slow up and they could be left with a few million projectiles sitting in their stores or gunsmiths with stock on their shelves.
Besides they are a business and have to consider capital outlay verses a return on their investment and in the land of competition taking a gamble may not be in the interest of the businesses profile or even on the board of directors minds at this stage, there are a few places trying to get things like the FB pill going for the 303's The Bullet Factory is one of them.
You have to be realistic how much are you going to go through in a year (Vickers & Bren M G's excluded from this) I have 1400 174gn SMK's brought before the price jump of 50% & 750 174gn Bullet Factory projectiles @42c ea enough for 3 + years of shooting. Tbonesmith got it right we are going to one day go down the road of re barreling with Armalons or Lothar Walther brls unless you have a swag of in the grease NOS barrels. Which means the SSR's may have to encompass a section for re barreled rifles to compete among themselves as I feel it would be a negative to have an as issued used MKIII or No.4 going against a freshly barreled rifle with a repro tube in it.
Hi cinders, thanks for your thoughts, it's interesting to see what other people think about this.
Just a question about Re tooling for flat bottomed bullets.
If Sierra do a 180 grain flat bottomed soft point, wouldn't this be comparatively easy to make into a fmj? I don't know much about bullet manufacture but I can't see it would be a major reworking - what do you think?
I am sure the machinists here will chime in shortly with their knowledge on the processes involved.
How do you propose to do that? An FMJ has metal over the point, a SP has metal over the bottom. You can't change one for the other. Two different bullets...Quote:
Originally Posted by hayboy
Hi Browning, I'm assuming that in the forming process the tooling set to make the actual shape of the bullet (flat bottom) is the same if it is a soft point or full metal jacket?
When I burn a no 4 up, and I'm on a mission I'm sending mine to get rebarreled with a .308 bore. I can find plenty of flat based 308s. I guess it would be a 303-08 or a 30-303. I know a guy out east say he can do that. Until then it's what I can find which is Privi and Sierra. Luckily I'Ve got a couple No 4s that shoot BT bullets good. The issue will be when the bore gets worn than it will probably **** off. Then I'll be down loading AK stuff. I'm several years shy of 50 I got plenty of time to burn a No 4 up. PS I can't get any of my No 1\s to shoot BTs and I have 2 Aussies with really good bores. This is all for naught if Cinders can barter a deal for affordable FB .311s in the 170 to 180 grain weight for the betterment of our shooting community.
I may be being naiive here, but, if you combine the top half of the Match King die with the bottom half of the Pro-Hunter die, you could end up with something akin to a HPFB. They could call it the "Sierra Match-Pro". (Do I need to copy right that?)Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
Here's the general stages of making a bullet. They either start as FMJ or SP. They don't change after.
So is the company your are talking about Cinders in Australia? If so are they looking at exporting or just local sales.
Yep they are an Australian company I suggest you e mail them and see if they are able to export the projectiles as they may need an export license another thing to consider is the cost of international postage as the 2 packets of 420 rounds ea packet I brought were quite heavy.
Here is their link; https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...44686652,d.dGc
They're Boat Tails. Bugger!
Harry the 174 grain hollow point in the picture of the link cinders supplied appears to be a FB. The review states the same. I'll send an email but I bet shipping will be a deal killer. So the new dilemma will be Aussies can get all the FB 174 grain bullets they want and the yanks have all the Enfield parts. Ain't life strange sometimes.
It is an FBHP I posted a pic in another thread but here it is again the bullet factory is on the left and the Sierra SMK is on the Rt
We have the same frustrations here in Canada when it comes to finding 174-180 gr FB .303 bullets. Fortunately, the problem for me is solved.
A friend who dabbles in bullet making, recently ordered and received a set of .303 bullet making dies from Corbin Mfg. He was smart and ordered the die with the same ogive as the original mk7 bullet. Now, while he is into making his own bullets, I've found that I can reform existing .308 match bullets into .303 FB's. I've reformed Sierra 175gr matchkings, and Hornady 178gr BTHP match bullets. The Hornady's come out a near perfect match to an original mk7 bullet, so close that I can not visually tell a difference. The reforming process removes the BT and replaces it with a very nice looking FB profile, much like that of the Sierra 180 Pro Hunter bullet. I've done enough range testing to confirm that the bullets when reformed, are concentric enough to produce accuracy as good as the factory mk7 bullets.
I do not have a scoped rifle to further test the accuracy potential. At present, I'm just happy that I can create my own supply.
The Corbin bullet making dies are expensive, about $1000cdn is what my friend payed, and it took about a year and a half for delivery.