Criterion No4 barrel

[mike16]

I know Walther is doing them,

and the guy in England?

and another in Australia and a guy in New Zealand?

I'm full length resizing. I could get more life out of them but I like to have a margin of safety so no more than 3 reloads after the initial "fire Forming" . most begin to show signs of failure at 7 reloads.

I do realize that they are combat rifles and that chamber tollerances factor in combat envirionment. I don't personally think there is anything wrong with the barrel and I am sure the chamber meets those combat tollerances. But they are loose, It affects accuracy and brass life. And brass in bulk is still not available in .303 with all the hoarding going on in other calibers.

[Bindi2]

Mike 16 I have been reloading 303 for over 30 yrs. One of those rifles is a No5 with a very generous chamber. Use an o ring to centre your new case ( use only good quality brass as in the metal) after fire forming use a Lee collet neck sizing die good for 7 more loads that are not mild. FLS after every load buggers the cases. I run about 100 rds per week. Accuracy for my No5 is 1.5/2.0 MOA, one of the others puts a lot of younger so called accurate rifles to shame but then it had to do a special job 70 odd years ago.
I am also a range shooter and know a bit about reloading for that as well. The milsurp 303 is a different beast and to get the best out of it you have to rewrite the reloading rule book for your rifle. Relax and let it talk to you.

[Peter Laidler]

These so called 'loose chambers' of the standard rifles and original drawings don't seem to affect the accuracy of the No4T rifles. They all seem pretty accurate to me as we accuracy tested hundreds of them, every time they went out of our workshops. And firing from a no nonsense Enfield rest with all human error removed is a sure test of a rifles accuracy

[Gil Boyd]

One of these Peter or the concrete ball?

[Peter Laidler]

That's it, the original version. There was a later one that was much simpler. We had 3 of them at Warminster........ Couldn't even get rid of the spare one!

[Alan de Enfield]

There was a later one that was much simpler. !

Like this one ?

[Brian Dick]

Your post #51 says it all Mike. If you're full length sizing and getting 3-7 reloads without a case head failure, I now know you certainly don't need a new barrel on THAT rifle. Switch to a good quality neck sizing die if it makes you feel better, (I like Redding dies). Invest in a case of HXP Mk.7z ammo from CTD which will give you a supply of excellent brass, then projectiles, powder and primers. Enjoy your rifle.

[Gil Boyd]

Peter,
Let me know if one comes up for departure please as I have a constant use for a proper bed for the rifles

Alan they were semi effective prior to the bed being developed, only problem was anchoring the damn things on the correct floor material. they have to be solidly held in position if the intention is to use them with 5 rounds

[Peter Laidler]

Noooooooooooo. Them things were aiming rests and definately not for firing live ammo from! Well, not twice........

Yiou're kidding Gil. The Enfield rest weighs a ton - literally!

[Gil Boyd]

...............and you therefore had to be a fixed height, as there was no adjustment. Iwas referring to the concrete balls