reloading 303.

[RobD]

I guess so - and pleased to have missed them, actually - the thousands I have read constitute a veritable ouroboros. I wish I hadn't entered this fray.

[Edward Horton]

I tried the O ring method a few weeks ago for the first time. Five shots, 5 O rings split in two down the middle leaving me with 10 thinner O rings. The brass looked only slightly better than without the O ring.

Baal

The last 100 cases I fire formed were with the same o-ring without any damage to the o-ring, your o-ring size will depend on your headspace setting, rim thickness and the diameter of your cases. I also remove the extractor when fire forming, the problem with American made cases is they tend to run to the smallish side on base diameter. When the o-ring is compressed and squeezed by the bolt it centers the cartridge in the chamber, and helps promote equal case expansion.

You can also try and use Sierra 180 grain bullets and see if when seated long the bullets touch the rifling and push the cartridge case against the bolt face for fire forming.

The idea of using the rubber o-ring is not mine, I first read about the o-ring method in the old Jouster forum, and I believe it was posted by "Terry in Victoria". I thought the idea was a little too Bubba for me, then one day while fixing the kitchen sink I held an o-ring in my hand and decided to give it a try.

The main problem you will run into if your use American made cases is the fact that you have a large British military chamber and smaller American made cases not designed for the rated pressure of the military Mk.7 round.

The bottom line is if your cases are not fire formed correctly they will become warped or banana shaped and your reloaded bullets will be out of alignment with the bore and accuracy will suffer.

Baal, the o-ring below fire formed over 100 cases and is still in good shape.



For fire forming my cases I use 100 grain .312 pistol bullets and a reduced load of SR 4759, it saves $$$MONEY$$$ and your shoulder when firing 100 to 200 rounds at the range.

[Edward Horton]

For those of you that missed my other 17,286 postings on this subject, the photo below shows that American manufactures can't even make a .303 British case to American SAAMI standards. The shoulder of the American made case should be in the same location as the shoulder on the "foreign" made military surplus case.



If you actually measured the difference in shoulder location you would "SEE" that it is over a 1/4 of an inch short of the correct position.



Our American made .303 cases have thinner rims than "foreign" made military cases.



Our American made .303 cases have smaller base diameters than "foreign" made .303 cases.



Our American made .303 cases are thinner than "foreign" made military cases.

[Peter Laidler]

Being one of the shooters who only uses what the Queen supplies school of shooting and never reloaded anything, I have heard other shooters talking about annealing their cases every so often, especially around the necks. Is this an answer to any of the split case problems, even if it's not directly related to this thread

[Edward Horton]

Being one of the shooters who only uses what the Queen supplies school of shooting and never reloaded anything, I have heard other shooters talking about annealing their cases every so often, especially around the necks. Is this an answer to any of the split case problems, even if it's not directly related to this thread

Mr. Laidler

The answer to your question is yes Mr. Laidler, and it is very related to this thread.

[Peter Laidler]

Thanks for that Ed. I'm not the brightest light in the box when it comes to reloading. I've got the metallurgy but maybe you could explain the theory. But maybe I ought to learn fast, looking at the price for .303" factory stuff............. Phew!

[Edward Horton]

First reloading lesson Mr. Laidler

"Borrow" as much of the Queens brass that's reloadable as you can get.




And then make them stand in formation

[finloq]

Impressive, Ed; although if there is ever an International Brass Shortage, I now know that it won't be centralized in Harrisonburg, PA. If you ever want to be a part of a brass for good intentions telethon, a few of us will happily pledge.

[Peter Laidler]

Once again, I have to chuckle at Ed's comments. When I was involved in the minigun trials I remembered seeing 7.62mm brass just pouring down the tube and into these whacking great 44 gallon plastic oil drums. We filled up drum after drum with the stuff, firing most of the day during the series of timed and technical trials. There's no doubt that we were firing it faster than they were loading it, that's for sure as when it overflowed the drums, we were shovelling it up. Happy days........... I took my son to one afternoon of the trial and let him have a go with a tethered gun with a burst of 2,000 rounds or so........

We all used to sit around with a cup of tea at the end of the day to unwind and get the cordite smell out of our system and discuss bits of the trial. Son Robert, who had been helping to sweep up and shovel the brass into the huge boxes, quite innocently asked if someone had to take it home to reload it and if they DID, could he come and help for some pocket money!

The trial Officer said that it was a kind thought, but we could UNload it faster than he or even Radway Green could load it!

[Brian Dick]

Hey Ed, those buckets full of .303 brass look strangely familiar although obviously allot cleaner. Thank God for the Lewis, Vickers and Bren, eh??