Ammo for Lee Enfields

[S.B.]

Is it safe to shoot modern ammo in a SMLE III*?
Steve

[CINDERS]

Yes modern loadings are ok as long as the rifle is up to spec with everything locking up onto the recoil surfaces as it should and the barrels in good nik.
Sellier & Bellot is pretty good stuff think its in 180 grain most of us here load our own tailoring the loads to suit what the rifle likes, as they are all different.
When shooting modern projectiles you will find the MPI sight setting will be higher than normal I.E you may if shooting at 400 yards set the sights to 440 or 450 to get to the center of the target as modern projectiles fly flatter than the MKVII ball ammo also different harmonics in the barrel due to differing burn rate than cordite sticks in the MKVII round.

If you are shooting early MKVII ammo like WWII treat it as corrosively primed, myself after shooting POF 1957 MkVII ball at the range I would pour a thermos of hot water down the bore and then clean it due to the possible mercuric primers start to work on the barrel.
Yes I got stupid looks and maybe I need not have done it but why take a chance of rusting a barrel besides my experience with POF was dismal as to many hang fires and great clouds of smoke and confetti like filler came out the end much like a muzzle loader.
Send in the pics of your range day we are all interested to see shooting targets.

[Alan de Enfield]

If you are planning to reload then avoid the S&B 303 it is the worlds worse and you get case separation after a couple of reloadings. No one at our club ever managed to get 3 reloads before splitting.

If you want quality ammunition then PPU (Prvi Partisan) 174g FMJ (or the 180g) is the stuff to go for.
Avoid Win and Rem ammunition as it is made to the bottom end of the SAAMI specifications with very very thin case walls and reduced thickness rims which can play havoc with your 'effective headspace' as the 55 thou thick rim vs a PPU rim of 62 thou effectively gives you an additional 7 thou headspace.


Pics of Win and PPU ammunition comparisons - I'll let you work out which is which.

[mrclark303]

That's quite a surprising different Alan!

I think this should be elevated to the stickys...

[Alan de Enfield]

That's quite a surprising different Alan!

I think this should be elevated to the stickys...

The frightening thing is that SAAMI decided to unilaterally overide the UK military 303 specifications and bring them into line with US '30 cal' cartridges, which meant that the 303 rim thickness should be 0.054" min, when the military specification was for 0.058" minimum - it might be 'only 7%' but that is a lot on something as thin as 54 thousands of an inch.

Original Military dimensions for 303 :