.303 British winning loads and tricks... ( here mine)

[stevegun 1]

Thanks Parashooter, all very helpful. I'll measure the head-space and that will determine how thick the monofliment should be. I hope someone will still share their success with Varget and I would always consult a published reloading manual before proceeding.

[Parashooter]

. . . I'll measure the head-space and that will determine how thick the monofliment should be. I hope someone will still share their success with Varget . . .

Knowing the gauge headspace alone won't give an appropriate thickness for a spacer, we'd need the cartridge rim thickness as well. The difference between the two will yield the cartridge end-play dimension. This is what the spacer is intended to eliminate. However, if the spacer is of an elastic material, additional thickness is needed to ensure adequate resistance. Consequently, we judge its effect based on resistance felt when closing the bolt on cartridge and spacer - not on headspace dimension.

I've never understood why anyone wants to hear about specific powder charges others are using. They probably won't give the same performance in a different rifle, loaded by a different person with different tools and components from different manufacturers or production lots. Seems pointless to me.

[stevegun 1]

I propose that I will "shim" the head of the new cartridges to get the correct bolt closure "feel", that will give me a good idea of where to start with an o-ring. As far as using someone else's Varget load, I would always check it against a reloading manual and start with a reduced load. It would be completely wrong to take someone's load for their rifle and use it in another without working up to it, assuming it was within published data.

[BountyHunter]

Got to disagree with the NS only issue and being the ANSWER. THE ONLY reason FL sizing is even an issue is IF you bump the shoulders back to far, which will lead to the case head separation.

That is not a FL sizing issue though; that is a failure to properly adjust the FL die and simply nothing else, period!
If you follow the standard die mftrs instructions and screw the die down to automatically touch the top of the shellholder, yes 98% of the time you will bump the shoulder back too far.

A properly adjusted FL die should only bump the shoulders back .0015 to .002 max. That can be a FL die, FL bushing die or body bump die; all the same.

If you have multiple rifles of the same caliber and only one set of dies, simply buy an Otto's Die Shim kit from Sinclair($15) and set the FL die up for the shortest base to shoulder case and then use different shims under the die lock ring to get the proper headspace for that rifle and log the info. The other method is to buy the Redding Competition shellholder kit that has five shellholders with .002 incremements in heighth.

Another thing that will get you into trouble is the varying heighth of shellholders. Recommend put one shellholder inside the die box and ONLY use that shellholder with that set of dies. Otherwise you can set up a die for one shellholder and have another of the same shellholder and they will vary and cause headspace issues.

[ireload2]

For setting FL resizing dies the Hornady Case 'Headspace" Gauge is a very handy tool. With it you can even see differences in shoulder position due to differences in the amount or case lube used or the speed of the press ram.

Using a chronograph to choose the brand of cases used is not wise. Choose the best accuracy or the best case life with the .303. The statistics mean nothing if the load is not accurate. With the .303 case life is often a major issue. The PPU boxer brass available in the US has a head that is .454 to .455 in diameter and does not produce such a huge step at the junction of the case wall and solid head when fired. In addition to using the rim spacer trick you can also wrap the solid head with thin tape to provide centering in the chamber.

[25-5]

OK! I have read this whole thread. Cannot digest it all at once. All this good info and I don't remember seeing any results. No M.O.A. or target photos. After all the work, where do the holes go? Where are they supposed to go?

[ireload2]

The results still depend on the shooter and rifle.

OK! I have read this whole thread. Cannot digest it all at once. All this good info and I don't remember seeing any results. No M.O.A. or target photos. After all the work, where do the holes go? Where are they supposed to go?

[CCAMERA50]

.....sent by mistake

sorry ....good shoot

CC