.303 reloading.

[CAW]

Hi guys,
I am considering purchasing a reloading kit in the near future as I have been enjoying some target shooting recently. I have been using 150 and 180 grain (shop bought bloody expensive) ammo. At the time of purchase I didn't even know the difference between them. I understand the original ammo would have been 174 grain? Any ideas on what would be the way to go, mainly for target shooting.
Thanks in advance....

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[Maxwell Smart]

What type of rifle are you using?

[CINDERS]

Help. Getting into reloading. ~ have a read of this thread will give an overview of a few of us here search for other threads to give yourself what the most reasonable route for you to take.

[Peter Laidler]

Shouldn't this be in the ammo and reloading section - found under 'Ammunition and Reloading'?

[Beerhunter]

I have been using 150 and 180 grain (shop bought bloody expensive) ammo. At the time of purchase I didn't even know the difference between them. I understand the original ammo would have been 174 grain? Any ideas on what would be the way to go, mainly for target shooting.

My experience is that for the tightest groups in a Lee-Enfield the most important characteristic of the bullet is that it has a flat base. All of my Lee-Enfields shoot tighter with them.

[Alan de Enfield]

It may save a few pennies but I have found that I cannot reload to give as consistently good results as I get from the factory loaded Prvi 174gr FMJ.BT

Under 1MOA with standard 'open' sights on my Savage No4 Mk1*.
About the same with my No4T

[CAW]

My bad! I should have explained first of all that I am shooting a 1942 Long Branch. Thanks for your input gents. Oh and I didn't realise that there was an "Ammunition and Reloading" section...slap on the wrist!

Just read through the info on reloading. thank you CINDERS for the link...

[henry r]

i can't give any recommendations yet, but i have picked up a lot of info that i will be using when i get to that stage, from google searches mainly from here, castboolits and an Australian shooting site.

when these " HBC in OZ about to make 303 projectiles???? " turn up i'm expecting to hear good reports.

[Aussie Long Tom]

The main advice I can give is to buy a good quality NECK sizing die. You will get many more reloads per shell without having a broken shell stuck at an inconvenient time. For what it is worth, my rifle shoots very well with 174 gr fmj's. Like to shoot pigs with 150 gr sp's. All rifles are different though, so trial and error will be your best bet.

[CINDERS]

Just as a side note from my perspective and not wanting people to take the wrong aspect I do not recommend any load data as to be honest there is that much out there you can pretty much get close to what you need right off the bat and not do the 100's loads most of us have had to do for our rifles. But remember what works in one may not work in another and if you do change something change one only thing at a time. As no use saying this powder s*cks I will change it and the primers together, or change the projies as well and the jump one step at a time and figure what works lots of range time which is not a bad thing. Just make up batches of fives and go up in .2gn increments but remember two important factors;
A) We do not use cordite any more so the barrel harmonics may be different they may not who can say....
B) Todays projies have a better BC that the WWII vintage so trying to emulate the trajectory curve may see you having to go under the 2,440fps but suggest you do range time once your load is settled at 100m and then go over the whole gambit of ranges you shoot and note the sight settings for future reference. The mirage and wind you will have to dope unless you have peeps or original adjustable like on the early MkIII's. There is probably more but best left to the Ammo section as PL said. Have fun