Lee Loader

GasGuzzler wrote:So for a dummy like me you are saying the only item that doesn't meet your regular spec is jump to rifling? If that's true, is there a downside if accuracy and velocity are good?

Throat erosion immediately comes to mind. The further the jump the more likely the igniting particles of powder are to impact the throat in the area of the step or leade.

I do think the SMLE is making me crazy. When you get down to it, and without going into the specifics (time crunch here), there is so much going on with making this black powder cartridge perform. I've shot 35 different load combinations at this point, and I would be at a loss as what is going to work without my TMT software as all the data collected is a bit overwhelming. What it continues to point out is that the only combination of bullet and powder that is going to work; no matter whether the case has been full length sized, necks sized using the FL die, or Collet die sized (there is a grain of H2₀ between each of the three), is a case that is filled to at least 100% of its capacity. It is a matter of choosing a powder that delivers velocity and pressure you can live with. Here are two examples, both at 100-yards.

This was with Varget in a Collet sized case, 100% of the usable case capacity (44.5-grains). That charge is way beyond anything you will find in a manual, but any charge that I've found listed has been useless. I've gone strictly QuickLoad on this cartridge, using the specifics of the cases that I'm shooting.

This needs to be shot again, with a cartridge that has been neck sized with the Pacesetter die. That will reduce the usable case capacity a grain of H2₀, but I will maintain the 100% capacity load (43.0-grains). This was shot with the Caldwell Rock Jr. rest without a rear bag. I should have used their Tackdriver front, and rear bags and the group would have lost the vertical play. Velocity was 2407 FPS.



I thought I had it going on with Hybrid 100V yesterday. Shot #1 was from a clean barrel and shots 2 through 4 were downright scary. I cannot call shot #5 a flier as it felt very good. I know everything was right with the components of the load. It is just an SMLE thing. Velocity was not to my liking, 2235 FPS. I'm going to go up to 105% of the case capacity with this powder.

I know you have probably done it and hesitate to suggest but shot #5 would make me check scope, mounts, rings, action screws, bedding and stock pressure points. I can't help but think something shifted although it just might be that an ammo change may be the solution by itself. My first step would to be to swap out another scope of known condition. As an aside, this shows why a three shot group can be misleading although, if I were Fritz poking my head over a hedgerow in 1944 shots 2-4 would make me feel pretty uncomfortable.

Macd wrote:As an aside, this shows why a three shot group can be misleading although, if I were Fritz poking my head over a hedgerow in 1944 shots 2-4 would make me feel pretty uncomfortable.

No kidding. If I had not had the target cam going, it wouldn't have had been as enjoyable as seeing the three successive shots make the hole slightly larger each time. Shot four threw out a burst of sparks as it hit the berm behind the target. It might have hit the bullets tunneled in the berm ahead of it.

I lost the velocity as I forgot to save the string, but the fifth shot was about a 100 FPS slower than the others. I did write down the last shot on my load sheet paper (2136) and the average from the display (2235). Must have been a light charge from the Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure. It looked good in the case, but I guess that doesn't mean much.

I use to communicate with a SAAMI mathematician, he said the stats didn't mean anything with less than 17 shots; MOA, pressure, or velocity. Over 17 shots does not add to the accuracy of the collected data.

This makes me feel good about the little bit of reloading I did with 303 and how poor the performance was. Also incipient case separation on the third firing was no help. Thanks for all the info. I will revisit the 303 British when I get some new brass. I love shooting too much, but also need to get a better, newer, rifle to reload for that I can get better results with (not sure which caliber yet).

JohnnyEnfield wrote: I love shooting too much, but also need to get a better, newer, rifle to reload for that I can get better results with (not sure which caliber yet).

I cannot picture venturing into reloading with the 303 British. May our good Lord bless you! If you wanted to stay with a 30 caliber rifle, I would go with a 308 Win. My choice of a rifle would be a Savage. I've purchased three in the last two years and all have been very accurate right out of the box.

Ranch Dog wrote:

JohnnyEnfield wrote: I love shooting too much, but also need to get a better, newer, rifle to reload for that I can get better results with (not sure which caliber yet).

I cannot picture venturing into reloading with the 303 British. May our good Lord bless you! If you wanted to stay with a 30 caliber rifle, I would go with a 308 Win. My choice of a rifle would be a Savage. I've purchased three in the last two years and all have been very accurate right out of the box.

Ditto on Savage. My Savage XP10 in .223 with a heavy barrel is the most accurate rifle I have ever had. If you want military then 6.5x55, 7x57 or 7.5x55 are my favorites.