Which Powder 303 British?

ArchAngelCD

ArchAngelCD

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I bought a Lee Enfield and now I want to load some ammo.

I found brass, I have primers and bullets and I have different powders.
I know every rifle is different so we have that covered. What I'm looking to know is, in general, which powder has been most accurate over all when loading 303 British ammo? I will be loading a 174gr bullet and I'm not asking for load data, only which powder.

I have a bunch of powders and if need be I will look for another. Right now I'm leaning towards BL-C(2) but that's not in stone, especially if the consensus says differently.

Powders available:
LVR
H335
BL-C(2)
Varget
H4895 - IMR4895
H4350 - IMR4350
IMR4198
IMR3031
IMR4064
SR4759
AA5744

Just thinking out loud now, the 303 British looks so much like the 30-30 and 35 Rem I'm tempted to give LVR a try but I can't find any data for that combination.

Like I said, I'm looking for an accurate powder for the 303 British using a 174gr bullet, not load data. Anyone have a powder preference for loading the 303 British, please step up! lol
 
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In my No. 4 MkI* chopper, a 175-180gr jacketed bullet over 47gr. of IMR4350 pretty much duplicates the performance of the military MkVIIz ball. Same POI, same group size.
That's in MY rifle now, can't speak for yours.

Larry
 
I can't help but think Varget (of the powders you listed) would be a suitable choice-due to case volume and cartridge velocity.
 
IMR 3031, 4064 and 4895.
Heard 3031 was specifically designed for the 303.
All three work well with great accuracy, and best choice would be whichever one was available at the time, in order listed.
 
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The .303 British is a good cartridge in factory loads, but not so good for reloading. The .303 Enfield rifles have rear locking lugs, and in most models/marks they are "springy", leading to case stretching. This, coupled with generous chamber dimensions, leads to cases ending up longer than spec after the first firing. Not a problem in military use, but it leads to head separations if cases are full length resized in reloading. When I used to reload for the .303, I neck sized only after the first firing to cut down on the case stretching and delay the head separations.
 
RobsTV said:
IMR 3031, 4064 and 4895.
Heard 3031 was specifically designed for the 303.
All three work well with great accuracy, and best choice would be whichever one was available at the time, in order listed.
Click to expand...
Actually, IME3031 was created for use in the 30-30, not the 303 British. Looking at the data, there isn't much of it with heavier bullets but of course I'm open to anything right now. Thank you...
 
Skeetr57 said:
The .303 British is a good cartridge in factory loads, but not so good for reloading. The .303 Enfield rifles have rear locking lugs, and in most models/marks they are "springy", leading to case stretching. This, coupled with generous chamber dimensions, leads to cases ending up longer than spec after the first firing. Not a problem in military use, but it leads to head separations if cases are full length resized in reloading. When I used to reload for the .303, I neck sized only after the first firing to cut down on the case stretching and delay the head separations.
Click to expand...
I appreciate your input and I'm very aware of the brass stretching problems. After all that you didn't mention which powder you used when you loaded for the 303 British which was my only question. Thank you for your input...
 
Just an aside, and I realize this probably doesn't address your specific desires, but I have found that unique under a 193gr lead bullet was a very pleasant and accurate load. It's actually in the lyman manual, which was surprising when I first saw it. The brass really likes this load too, which is nice given it's cost.
 
I think I would use 4227 behind a good cast flat point so as to bench the 22 till that sees some sanity.
But that's just me.
 
A few years ago I bought an Enfield at a gun show that had been
through the FTR and was unfired since fitted with a brand new barrel.
I tried a variety of handloads in it using the Hornady 150 gr .312
spire point mostly. I tried IMR 3031, 4064 and 4350 and Win 748. I
got disgusted with the case stretching even with the new barrel and
quit after a while. I think accuracy is more dependent on the bullet
than the powder, especially with the oversize bore of these guns. I
had a two groove Longbranch Enfield that would keyhole with FMJ
copper washed steel jacketed bullets but shot fairly well with my
handloads. My choice of powder in any future loads will be W748
because of it's good metering, long shelf life and with 150 gr bullets
at the same velocities the chamber pressure is much lower than
the IMR powders which should help case life.
 
Per some Canadian contacts, BL-C2 is THE .303 powder. Some experimentation with 4064 was very disappointing, despite it being listed by several of my load manuals as an accuracy load. Velocities just weren't there-by several hundred fps.

Remington factory loads clocked 2350 fps or so. I was able to duplicate this with BL-C2 and good accuracy. Used Hornaday 174 gr RN, which was the original .303 weight & shape. IIRC, the issue ammo was about 100 fps faster. The load manuals I have suggest backing down a wee bit for extended brass life.

About load data....Hogdons data was very optimistic about velocities. At their max load, I had sooty cases and velocities much lower than their data indicated as well as primer signs that the case wasn't pushing back on the bolt in a normal manner. [The sooty cases confirmed this, inadequate obturation.] I had some other data that was more realistic. YMMV.

Oddly enough, the .303 dies I bought only neck sized despite their being listed as full length. Tight chamber?
 
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IMR4064. For years and years and quite a few No.4 Mk.I (T)s. 4007SSC seems to be as good with lower pressure. But I have lots of 4064.

Negate brass stretching almost altogether by using a small O-ring jammed on the front side of the rim for the first firing. Neck size thereafter. It own't do a thing about the annular swelling but keeps web thinning to a minimum. Some folk use selected monofilament, but I like the o-ring even though they cost more.
Due to the camming action of the locking lugs, you can chamber fairly tight brass easily on the downturn of the handle! (Just don't use this feature with overly long brass.)

See the link to an older but still useful thread on the subject {Post #36 by the volatile Edward Horton has good illustrations.)

reloading 303.

We have had quite a few newer threads but this one seems to cover the basics.
 
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Thanks everyone, I'm going to go with my original decision of BL-(C)2 first and if that doesn't work out move on to the other suggestions. Luckily I have a lot of the powder suggested but for RL-15 and W748. Since W748 is closely linked to BL-(C)2 I won't worry about not having W748.
 
I use 3031 as a Cordite substitute. If it call for X grains Cordite with bullet Y and a Win LRP, I use that many grains of IMR 3031 with every thing else the same. I usually get better results than British ammo! Has worked on several cartridges right on up to 450 3 1/4" NE. Ivan
 
Ivan the Butcher said:
I use 3031 as a Cordite substitute. If it call for X grains Cordite with bullet Y and a Win LRP, I use that many grains of IMR 3031 with every thing else the same. I usually get better results than British ammo! Has worked on several cartridges right on up to 450 3 1/4" NE. Ivan
Click to expand...
Thank you... Can you tell me where you got the Cordite load data and if the data is still available?
 
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