| JabaliHunter |
| (.400 member) |
| 15/04/08 10:39 PM |
More .303 British bullet tests courtesy of 9ThreeXFifty7
|
Quote:
Some unexpected results this time - with the 150 grain bullets demonstrating penetration and expansion similar to the heavier 180s. This I did not anticipate.
Standard test media were used; this being one 1/2-inch piece of CDX plywood followed by a one-gallon milk jug filled with water, followed by another 1/2-inch piece of plywood, followed by another milk jug, and so on.
.303 150 grain Hornady Spire Point @ 2543 fps
Load: 40 grains IMR3031
- Full penetration 3 boards, 2 jugs, found in 3rd jug, dented 4th board
- No core/jacket separation. Expansion .61". Recovered weight 100 grains, 67%
.303 150 grain Speer PSP @ 2567 fps
Load: 40 grains IMR3031
- Full penetration 3 boards, 2 jugs, found in 3rd jug. Dented 4th board.
- Core/jacket separated. Expansion .61". Recovered weight 106 grains, 71%.
.303 180 grain PMC Factory Round @ 2271 fps
Factory load with Sierra SPBT Game King (303HB)
- Full penetration 3 boards, 2 jugs. Found in 3rd jug.
- Core/jacket separated. Expansion .55" (core). Recovered weight 135 grains, 75%.
.303 180 Remington Core-Lokt SPRN Factory Round @ 2448 fps
Old stock 9330 with 2 cannelures
- Full penetration 2 boards, 2 jugs. Found in 3rd board.
- Expansion .62". Recovered weight 132 grains, 73%.
.303 180 grain Remington Core-Lokt RN @ 2331 fps
Load: 40 grains H4895
- Full pen 3 boards, 2 jugs. Found in 3rd jug.
- Expansion .63". Recovered weight 144 grains, 80%.
.303 200 grain Speer Grand Slam (second) @ 2243 fps
Load: 45 grains H4350, CCI250 magnum primer, S&B case
- Full penetration 5 boards, 4 jugs. Found on table after 5th board (no dent in 5th jug).
- Expansion .49". Recovered weight 178 grains, 89%.
Speer made a short run of these some years ago. It was designed for a Canadian improved/wildcat affair and may be too tough a bullet for the .303 British.
For comparison – 7x57 Mauser penetration test
7x57, 175 grain Sellier & Bellot Factory Load @ 2460 fps
- Full penetration 3 boards, 3 jugs. Found outside 3rd jug, did not enter 4th board.
- Expansion .66", Recovered weight 142 grains, 81%.
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I should add that the only hunting experience I have had with the .303 was in the shooting of a single black bear with the Remington Core-Lokt load. I have been using this testing method with a growing variety of calibres for some time. I have some criteria developed after comparing many tested bullets with successfully recovered bullets from game. For a general purpose deer and elk bullet, I want:
- First jug decisively blown up, indicating quick initial expansion and hydraulic effect (solids/FMJs may provide deep penetration at times but frequently leave the first jug essentially merely holed, indicating poor early hydraulic effect. Such late expansion means the bullet may not expand much in the critter)
- Bullet to be found in the 3rd jug (deeper penetration usually indicates poor setup/expansion and poor energy dump)
- Expansion to be equal to or in excess of .60" regardless of the original diameter of the bullet.
As such, most of these loads performed pretty well, though the old stock Remington 180 grain bullet didn't penetrate as much as I'd have liked and the Speer 200 grain bullet appears to be really too stoutly constructed for .303 British velocities, giving deep penetration but poor expansion. Recognizing that as range increases to at least 200 yards penetration will also increase, albeit at the expense of some expansion, the 200 grain Speer appears to be a poor bullet for general use in the .303. I suspect it may act as a solid at ranges in excess of 100 yards or so, possibly closer.