Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact
NitroExpress.com: 375/303

View recent messages : 24 hours | 48 hours | 7 days | 14 days | 30 days | 60 days | More Smilies


*** Enjoy NitroExpress.com? Participate and join in. ***

Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Lee Speed Forum & Archive

Pages: 1
FrankS
.300 member


Reged: 06/10/08
Posts: 114
Loc: New Iberia Louisiana
375/303
      #116507 - 08/10/08 07:29 PM

Greetings all. Just registered last night. Wonderful site. Have a couple questions. I was given a #4MKI receiver, bolt and a few other things some years back. Have been fascinated by the 375 bore. What I would like to do is have a 25" 375 bbl turned down and chambered for the 375/303 cartridge. Will not probably be using 375 jacketed bullets. I cast and load for a few rifles and pistols. The blown out 303 case will be using lyman's 375 (38-55) gas check bullet to start. I have two options when it comes to cases. Either use a neck expander or fireform to get what is almost a straight slightly tapered case for loading 375 cast bullets. Another option would be to get hornady 405 winchester brass, trim and then neck down. The bbl will have a 1x12" twist. Another question I have is it ok to remove the charger bridge from the receiver?. I've been looking at some of the various lee speeds (sure wish a good one in 375 2 1/2 would show up in my neck of the swamp) but probably couldn't afford it. One of the photos did show a removed charger bridge and it really changed the way the rifle looked. Was trying to get a bubba'd #1MK111 but they seem kinda thin on the ground here in louisiana.
And finally, would a Greener GP police martini actioned rifle be safe in this caliber?, or should I forget the martini. This is going to be my first rifle build and am trying to get as much info as I possibly can. And the last question, in one article it was said that the 375 2 1/2 would not work through a smelly but would be ok for the lee speed. As you can obviously see I've a lotta questions to be answered. So I'll welcome any and all comments, suggestions that any of you care to send my way.
Regards,Frank


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Bramble
.375 member


Reged: 29/07/06
Posts: 950
Loc: England
Re: 375/303 [Re: FrankS]
      #116509 - 08/10/08 07:51 PM

Welcome !

Not the greener GP. It has a split reciever ring and was not intended for rifle pressures.
A good condition MH 450/577 yes.

I am sure the Australian contingent will chip in about the #4, they do far more of this down there.

Regards


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
ChrisPer
.300 member


Reged: 12/05/08
Posts: 235
Loc: Australia
Re: 375/303 [Re: Bramble]
      #116519 - 08/10/08 09:22 PM

Greetings, glad you could join us!

I might be Australian but I don't have experience with custom or bubba'd Lee-Enfields. They were very popular here until about 1975, but not no much since. There is a new interest in original SMLEs, and modified ones are a cool project.


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2386
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: 375/303 [Re: ChrisPer]
      #116525 - 09/10/08 01:01 AM

Frank,

Why didn't you say you had an interest in the Martini for this project. The gun I used to fireform the .303 for you is a Martini. A MKIV that was rebarreled to .375 2 1/2 flanged. It is still set up like a MBL with a 31 inch bbl. I am going to change it to a Sporting rifle and a 26 inch bbl.

--------------------
DD, Ret.


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
9.3x57
.450 member


Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5500
Loc: United States
Re: 375/303 [Re: DoubleD]
      #116528 - 09/10/08 01:46 AM

FrankS:

If I was you, I think I might have a look at the .375 JDJ. Gives you the .375 bore, and dies and reamers are available, and the case will give you a little bit more capacity than the .303 and if you are going to handload you can tailor the loads to the action. With the greater case capacity you should be able to reach better velocities than the .303 case can produce, at less pressure. I do not have experience with wildcats in Enfield actions, but do have experience with the standard .303 in many Enfields, both No.1 and No.4 actions, and tho the action of the No.4 is strong, case life with full power loads can be quite short.

The .375 JDJ uses common .444 Marlin brass and should not require any bolt face work and probably will feed fine in your No.4 mags.

The .375 JDJ will give you essentially the same ballistics as a 9.5x56 Mannlicher or 9.3x57, which is a bit better than you can hope for in the smaller .303 Brit case. I think after you put together such a rifle you would change your mind about limiting yourself to cast bullets, as with jacketed bullets the round would make a super killer on all American game out to 200 yards or so.

--------------------
What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Tatume
.400 member


Reged: 09/06/07
Posts: 1091
Loc: Gloucester, Va USA
Re: 375/303 [Re: 9.3x57]
      #116529 - 09/10/08 02:43 AM

I have long considered the 375 and 309 JDJ to be prime candidates for rebarreling a Marlin 336. If restricted to one spitzer-bulleted cartridge in the magazine and one in the chamber, it should be a super hunting rifle.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3475
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: 375/303 [Re: Tatume]
      #116558 - 09/10/08 02:29 PM

Frank:
G'day mate. Hope you continue to enjoy the site.

IMHO, there are 2 practical options for the .375 conversion. If you are a traditionalist and want a 'pukka' chambering, it has to be the .375 NE x 2 1/2 inch.
If you want the most practical chambering, go the .375 JDJ as others have suggested.

Despite being a traditionalist at heart, I went for the latter option many years ago and have never regretted it. Here's a past thread describing my own eforts. Hope you find it useful.

Welcome to NE.com!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
FrankS
.300 member


Reged: 06/10/08
Posts: 114
Loc: New Iberia Louisiana
Re: 375/303 [Re: DoubleD]
      #116571 - 10/10/08 01:48 AM

Double D, well after doing some research and wondering about the shortened 375/303 (303 necked up to 375)may or may not work in the #4 magazine due to the almost straight case. I started wondering about the martini. I read your file you sent and it mentioned about 18-19 long tons pressure. And if I remember right a long ton is 2240 x 19 = 42,560 psi. So it looks like the greener gp police shotgun action is out due to pressure. So now it looks like I'm going to have to save up and find a short lever martini with bad bbl to keep the costs down and go from there. And Douglas you just answered my other question as to wether or not the 375 2 1/2 NE will make the "bend" into the chamber. Since the rifle you mentioned is a martini. Thank you, Frank

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
FrankS
.300 member


Reged: 06/10/08
Posts: 114
Loc: New Iberia Louisiana
Re: 375/303 [Re: 9.3x57]
      #116572 - 10/10/08 02:02 AM

9ThreeXFifty7, Already have a 9.3x57. Bought a husky in that caliber 98 action good bore. Have to glass bed the recoil lug. Otherwise it already came drilled and tapped for weaver rings. I bought a set of the steel weaver grand slam bases for it. Thats one of my winter projects when it cools down later. Funny you should mention the 375 jdj as I have plenty of 444 marlin brass. Shoot a marlin in that caliber every once in awhile. I don't hunt anymore as I have problems with my legs and wanted a british cartridge to fool around with. And since I do cast for some of my other rifles and have a few
375 caliber molds it seemed the way to go.Course I have three boxes of speer 235 375 bullets that just may be used. Its about time they did something besides sitting on the shelf. Thank you, Frank


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1



Extra information
0 registered and 6 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  NitroX 

Print Topic

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Rating:
Topic views: 3638

Rate this topic

Jump to

Contact Us NitroExpress.com

Powered by UBB.threads™ 6.5.5


Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact


Copyright 2003 to 2011 - all rights reserved