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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1014
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: szihn]
      #320572 - 12/10/18 03:38 AM

Quote:

Matt, why is there still no "S" on your screen name?



Name change now waiting on admin approval.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2100
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #320614 - 13/10/18 02:31 PM

Well, the Speed strikes again. Patterson would be proud.
Not the one Matt got from me, but the one I kept. It drew first blood today. Smallish Whitetail Buck. One shot through the chest that exited the off shoulder. He ran about 20 yards and fell. Shot was about 60 yards.
Load was 40 grains of 4064 in WW brass with a WW primer and a 180 grain Remington .308 Core-Lokt. Both of our rifles have 310" groove diameters and the 180 grain .308s seem to shoot very well.

When I was a boy my dad had a Savage M99 in 300 savage and we sometimes used 180s in it. 180 at 2400 FPS, this load is a .308 180 grain at 2375 from my rifle so I knew exactly how it would act, and it did.


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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: szihn]
      #320626 - 14/10/18 05:43 AM

Congrats Steve!
Can’t wait to get mine into the field in December!

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2100
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #320639 - 15/10/18 03:37 AM

I, once again (stupidly) didn't take the camera. So I can't show the little buck and now it's ready to butcher. I will cut and wrap it tomorrow. If you have a cell phone (I don't) please take a pictures if you kill one and send it to me with the rifle too.
Thanks


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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1014
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: szihn]
      #320651 - 15/10/18 12:18 PM

Quote:

I, once again (stupidly) didn't take the camera. So I can't show the little buck and now it's ready to butcher. I will cut and wrap it tomorrow. If you have a cell phone (I don't) please take a pictures if you kill one and send it to me with the rifle too.
Thanks




Sure will Steve. That was the plan anyway.
May not be anything special though. Smaller bucks get a pass to grow. Does for meat, and a trophy buck of one happens to appear.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2100
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #322221 - 06/12/18 05:23 AM

Well Iowa, I have not heard from you in a while.

How'd it go?


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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1014
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: szihn]
      #322230 - 06/12/18 10:53 AM

Hi Steve,
We leave Friday evening for Tennessee. Going spend a couple of days visiting with friends.
My son and I will start hunting on Monday 12/10.
I'll let you know how it goes when we get back. Not much for internet connection in a cypress swamp.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2100
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #322255 - 07/12/18 03:21 AM

Good times are coming.
Have fun, be safe, and I hope you both get big deer.


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Marc
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Reged: 12/07/18
Posts: 24
Loc: South of France
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: szihn]
      #323214 - 12/01/19 02:27 AM

Howdy folks!
I shot a few boars with mine, but I'm not satisfied with the expansion of the Sierra 180grs I used. Here almost nobody uses 303, so there is a very poor choice of hunting bullets, I decided to paper patch.
I cast 205grs bullets with the Lyman 314299 and 185grs flat nosed and plain based bullets with the Noe 314 175, both sized at 304", 30 /1 lead tin alloy.
I think the heaviest bullet will not be accurate, feel the 302" nose is too small as often with Lyman ... we'll see at the range; but I'm confident with Noe.
For the moment I'm happy with the result!
I keep you aware.

[IMG]https://beta-static.photobucket.com/images/f349/Bouteselle/0/d4a07bd7-62db-44b6-883b-bb8369ba798a-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds[/IMG]

[IMG]https://beta-static.photobucket.com/images/f349/Bouteselle/0/725f9a07-1482-46ae-a1cc-b378f657ae70-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds[/IMG]


[IMG]https://beta-static.photobucket.com/images/f349/Bouteselle/0/28385f1b-8e4a-43bc-aa13-1c29563453c8-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds[/IMG]



Edited by Marc (12/01/19 03:58 AM)


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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26413
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Marc]
      #323220 - 12/01/19 05:40 AM

I would be happier with any flat nose I think Marc, due to the cavitation & expansion promoted by the flat nose.
Sometimes, paper patched bullets can be a big surprise, as to nose diameters. More than one experimenter has found best accuracy with patched and grooved lubed bullets up to 2 thou. smaller noses than the bore.

This was with black powder and that might have been a deciding factor.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Marc
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Reged: 12/07/18
Posts: 24
Loc: South of France
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: DarylS]
      #323223 - 12/01/19 06:28 AM

Yes, I hope this flat nosed bullet will work.
Here it is, unsized and patched.

[IMG]https://beta-static.photobucket.com/images/f349/Bouteselle/0/66290748-2504-4ebc-bbb2-cc91287cb65c-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds[/IMG]

I think it's pretty and deadly. Unfortunately the aluminium Noe mold is a hell to use... If it works I'll order a better mold.


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Rule303
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Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 4896
Loc: Woodford Qld
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Marc]
      #323226 - 12/01/19 09:55 AM

I am with Daryl on this. I think the flat nose will perform better on game animals. Hope you get to try them soon and put up some photos of the animals you have taken with it.

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9.3x57
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Reged: 22/04/07
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Rule303]
      #323242 - 13/01/19 01:33 AM

Marc:

That flat nose bullet looks great. And what a fascinating rifle!

I am w/ Daryl & Rule303. I have had some poor results with bullets that did not expand and in testing bullets which I used to post here years ago, it was revealed just how LITTLE damage a non-expanding pointed or RN will often provide if it stays on course. Simple holing, what I call the "ice pick effect" was of course the rule with the long, hard-jacketed Round Nose FMJ's of the early years of military "small-bores" {6.5-8mm} when impact took place at any range when the velocity had decreased down below about 1800 FPS and sometimes even at the higher near-muzzle velocities. Contrastingly, this "ice pick effect" was left behind with the terrible discovery of the light Spitzer bullet at much higher velocity and in 1905 era and following. It shows in the test media!

My favorite bullet in the .303 was the old Remington Core-Lokt 180 grain Round Nose. This bullet miked .310 and shot very well in .303 Brit and 7.62 Russian Mosin-Nagant rifles. Superb champignons were the rule! Or if you are in the Southwest of France, should I say perretxiko's? LOL.

One trick i found in years of playing with bullets is to flat point them. Various ways can be used, but I found that spinning selected socket over the bullet to scribe a line around the nose and then simply removing the tip to the scribed line on a grinding wheel works very well. Of course, there are other less "Hill Billy" ways to accomplish the same thing, but this method can be used to flat-point your semi-pointed and RN cast bullets, too and should improve their terminal effect.

Here's a bear shot with my gone-now No 5 MKI "Jungle Carbine". Remmy 180 RN CL of course;



And another with the same slug from a Finn M39;



--------------------
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?


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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26413
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: 9.3x57]
      #323247 - 13/01/19 05:09 AM

Friend of mine has a 6 pound Savage .300 Win. Mag. While not for the weak of heart and shoulder, he prefers shooting the 180gr. Hornady RN for moose and elk.
Notes every animal he's shot gave strong evidence of the hit and folded up right away. He said the slap (sound) of the bullet impact was unmistakable & A LOT louder than any other bullet he's used.
I'm used to a thump/whump, while he said these really "crack".

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Marc
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Reged: 12/07/18
Posts: 24
Loc: South of France
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: DarylS]
      #323255 - 13/01/19 08:48 AM

What I appreciate with Sierras is that they're accurate, but a fmj wouldn't do a worse effect; perhaps it lacks some speed.
Here I hunt in very very brush area, but unfortunately not as remote and tremendous as you all! Most of time I shoot very close, but sometimes as far as 200 yards, and always on running boars.
The others hunters use more powerful cartridges, like 300wm or 9,3x74R, and shoot randomly. I think it's useless, I don't feel undergunned with my little 303".
Two years ago I used a 1892 Berthier mousquetoon, 8mm Lebel. Another very effective cartridge, unfortunately nowadays underrated.

Ps: I believe perretxiko's are in Spain!


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DarylS
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Marc]
      #323256 - 13/01/19 09:20 AM

Here, about the best factory ammo nowadays for the .303 is the 180gr. Winchester Power Point, since mfgr's stop producing the 215gr. RN. The most hunting with .303's here is moose in the bush.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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9.3x57
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Reged: 22/04/07
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Marc]
      #323263 - 13/01/19 11:49 AM

Quote:

What I appreciate with Sierras is that they're accurate, but a fmj wouldn't do a worse effect; perhaps it lacks some speed.
Here I hunt in very very brush area, but unfortunately not as remote and tremendous as you all! Most of time I shoot very close, but sometimes as far as 200 yards, and always on running boars.
The others hunters use more powerful cartridges, like 300wm or 9,3x74R, and shoot randomly. I think it's useless, I don't feel undergunned with my little 303".
Two years ago I used a 1892 Berthier mousquetoon, 8mm Lebel. Another very effective cartridge, unfortunately nowadays underrated.

Ps: I believe perretxiko's are in Spain!




Marc: I had a bad experience many years ago with a Sierra 180 Spitzer in .30-06. Shot a small deer broadside at maybe 25 paces as it strolled by me. Shot it right behind the shoulder and was worried about ruining a lot of meat. I shouldn't have worried, as it just ran away from me and I lost it in the dense sage. I eventually found it at dark and upon opening it up found a wound channel that could have been made by a shishkabob skewer. Nothing but a small hole. No peripheral hemorrhaging or bloodshotting. In fact, the opposite of what I feared! I have not used many Sierras but I had exactly the same experience on the same farm with a deer shot with my .375 H&H Magnum and the 300 grain Spitzer Boat Tail. That one I shot from a prone position on a ridge of rimrock while the thing fed in an alfalfa field. distance 270 paces. In truth, one of the longest shots I've ever taken on game. That one made a 3/8" hole on one side and a 3/8" hole on the other. Watched the critter run the length of the field, some hundreds of yards and then disappear in the sage flat above Lake Roosevelt. I looked and looked for it and then about ready to give up kicked it and almost tripped over it!

I chalked that that one off to the slow speed of the bullet which was 2350 on the first chronograph I ever bought. {RIP...ended it's life to a 285 grain 9.3 bullet many years later... LOL}

Quote:

Here, about the best factory ammo nowadays for the .303 is the 180gr. Winchester Power Point, since mfgr's stop producing the 215gr. RN. The most hunting with .303's here is moose in the bush.




The Power Points are superb bullets. Have tested a number. In my opinion, it and the standard Remington Core-Lokt are the safest choice in game bullets ever made, subject to their ballistic limitations.

Daryl, does anyone use the 180 .303 {.310} Remmy Core-Lokt up there? Is it still loaded? I don't even know as I haven't owned a .303 in many years. Remington factory ammo is sometimes underloaded in the old standard calibers, so I'm not sure what the factory ammo produces, as I almost never shoot a round of factory ammo anyhow.

--------------------
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?


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Marc
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Reged: 12/07/18
Posts: 24
Loc: South of France
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: 9.3x57]
      #323268 - 13/01/19 11:47 PM

Done some shooting this morning... awful!
The least worst was done with slightly thick paper, however I followed exactly what Matthews said in in his book "The paper jacket'.
My bore mesures .3035 from land to land, bullet is sized 304", and I tried two papers .0015" and .0025".
Bullets patched mesures .311" and .315", and they don't work at all.
I will have my sizer enlarged to 305" and we'll see.
For the moment I'll follow your advice, I'll bought Remington core-lokt. I'll never be ready before the ending of the hunting season with my paper patched bullets!


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DarylS
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Marc]
      #323269 - 14/01/19 03:40 AM

Marc - your alloy has to be soft enough to have "some" obturation.

Rod, I havne't seen any green box .303's for quite a while, around here.

The .312" Hornady 174's, out of my (Ken Waters).312 Express shoot very well indeed. 1 1/2" at 100 meters. I have not put them into an animal yet. That round is chambered in my #4 & does 2,974fps with that bullet. Likely a bit fast for it inside 150 meters.
This 2-groove barrel is .315" groove to groove.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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9.3x57
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Reged: 22/04/07
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: DarylS]
      #323285 - 14/01/19 01:07 PM

Quote:

Marc - your alloy has to be soft enough to have "some" obturation.

Rod, I havne't seen any green box .303's for quite a while, around here.

The .312" Hornady 174's, out of my (Ken Waters).312 Express shoot very well indeed. 1 1/2" at 100 meters. I have not put them into an animal yet. That round is chambered in my #4 & does 2,974fps with that bullet. Likely a bit fast for it inside 150 meters.
This 2-groove barrel is .315" groove to groove.




I've never used the horn 174's you reference. But we've tested and killed game with several Hornady Round Nose bullets and other Interloks which perform in game very similarly. They are invariably very accurate. Often amazingly so. They are fast-opening and length and/or weight seem to have no bearing on that. The fast opening {core loss, admittedly} and massive hemorrhaging that is common to these bullets must be taken into consideration and they can be taken advantage of depending on shots taken. I'm not shooting elephant and rhino, so it is often a lus, not a minus. I should add a caveat in that the 300 grain Hornady .375 Interlok can act as a FMJ at lower than about 1800 fps.

Same actually applies to other Interlok bullets. My son stopped using them when he had a couple blow up a lot of meat on deer and elk and went to Nosler P-titions in his Howa 6.5x55, but they have their own drawback.

Daryl, that round you quote is a screamer, and would at close range really put the stress on those bullets.

BTW: A friend had a #4 with a 2-groove barrel that slugged .308 in the grooves. Yeah,..... .308! Blew primers with every trigger pull!! I can't remember the make, but I always wondered if the maker used 1917 Enfield or '03 Springfield blanks for a run of Enfields.

I can only imagine the neck relief was the culprit!

--------------------
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?


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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
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Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: 9.3x57]
      #323286 - 14/01/19 01:35 PM

I have used the Hornady 174 grain RNSP extensively on whitetail deer from my Ruger #1 in .303 British.
Muzzle velocity is 2430 fps over my chronograph.
Ranges between 20-200 yards.
They expand well but not excessively so and penetrate well. I have never recovered one from a deer as the have all completely passed though.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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9.3x57
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Reged: 22/04/07
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Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #323292 - 15/01/19 12:27 AM

Quote:

I have used the Hornady 174 grain RNSP extensively on whitetail deer from my Ruger #1 in .303 British.
Muzzle velocity is 2430 fps over my chronograph.
Ranges between 20-200 yards.
They expand well but not excessively so and penetrate well. I have never recovered one from a deer as the have all completely passed though.




Have you ever miked those 174 bullets? IIRC the spec are .312?

--------------------
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?


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Ripp
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Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: DarylS]
      #323296 - 15/01/19 03:27 AM

Quote:

Marc - your alloy has to be soft enough to have "some" obturation.

Rod, I havne't seen any green box .303's for quite a while, around here.




Weird...here in my neck of the woods, you can find ammo for the .303 British in pretty much every store.. usually Fed or Hornady... I keep an eye on it as I have one as well...so grab a box from time to time..

Its also available on MIDWAY USA --

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

Edited by Ripp (15/01/19 03:28 AM)


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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1014
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: 9.3x57]
      #323299 - 15/01/19 05:02 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I have used the Hornady 174 grain RNSP extensively on whitetail deer from my Ruger #1 in .303 British.
Muzzle velocity is 2430 fps over my chronograph.
Ranges between 20-200 yards.
They expand well but not excessively so and penetrate well. I have never recovered one from a deer as the have all completely passed though.




Have you ever miked those 174 bullets? IIRC the spec are .312?



Yes, the Hornady .303 bullets measure .312” diameter.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26413
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Hunting with the 303, please report [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #323301 - 15/01/19 06:42 AM

Yes - they are .312, as noted in my post above.
I am also shooting them in my single shot 8.15x46R which has a .315" groove to groove measurement. 29 3/4" bl. length. It is indeed, a beautiful "old" rifle having a model 71-type Mauser action.
They are shooting quite well at about 1,750fps using 16.5gr. SR4759. I might try that one on a deer next season.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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