.303 bullets?

rugerdude · April 7, 2005, 05:46 PM

Where can I find them? I have had no luck so far.

Thanks,
rugerdude

CaptainRazor · April 7, 2005, 06:32 PM

You might want to try and find .311" or .312" diameter bullets, cause that's actually what a .303 caliber eats.

I just looked in the Midway catalog, Sierra 180 gr. RNSP's are 13.79 a hundred and the product number is 408-254.

donkee · April 7, 2005, 06:33 PM

For the .303 british cartridge, try midway. I got the Rem CLs and Hornadys that I'm using now from them. They aren't a true .303 sized bullet. You'd be looking at bullets in the .310-.312 range.

http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe...*675***9016***

cheygriz · April 7, 2005, 09:57 PM

Hornady make a .312 174 GR FMJ that allows you to duplicate British Mk Vll ball. They arent cheap, but then Hornady is pretty proud of ALL of their bullets.

444 · April 7, 2005, 11:37 PM

I use Sierra 174 grain Match Kings.
http://www.sierrabullets.com/index.c...5&bullettype=0
That is the goods.

rugerdude · April 8, 2005, 07:13 AM

LOL, thanks guys, I was wondering why I couldn't find any.

I don't reload yet, but what would I need to reload just one caliber? I don't need high tech and amazingly time saving devices, just ammo for my lee enfield that isn't 15 bucks for 20 rounds. I can't find surplus anymore and I have some brass already.

donkee · April 8, 2005, 08:12 AM

I'd get one of the LEE kits. Has everything you need except the dies and case length gauges. total in gear should be about 100 dollars +/-. I would also recommend a neck sizing die. I use a Redding I got from Midway. Cost as much as the LEE 3 die set for .303, but my brass lasts alot longer. Also pickup a copy of The ABCs of Reloading, along with a load manual or two. Read through them a couple times and you should be set to go. I started loading my own almost 2 years ago and keep adding new calibers. It's a great hobby.......

444 · April 8, 2005, 08:54 AM

This is now veering off into a different direction that has been covered countless times.
What you need is this: http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...html#LeeLoader
The Classic Lee Loader located about half way down that page. It gives you everything you need (other than powders/bullets/primers). It takes up no room. You can use it pretty much anywhere including the range. And, it is cheap. I own one of these in .303 British and have used it a fair amount. I have used other Lee Loaders in other calibers a lot more. You will get advice to buy other stuff, and there is nothing wrong with that. But for the money involved (twenty bucks), I guarentee you won't find anything that gives you so much for so little and if you later decide to get into handloading whole hog, you MIGHT end up with a $20 Lee Loader that you don't use much. On the other hand, you might decide that handloading is not for you. In that case, you have a $20 tool that you don't use.

Number 6 · April 8, 2005, 09:26 AM

you might try the surplus 123 grain bullets for 7.62 x 39 cartridges. These are also .311-.312 diameter.

Good luck with your reloading - it's addictive!

rugerdude · April 8, 2005, 05:42 PM

I have seen the Lee Loader and was very intrigued but I didn't know how well it would work. I was advised against it on another thread as it is appearantly too easy to get the wrong powder loads, is this true? I know I can be careful but I don't want to buy a safety hazard. Other than that I like the lee loader idea and it seems perfect for me.

CaptainRazor · April 8, 2005, 09:07 PM

The 7.62x39 bullets is a good idea, if you can find them cheap enough.

I'd skip the Lee Loader, just go ahead and get a press and a set of dies or a kit, once you start loading, then you'll want to load for other calibers too. If you get a starter kit, you already have the basics to load any caliber you want, excluding the dies.

444 · April 9, 2005, 08:05 PM

The Lee Loader is no harder to screw up than anything else. You measure and dispense powder using a scoop. A chart comes with the loader that gives you loads that are safe for the cartridge you are loading using the scoop provided. If you decide to do something different and get hurt doing it, it is your fault and not the Lee Loaders fault.
Just as an example. This is not a real load, just an example.
Let's say you are loading for the .38 Special and the chart says that a good safe load is a scoop of Unique powder. If you say, all I have is Red Dot powder, so I am going to use a scoop of that instead, you are asking for trouble. The Lee Loader didn't do it, you did.
This is no different from loading using any other reloading equipment ever made. If you can't follow directions.... if you think you know more than the manufacturer..... if you think they said "X" but "Y" is close enough: you shouldn't be loading ammunition and it is nobodies fault but yours.

By the way. I sat down one day with a friend who wanted to use a Lee Loader to load .30-06. I showed him how it worked and just out of curiosity I decided to scoop 50 charges of powder and weigh each of them on a digital scale to see how accurate a scoop measure is. The scoop, with me using it, was MORE accurate than the charges thrown by either my RCBS powder meaure, my Lyman powder measure, or the powder measures used on my Dillon 550s.

I could go on with the virtues of the Lee Loader and I have in numerous other threads. But, I have learned over the years that on the internet, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. You will either spend the $20 or not.

I own a lot of reloading gear and have been handloading for over 20 years. I recently moved and had two of my shooting buddies help me. One was overheard telling someone else: "Yeah we helped him move, he had seven metric tons of reloading equipment and componenets". I have four reloading presses set up right now: two Dillon 550s, an RCBS Rockchucker, and a Lyman T-Mag II turret press. That being said, if I was starting over with nothing, knowing what I know now, I would start over in exactly the same way I actually did start: with a Lee Loader. I own several Lee Loaders right now and will use one within the next week to load the .303 British cartridges I expended today at a match.

April 7, 2005, 05:46 PM	#1
rugerdude Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2004 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,443	.303 bullets? Where can I find them? I have had no luck so far. Thanks, rugerdude __________________ "The SKS is a rifle, made the way they should be, out of a heavy block of crappy commie steel, set in an inletted semi-reshaped 2x4." Not my quote but I agree completely.

April 7, 2005, 09:57 PM	#4
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	Hornady make a .312 174 GR FMJ that allows you to duplicate British Mk Vll ball. They arent cheap, but then Hornady is pretty proud of ALL of their bullets. __________________ If you think a mighty military force is expensive, wait 'til you see what a weak one costs.

April 7, 2005, 11:37 PM	#5
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	I use Sierra 174 grain Match Kings. http://www.sierrabullets.com/index.c...5&bullettype=0 That is the goods. __________________ You know the rest. In the books you have read How the British Regulars fired and fled, How the farmers gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and farmyard wall, Chasing the redcoats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load.

April 8, 2005, 07:13 AM	#6
rugerdude Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2004 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,443	LOL, thanks guys, I was wondering why I couldn't find any. I don't reload yet, but what would I need to reload just one caliber? I don't need high tech and amazingly time saving devices, just ammo for my lee enfield that isn't 15 bucks for 20 rounds. I can't find surplus anymore and I have some brass already. __________________ "The SKS is a rifle, made the way they should be, out of a heavy block of crappy commie steel, set in an inletted semi-reshaped 2x4." Not my quote but I agree completely.

April 8, 2005, 08:54 AM	#8
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	The Classic Lee Loader This is now veering off into a different direction that has been covered countless times. What you need is this: http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...html#LeeLoader The Classic Lee Loader located about half way down that page. It gives you everything you need (other than powders/bullets/primers). It takes up no room. You can use it pretty much anywhere including the range. And, it is cheap. I own one of these in .303 British and have used it a fair amount. I have used other Lee Loaders in other calibers a lot more. You will get advice to buy other stuff, and there is nothing wrong with that. But for the money involved (twenty bucks), I guarentee you won't find anything that gives you so much for so little and if you later decide to get into handloading whole hog, you MIGHT end up with a $20 Lee Loader that you don't use much. On the other hand, you might decide that handloading is not for you. In that case, you have a $20 tool that you don't use. __________________ You know the rest. In the books you have read How the British Regulars fired and fled, How the farmers gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and farmyard wall, Chasing the redcoats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load.

April 7, 2005, 06:32 PM	#2
CaptainRazor Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 302	You might want to try and find .311" or .312" diameter bullets, cause that's actually what a .303 caliber eats. I just looked in the Midway catalog, Sierra 180 gr. RNSP's are 13.79 a hundred and the product number is 408-254.

April 7, 2005, 06:33 PM	#3
donkee Junior member Join Date: November 7, 2004 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 449	For the .303 british cartridge, try midway. I got the Rem CLs and Hornadys that I'm using now from them. They aren't a true .303 sized bullet. You'd be looking at bullets in the .310-.312 range. http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe...6759016*

April 8, 2005, 08:12 AM	#7
donkee Junior member Join Date: November 7, 2004 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 449	I'd get one of the LEE kits. Has everything you need except the dies and case length gauges. total in gear should be about 100 dollars +/-. I would also recommend a neck sizing die. I use a Redding I got from Midway. Cost as much as the LEE 3 die set for .303, but my brass lasts alot longer. Also pickup a copy of The ABCs of Reloading, along with a load manual or two. Read through them a couple times and you should be set to go. I started loading my own almost 2 years ago and keep adding new calibers. It's a great hobby.......

April 8, 2005, 09:26 AM	#9
Number 6 Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2002 Posts: 919	For plinking loads, you might try the surplus 123 grain bullets for 7.62 x 39 cartridges. These are also .311-.312 diameter. Good luck with your reloading - it's addictive!

April 8, 2005, 05:42 PM	#10
rugerdude Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2004 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,443	I have seen the Lee Loader and was very intrigued but I didn't know how well it would work. I was advised against it on another thread as it is appearantly too easy to get the wrong powder loads, is this true? I know I can be careful but I don't want to buy a safety hazard. Other than that I like the lee loader idea and it seems perfect for me. __________________ "The SKS is a rifle, made the way they should be, out of a heavy block of crappy commie steel, set in an inletted semi-reshaped 2x4." Not my quote but I agree completely.

April 8, 2005, 09:07 PM	#11
CaptainRazor Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 302	The 7.62x39 bullets is a good idea, if you can find them cheap enough. I'd skip the Lee Loader, just go ahead and get a press and a set of dies or a kit, once you start loading, then you'll want to load for other calibers too. If you get a starter kit, you already have the basics to load any caliber you want, excluding the dies.

April 9, 2005, 08:05 PM	#12
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	The Lee Loader is no harder to screw up than anything else. You measure and dispense powder using a scoop. A chart comes with the loader that gives you loads that are safe for the cartridge you are loading using the scoop provided. If you decide to do something different and get hurt doing it, it is your fault and not the Lee Loaders fault. Just as an example. This is not a real load, just an example. Let's say you are loading for the .38 Special and the chart says that a good safe load is a scoop of Unique powder. If you say, all I have is Red Dot powder, so I am going to use a scoop of that instead, you are asking for trouble. The Lee Loader didn't do it, you did. This is no different from loading using any other reloading equipment ever made. If you can't follow directions.... if you think you know more than the manufacturer..... if you think they said "X" but "Y" is close enough: you shouldn't be loading ammunition and it is nobodies fault but yours. By the way. I sat down one day with a friend who wanted to use a Lee Loader to load .30-06. I showed him how it worked and just out of curiosity I decided to scoop 50 charges of powder and weigh each of them on a digital scale to see how accurate a scoop measure is. The scoop, with me using it, was MORE accurate than the charges thrown by either my RCBS powder meaure, my Lyman powder measure, or the powder measures used on my Dillon 550s. I could go on with the virtues of the Lee Loader and I have in numerous other threads. But, I have learned over the years that on the internet, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. You will either spend the $20 or not. I own a lot of reloading gear and have been handloading for over 20 years. I recently moved and had two of my shooting buddies help me. One was overheard telling someone else: "Yeah we helped him move, he had seven metric tons of reloading equipment and componenets". I have four reloading presses set up right now: two Dillon 550s, an RCBS Rockchucker, and a Lyman T-Mag II turret press. That being said, if I was starting over with nothing, knowing what I know now, I would start over in exactly the same way I actually did start: with a Lee Loader. I own several Lee Loaders right now and will use one within the next week to load the .303 British cartridges I expended today at a match. __________________ You know the rest. In the books you have read How the British Regulars fired and fled, How the farmers gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and farmyard wall, Chasing the redcoats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load.