d-o-k ?

[kg42]

I've read somewhere that there's a bunch of .303 british based wildcats down where you live. Do you have any experience with them? any data, information, free chamber reamer ...?

[d-o-k]

Kg you've come to the right man ! The 303 wildcats went from 5 types of 22 from the IMP ,Sprinter, falcon ,220swift-303to the 224improved ! then there were converstions of 243,257,257improved ,6.5, 270,270improved & a 35-303 that has been lost to the mists of time ! I have used most of the converstions at some time as they were readily avalibe in Factory ammo !
I have used & still own the .25-303 for 35+ years I do'nt own a reamer but Sprinter arms still make barrels & Simplex still sell Dies for most of the old rnds including forming dies (which puzzles me as forming 25 brass is done with a single pass through the Full lenght resizeing die! ) The 22 versions were a little more time consuming as the IMP was as memory serves me only the lenght of about a 25-20 case !

Loads are 22sprinter 45gn pill max load =34gns of VARGET, 50gn =33 gns Of Varget
55gn=32 gns Varget for vel ranging from 3450fps down to 3000fps

22swift 45gn=36 gns Varget for 3500fps , 50gn =35gn Varget for3250fps , 55gn =34gns Varget for 3050fps

22Falcon 45gn =37.5 for 3600 fps , 50gn =35.5 gns Varget for 3350 , 55gn 34.5 for 3100fps

243-303 75 gn =33.5 Varget for 3200fps , 80gn = 35 gns Varget or 40gns H4350 for 3100, 90gn=33gns Varget or 38gnsH4350 for 2900 fps , 100gn =32 of Varget Or 37 of H4350 for 2700 fps

25-303 87gn =37of Varget or 40 of H4350 for3100 fps , 100gn= 36gns of Varget or 38gns of H4350 For 2850fps 117-120 gns= 31 Of Varget or 36 of H4350 for 2700 fps (my personl fav is 87gns =30gns of ADI AR2206 ! It puts Roos down for the count out to 300 yrds)

270-303 100gn=39gns of Varget or44gns of H4350 for 2750 fps , 130gn= 36.5 gns Of Varget or 42.5 of 4350 =2500 fps, !50gn= 33.5of Varget or 40gns of H4350 for 2350fps

It may well be noted that for #3 SMLE actions these loads should be reduced by at least 2-3 gns as max

Hope this sheds some light on your Question Dave

[Bullshop Junior]

Did they ever do one in 8mm/303?
DANIEL/BS JR.

[d-o-k]

Did they ever do one in 8mm/303?
DANIEL/BS JR.

To be quite honest Dan I have no idea I would'nt think so as the 303 is 7.7mm . But on saying that some weird & wonderfull things have been done with the .303 . At one stage as it was illegal to own a exmil fire arm in New South Wales Enterprising Gunsmiths cut 1/8 of a inch of the thread off the barrel or two threads to be presise & renamed it the 7.7x54 ! It looked exsactly likea .303 from the out side until you tried to chamber a round ! (I know cause I got caught myself & was puzzeled until it was pointed out to me what I had)

Dave

[kg42]

Thanks for the infos d-o-k.
Sometimes we almost feel like thanking the administration for the boost in creativity they give us...
that 7.7x54 is the essence of a good wildcat: it uses very available components and simple tools like a hacksaw , not even a chamber reamer like for the 8x60, 8-06 or the 30-284.
I think the French recently got the point as I found a 30-06 short on their latest reloading table.

kg

[Bullshop Junior]

To be quite honest Dan I have no idea I would'nt think so as the 303 is 7.7mm . But on saying that some weird & wonderfull things have been done with the .303 . At one stage as it was illegal to own a exmil fire arm in New South Wales Enterprising Gunsmiths cut 1/8 of a inch of the thread off the barrel or two threads to be presise & renamed it the 7.7x54 ! It looked exsactly likea .303 from the out side until you tried to chamber a round ! (I know cause I got caught myself & was puzzeled until it was pointed out to me what I had)

Dave

D-O-K,
I was just curious, because we have a old enfield with a 8mm bore!!!
DANIEL/BS JR.

[d-o-k]

Dan that don't supprise me in the slightest ! The Old .303 Brits are not known for ....What you'd call true bore They say a .303 runs .312 -314 in the grooves ! But I've miked em out at as high as .321-323! I think it depends on how much work the barrel has done & how worn the reamer was when they bored that batch of barrels !

Dave

[kg42]

Some stuff on .303 and .303 Improved (Epps) here:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/shooters/303Page.htm

[d-o-k]

Some stuff on .303 and .303 Improved (Epps) here:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/shooters/303Page.htm

Great site ! I found it very interesting ! I might look at the .303EPPS next time I have to Rebarrel !

Dave

[d-o-k]

Did they ever do one in 8mm/303?
DANIEL/BS JR.

Dan .I was talking wth my Father today & thought to ask if he'd ever heard of a 8mm/303 as he dates back to when they first started wildcatting .303's after WW2 & he assures me there was work done on both a 7mm& a 8mm /303.These were never factory standard ,only ever Wildcats .As well there was 375/303s attempted in the early days .He knew of at least one .225 &228 -303 rechamberings as well ! But in his words these were only done by "show offs" & disapeared into the mists of time !It must of been a wild time for Wild caters after the War as there was a never ending supply of Enfields on the Market Dirt cheap & a supply of Gunsmiths trying to make a name for themselves I mentioned to him that I'd writern that there were 5 303-22's & he scoffed & said there was probarly that number again everybody had a try at making them & named them !

Dave