.308 bullets through a .303 Brit? Gonzo question.

[DRNewcomb]

Sorry for the question about loading plinking ammo. Not exactly an accurate shooter topic.

I'm about out of .311 diameter bullets but I have a ton of 149 gn and 172 gn .308 FMJ bullets. Looking around at the prices of .311 bullets, I've asked myself, "For my purposes, does 0.003" really matter?" I've got this stock #4 Mk 1* (Long Branch) that I like to take out to the range and plink at 100 yds with. It's not like I'm competing at 600 with it.

Has anyone ever loaded .308 bullets in place of .311s? How good or bad is it? It's not like it's dangerous, like loading an 8 mm bullet in a .30-'06.

 

[DukeDuke]

I've done it in a Mosin and it was ok.
Accuracy will suffer, that's all

 

[Bc'z]

There were some .311 bullets listed the other day on bullets and brass board.

 

[riflewoman]

It’s been done. As others mentioned, accuracy will suffer. A lot of those old guns have .314 grooves.

 

[243winxb]

Slug the bore. The expander will need to be the correct size or maybe size with no expander?

 

[D-4297]

The first 5 - 10 shots , you'll think , "This might work" . Then it will open up like a shotgun pattern . Tried it in a couple of M-N's .

 

[pirate ammo]

Sorry for the question about loading plinking ammo. Not exactly an accurate shooter topic.

I'm about out of .311 diameter bullets but I have a ton of 149 gn and 172 gn .308 FMJ bullets. Looking around at the prices of .311 bullets, I've asked myself, "For my purposes, does 0.003" really matter?" I've got this stock #4 Mk 1* (Long Branch) that I like to take out to the range and plink at 100 yds with. It's not like I'm competing at 600 with it.

Has anyone ever loaded .308 bullets in place of .311s? How good or bad is it? It's not like it's dangerous, like loading an 8 mm bullet in a .30-'06.

I got 2 boxes of Sierra 150 GR. pro-hunter 100 bullet boxes 303 Cal. .311 Dia. $20.00 each plus the $7.00 freight. I think thats a good price. Capt Dan

 

[Uncle Ed]

The .303 British military ammunition was loaded with cordite powder that had a higher nitroglycerine content than many pistol powders have today. This means the Military Enfield rifles will have cordite throat errosion and a worn barrel would not be a good candidate for .308 bullets. Your best choice would be Hornady .312 flat base bullets for the best accuracy.

NOTE, the cordite loaded .303 British ammunition was banned from machine gun use due to its increased barrel wear and short barrel life. Meaning the No.4 Enfield rifles made after WWII would have less cordite erosion than WWII and WWI rifles. The British .303 machine guns used single base powders in their ammunition.

 

[Homerange]

Slug the bore. The expander will need to be the correct size or maybe size with no expander? View attachment 1088590

Yep only way to be sure.
Wow an old Lyman book like the couple I have.

For the OP, look for some 7.62x39 (AK47) projectiles.....they are NOT 7.62 mm and closer to the ~.311+ you're after for the .303.
From Wikipedia:
Bullet diameter 7.85-7.9 mm (0.309-0.311") SAAMI[1] 7.92 mm (0.312")

IIRC standard load was FMJ 125gr pills however there are 150 gr soft points available in commercial hunting loads for use in the likes of the Ruger Mini 30.

 

[Uncle Ed]

Do not use any steel core Russian pulls, they will not expand and fill the bore when fired.

Below from the 1974 Speer No. 9 reloading manual using a softer lead core 100 grain .308 half jacket bullet.

Below I use the Hornady .312 100 grain pistol bullets for my case forming and plinking load. If you can't find any SR4759 you can use Trail Boss powder.

 

[2506]

I have tried .308 bullets in two 303 British rifles one was an unissued #4 when I got it. They shot like a shotgun. Put Hornady 174 gr RNSP .312 bullets through them and they shoot very well. Tried .308s in various 7.62x54Rs and accuracy was terrible. .311 & .312 they drive tacks.

 

[DRNewcomb]

Do not use any steel core Russian pulls, they will not expand and fill the bore when fired.

No worries there. Never touch the stuff.

If you can't find any SR4759 you can use Trail Boss powder.

I actually have two almost full cans of SR4759.

 

[DRNewcomb]

I got 2 boxes of Sierra 150 GR. pro-hunter 100 bullet boxes 303 Cal. .311 Dia. $20.00 each plus the $7.00 freight. I think thats a good price. Capt Dan

Thanks but the issue is that I've got a near lifetime supply* of 172 gn and 149 gn .308 bullets that didn't cost me much (~ 5¢-10¢ ea) that I'm trying to use.

*Lifetime supply for someone who's not trying to feed a MG.

 

[DRNewcomb]

I think my "take away" from this discussion is that I'll just have to load up a variety of ammo and give 'er a whirl.

 

[scubohuntr]

Stake some tomatoes with that SMLE, then go find a Remington 788 in .308. Or a Garand. My M1 is perfectly happy with 147 pulldowns. The only SMLE I ever owned (briefly) delivered open-choke patterns even with .311 bullets.

 

[riflewoman]

Thanks but the issue is that I've got a near lifetime supply* of 172 gn and 149 gn .308 bullets that didn't cost me much (~ 5¢-10¢ ea) that I'm trying to use.

*Lifetime supply for someone who's not trying to feed a MG.

Contact Corbin Swaging and explain to them what you’re needing. They have bump up dies that will bump those bullets to .312.

 

[Uncle Ed]

Stake some tomatoes with that SMLE, then go find a Remington 788 in .308. Or a Garand. My M1 is perfectly happy with 147 pulldowns. The only SMLE I ever owned (briefly) delivered open-choke patterns even with .311 bullets.

Why do you think the British sold off most of these old worn out rifles out of service. "BUT" many of these rifles only need to have the fore stock bedding tweaked and adjusted for the proper up pressure at the fore end tip to shoot well. And I even have unissued No.1 and No.4 Enfield rifles that were overhauled or never issued.

Below in the top of the photo a unissued 1950 Canadian Long Branch No.4 Enfield rifle with a mint four groove barrel. Military rifles have the bedding adjusted to shoot issued ammunition accurately. And if you can't get flat base Hornady .312 bullets to shoot accurately you have a bad barrel or a loose fore stock.