Im receiving a nice Wesley-Richards to look at to buy...It will need restoration, but pretty easy job I think..So it seems .318 WR cases are a snap to make from 30-06 and I have cans and bags of o6 brass.

My question is who makes bullets now that Woodleigh is in limbo? Any suggestions of any kind from 318 users appreciated. I may in fact just use it as is if I decide to buy it and thats about a given..then the option of a rebore exits as a last resort?? probabl to a 35 or 9,3

How about dies availability?

Hawk has them too. Would love to see some pictures if you pick it up. That's a sweet caliber.

https://hawkbullets.com/bullet-selection.html

I have a .318 WR and reload for it using 30-06 brass which I trim and then run through the .318 dies an easy process. I found my dies (CH4D) some time back through an advert on the doublegunshop.com forum- a lucky find. RCBS used to make them on a custom order basis but that is no longer an option and I bet the order time for CH4D is way out.

I have used Woodleigh 250 grain bullets and I continue to scrounge around for them with moderate success.

About a year ago I ordered some .330 bullets from Hawk and they said they couldn't supply them as they were using all their copper on filling other orders.

I feel sure that once Woodleigh is able to re-establish itself that they will produce more bullets for the .318 WR but that's just a guess.

I would never rebore an original WR .318.

I recall reading an article probably 20+ years ago by Craig Boddington where he took .338 projectiles and had them centerless ground to .330 dia.

Centerless grinding is a pretty precise process so I imagine that would work pretty well.

Thanks to all for the good information, it appears dies will be the major problem..Im wondering if one could modify a set of 30-06 or 35 Welen dies. I recall having Dennis Olson make me a set of 375x9.3x62 some years ago and they worked great..

Ray, I can loan you a set of dies for a few months if you can come up with bullets. I just checked and only have about a dozen woodleighs left so I'd like to know if you find a source.
Bob

Quality Cartridge lists .330 monolithic Game-StopR bullets in 205, 225 and 250 gr.

30-06 brass
C-H tool and die 4D dies
Taper expand and trim to length
Fireform
May need to turn the necks if they are too thick

Bullets:
Hornady SP .330 cal for 8x56R 205 gr ( a bit light for the 318WR but ok for practice
PPU aalso make bullets for the 8x56R
problem with the .330 cal bullets for the 8x56R they are all around 205 to 208 gr

Hawk bullets and off course Woodleigh (if you can still find any )

I would contact Corbin regarding swaging readily available .338 caliber bullets down to .330.

Not 100% sure, but I would think that should be doable.

I just purchased a custom Bennie Laubscher 318. I managed to get about 100 rounds of factory kynoch ammo as well as 200 woodleigh bullets. The rifle came with a set of RCBS dies.

Robertson Cartridge company does make brass in the USA.

Peregrine bullets also offers .330 bullets for loading.

It is a great cartridge with minimal recoil and fun to shoot!

quote:

Originally posted by MD375:
I just purchased a custom Bennie Laubscher 318. I managed to get about 100 rounds of factory kynoch ammo as well as 200 woodleigh bullets. The rifle came with a set of RCBS dies.

Robertson Cartridge company does make brass in the USA.

Peregrine bullets also offers .330 bullets for loading.

It is a great cartridge with minimal recoil and fun to shoot!

I believe RCC is bankrupt now and out of business.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:



I believe RCC is bankrupt now and out of business.

That’s a shame!

I wish the 318 along with the 333 Jeffrey and 350 Rigby make a comeback!

It seems as though the London Makers are still chambering rifles (at no small price!) which should be a good sign

It should be easy to draw down .338 bullets to .330. I've had very good success with using Lee breech lock sizing dies to draw down bullets for my rifles. They are inexpensive and work well. Lee lists a .330 custom run overstock in their inventory for $16 + shipping.

fjrdoc.
Are you talking about cast or jacketed bullets such as Sierra, Hornady, etc.

I draw .323 Hornady 8mm Interlock bullets down to .318 for my 1914 Mauser sporting rifle. It doesn't require much effort to draw them down. I'm not an expert but I would think .338 to .330 would be doable.

Lee can provide sizing dies. You can get a 0.333” die and a 0.329” die from Lee and size down 250gr Hornady round nose bullets. They would be perfect for the 318WR!

got some good news..

C&H has as of this week put into motion an order for 30 .318 Wesley Richards die sets of which 15 sets have been on order for some time..demand is said to be going strong..I got my order in..delivery is expected mid summer..

My .318 had Metford rifling and dated from 1928. I found that it didn't like any kind of jump at all, so I loaded the 250-grain Woodleigh's so that they just about touched the lands. That worked fine, and the rifle shot very accurately.

That 250-grain Woodleigh is one of the finest hunting bullets I ever used. It has excellent sectional density and would penetrate in a straight line through everything. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on the largest of thin-skinned animals.

The .318 really punches above its weight in terms of killing power. I would rate it much closer to the 9,3x62 in the way it thumps animals than the .30-06. It's a fantastic cartridge.

Ray,
I have a box of maybe 40 bullets (Patriot brand) and a bunch of resized 30'06 brass that needs a trim to length if you find the wait for your dies too long.
I bet you could use a shortened 338WM seating die to seat if it came to that, maybe even an unaltered 338 die if you're loading long bullets.

Shoot me a PM if you're interested in the brass and bullets.

Anyone else interested can PM me too.

I have 10 boxes of 250 gr Woodleigh coming Im pretty sure..Maybe more..plus 4 boxes of Hawk bulllets, but thanks for the offer.

Got the rifle today, bores good and its nice overall, recoil pad is trash but LOP was not cut so i will replace a steel original "heel plate" or a pigskin covered Silvers pad, checkering is very nice but I may refinish the solid stock if so I will violate the gunsmiths that condemn Linseed oil and apply a hand rub old world finish over some Alkanet root, the last one lasted a couple of hundred years..May even go for a corbon blue by Doug Turnball, but the blue is more than decent...Just talking out loud as to the possibilities. May just load her up and go shoot deer and elk this fall, Lord willing and the creek don't rise..This gun gives me chills!!

Please post pictures.

I dont post on AR,never got around to it..but cn send to emails..once I decide to clean it up a bit, doesn't need much and at my age may just sell it at some point to someone that appreciates such jewels..

Ray,

If you ever decided de to part with it I would be interested.

Hey Ray

I have a Westley Richards drop lock DR in .318 WR. All the bells and buzzers as I believe that it was a Marajaha's gun. Haven't used it much. I will be happy to loan my RCBS dies to you.

tHANKS TO ALL, THATS WHAT I LIKE ABOUT AR..

I have some decisions to make about this rifle, to restore to new and that would be easy with a refinished stock and a rust blue, but both are fine as is sooooo???? but at my age I tend to think let someone else who would appreciate it and get some use out of it, decisions, decisions. I suppose if the price was right Id sell it or trade it..Its AFrica ready as is..Serious potential buyers, call me and lets talk,