Does anyone have any similar loads for 303B and 7.65x53 with 174, 180 or 215gr bullets?
I'm trying to find a load ( if its possible ) that will work in both cartridges....this is purely a hypothetical exercise....
All this is assuming similar action strength...a No.4 and at least an M96...

Roger

I use 150 and 174 gr (Prvi brand for the most part...cheeper bullets but they still do the job and ) for both...BUT...the 303 #4 is rated at around 49/52 Kpsi depending on what authority you read and whether it is C.I.P or SAMMI, and the Belgian Mauser is rated at ~56 Kpsi as is the M96...so as far as I understand this there are NO comparable loads as far as pressure limits are concerned and only comparable as far as bullet weights are concerned.

You could develop loads at specific pressures below max limits that would be similar/equal by following reloading manual recommendations by matching pressures, but I prefer to develop loads specifically for individual rifles for accuracy. I don't shoot the heavy 200+ gr bullets...nothing wrong with doing so, just my preference for cases of these volumes...~55 gr +/- 5-8 gr.

Both these calibers are the equal to the 308 in every way as long as they use decent receivers/stocks/scopes/etc or are tuned and loads developed correctly. I'm never disappointed when using one of them, game falls just as fast as with using most any of my other rifles/cals when I do my part.

I use RL 15, CFE223 and 748 mostly in these two cartridges and 0.311-0.312" bullets whichever size is the most accurate and consistent...varies with brand and box and as usual I benchrest sort bullets/cases/etc. What else to do when the snow is knee deep to a tall giraffe?

Good Hunting

Here in Australia, for 98% of our game ( 'roo's, pigs, hog deer and fallow ) we really don't need heavy bullets, so I would probably work up a load in the 150 to 174 range and see if its possible to get a " crossover " load.
This is purely an experiment, but could prove interesting.

Roger

What is a similar load for two completely different cartridges?
What is the answer you are trying to derive?

Others have provide "max" pressure data, and Lee lists case capacity of 7.65X53 at 3.25cc and 303 British at 3.28 cc if . . . IF that helps in the least.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TCLouis:
What is a similar load for two completely different cartridges?
What is the answer you are trying to derive?

This is purely an exercise in curiosity....everything I have ever read about these two cartridges says that one is basically a duplicate of the other,shape, size, capacity and calibre.
As I have a rifle in each, I have always been curious if there was a load (powder type, amount and bullet weight ) that was the same in both and whether they would give the same velocities.

Roger

BOTH cases have essentially the SAME case volume(you have to measure to verify)...can use the SAME powders...there IS a difference in bullet OD depending on the barrel dimension but that has to be measured to verify...can use the SAME primer and hasn't been a problem for me....bullets from ~60 to 200+ are available(maybe not in your area)...

The major difference is the receiver's pressure limits - 56 Kpsi for the Mauser's and 49 KPSI for the smelly and the barrel length's variation in velocity - if you could call it major.

I checked my reloading notes for both cartridges...the 303 in a Smelly Jungle carbine, 18" BBL LOADED TO ~45 Kpsi with Hornady 150 GR, .312 CAL BULLETS and the 7.65 in a 22" 1891 Argentine Mauser, loaded to ~50 Kpsi, using then same 150 gr bullets and the same 3 powders - 748, CFE223 and RL 15...Smelly ~2500-2550 fs and Mauser ~2800-2850 give or take a bit...Oehler 33 chrono. The Mauser is very accurate with this bullet but the Smelly is dismal...I haven't slugged the Smelly as it's basically a wall hanger...I'm guessing a slightly larger OD cast lead slug would solve some of the accuracy problem....it looks like a new rifle...I got it from an estate sale along with an almost new Moisin.


Between 250 and 300 fs more velocity with the 7.65...I DON'T consider this comparable as I already said, as fired in the separate receivers... BUT if you used a higher pressure Mauser receiver for BOTH CARTRIDGES, WITH EQUAL LENGTH BARRELS, you could essentially use the same powders, bullets, pressure limits and achieve the same velo's within statistical variation limits.


This is ALWAYS an interesting question, that has been asked many times for various calibers, but it is still comparing apples to kumquats as TOO MANY VARIABLES are being introduced and asked to be equal...NOT POSSIBLE.

Visually speaking one cartridge is a very tapered rimmed case and the other a "normal" looking bottle necked case...both with similar case volumes that use ALMOST the same dia bullet.

It is very dangerous assume or listen to vague references without doing a full research of ALL the parameters and there is way too much of that going on in the internet.

As an aside...you could compare the above cartridges to the 7.5x54mm MAS as it also has similar case volumes, pressure limits and bullet diameters/weights and produces similar velocities...and isn't such a bad cartridge either and comparable to the 308.

What you CAN SAY about this class of cases/cartridges is they are all very similar in performance and will take most of the worlds game when used correctly.

Good Hunting

Actually they both use the same dia. bullet.....312....the two rifles both have 22" barrels....one is a No.I Mk III enfield and the other is a 1904 Vergueiro .

I don't know the pressure limits for these two particular models of rifle......as I said, curiosity. ......I thank you for your input.

Roger

I agree with what has been expressed so far. Shot with both calibers (.303 in a BSA and 7.65 in two DWM 1909 Argentine Mauser) and the pressures supported by 7.65 are higher and can not be bought with the .303. - Excellent caliber to hunt the 7 , 65 with all bullets available, from 150 gr to 215 gr. Regards, Hector