I recently purchased a Ruger .303 and have been developing some loads.I have been using 46 grns. of H414 with 180 grn. Core-Lokt and 44 grns. of H414 with the Woodleigh 215 grn. Both have givin very good results. Has anyone else been playing with this rifle, and if so,what combinations are working for you?

Laugh if you would like but the most accurate bullet I have found in a .303 is the 174 grain Hornady RN. Several others I have recommended it to have had the same results in Lee- Enfields.
Always try IMR or H4895 in cases this size.
Do you get a badly bulged case at the web?
Do you know what diameter your chamber is reamed at the rear? You might like to know that of the currently available cases the Prvi Partisan (PPU) brand cases are the largest and will have the smallest bulge.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Wilkerson:
I recently purchased a Ruger .303 and have been developing some loads.I have been using 46 grns. of H414 with 180 grn. Core-Lokt and 44 grns. of H414 with the Woodleigh 215 grn. Both have givin very good results. Has anyone else been playing with this rifle, and if so,what combinations are working for you?

Well, I was going to be playing with one, but it turns out it will be a while yet. Last night I noticed that the local Cabela's has a used one in stock, togther with a used 9.3x74. Drove the 30 miles or so over there this afternoon just to see what they were like to deal with.

Took along an O/U double rifle with 4 sets of barrels, 3 scope mounts, and a scope, in its gun case made for the complete set. Thought I'd see what kind of trade they might be interested in making, so I could judge whether I ever wished to become a regular customer.

When I walked in to the gun library, I wasn't even allowed to touch my own cased gun which had been checked and logged at the front door. I was given a ticket stub, and told someone would wait on me when it was my turn.

Half an hour later none of the 5 or 6 sales people had even spoken to me. So I sort of took one of them by the ear lobe and asked him to show me those two No. 1's. He said they had no such calibers in stock. I told him I had checked on the internet just before I walked in and they were both listed as currently in stock and available to buy.

He said, "Well what we have is right in that cabinet and there isn't either one of those calibers in there", pointing at a display case with about 8 or 10 Number 1's in it...and he walked off.

I looked at the cabinet and what the heck...they were BOTH SITTING THERE PLAIN AS DAY.

Eventually I snagged him again, and had him get them out to show me. He asked if I wanted to buy them. I said, "I" don't know about buying both of them or even one. So far no-one has discussed anything about any kind of possible deal with me. If we can make a good deal, I will take them both. If we can't make a trade that I find gives me the value of my gun, then I'll possibly take the 9.3x74-R...I have enough Cabela's points in my account to buy that."

Well, half an hour later no-one had spoken to me again, so I looked around to see where my rifle was. Turns out there were three guys in an office pawing the gun over, and rumaging through my case...showing little carefulness and no courtesy at all.

So I interuppted. "What are you guys doing with my gun?" I asked. "You want to sell it, so we're gonna look at it." was the response.

Of course, I said..."I don't want to sell it; I was going to chat with you to see what kind of trades we might be able to make, if any". Whereupon they put the gun back in the case and all left the room. No one spoke to me again for at least 45 minutes more.

Finally one guy came out and invited me into the room and to take a seat. I sat down and some guy I hadn't even seen before said. "Well, we are willing to offer you $1,500 cash for your rifle and all the sets of barrels and so on..."

I said "Well, I'll just take it home then. There is no way in Hell, I would sell it for that...especially when you want $1,299 for a used Ruger No 1 in .303 British!"

That was the end of our discussion. I used my points to buy the 9.3x74-R No. 1, but I won't be going back there again.

I'll just call Lipsey's and get a brand new .303 No. 1 for about $500 less than Cabela's wants for the used one in their local store.

Hope yours does well for you. Am sure it is a nice rifle to have. Just not nice enough to get bent over by Cabela's local store for it.

Pretty shabby treatment.Which Store was this?????

That experience isn't unusual, IMO. I've had similar things happen in two other Cabelas stores, in completely different regions. Now, if I even bother to go in the gun room, it's just to look. I've handeled some high dollar custom rifles in there, and found some serious malfunctions - - so bad that the guns shouldn't even be on the shelf before repair. In one instance, when I pointed the flaws out, the gun was taken to the back room immediately. Makes me wonder. I even offered to buy the gun and have it fixed myself. They didn't like my offer.

However, I have on rare occasions seen relatively good deals on their regular used gun rack, if the store has one. Once, I got a real good deal, but it was only because of the inexperience and inattentivness of the guy making the deal. He made a mistake on the value of model of rifle I offered to trade in, and I didn't correct him. It's hard to believe, but I think he didn't know the difference in a pre-64 and post-64 mod 70. That's the only explanation I can think of, because I'm sure it wasn't because we were buddies.

KB

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:
Pretty shabby treatment.Which Store was this?????

Glendale, AZ

Back to the subject -- I sure would like to own one of those #1s in the 303 Brit. That could be fun.

However, I just bought a custom MGM barrel in 7.62x54R for the Encore, and it's at MGM now to be fitted properly to my frame. It shoots the .311 bullet too, same I believe as the 303. Should be almost identical in performance.

I have little experience with single-shot rifles, so I hope it works out well, because I plan on getting a muzzel loader barrel too, and a turkey shotgun barrel, for the same frame.

About ten years ago, I was handloading for the 7.62x53R (the Finn version using .308 bullets) and had a can of IMR 4320, which I had not previously found a use for. I decided what the heck, I'll try it in this cartridge, and it worked very well - better than attempts with other powder, as I recall. I was using the 185gr lapua Mega bullets.

KB

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
Back to the subject -- I sure would like to own one of those #1s in the 303 Brit. That could be fun.

KB

I agree. I'd like it better with a little thinner and about 3" longer barrel, but it's a fine little rifle as is...just a tad heavier than it needs to be. Nice cartridge, though, and will easily take the pressures for hotter loads than the Smellys handle.

The one at Cabelas had very plain wood, but the grain was properly laid out. Since it is intended for use, not to hang on the wall as art work, the plain wood is not offensive at all...might even be preferable in the field.

I personally think that little rifle could become a hunter's best pal in short order, and would go usefully just about everywhere with him. It had "sturdy" written all over it.

AC, for the sake of all of us "customers" - do please send your post, in the form of an email or letter, to Cabela's customer service department.

I have walked out of gunshops for less. That kind of conduct is deplorable.

Your story indicates that Cabela's is expanding too fast for quality control to keep up with the challenge, and they need to know it.

They have at least one gun library employee who is a member here on AR, and who reports comments about Cabela's back to them. If they care, things may improve. If they don't, things won't improve.

Me, I don't care one way or the other if Cabela's improves. I learned what I need to know, so I'll deal elsewhere. There are way too many gun-dealers in this metro area to need, or to put up with, the local Cabela's Gun Library. I may miss some buys but life will go on.

AC, my former fellow Oregonian, I am sorry for the ill treatment you suffered at Cabelas. In my experience they are very uneven in customer service. I hung around the new Springfield, OR, Cabelas gun library for nearly an hour before I could convince someone to open the case and let me handle three or four of the now-damned Sabatti double rifles. In the store's defense, it had only opened a couple of weeks prior and was quite jammed with suckers.

Michael: What kind of velocities are you getting out of your No. 1? And how about the accuracy?
Kabluwey: I had phenomenal results with a Sako-barreled Finn Model 39 in 7.62X53 using 760, which I believe is the same as H414.

Bill, I have not chronographed any loads as of this date. According to the manuals ( which are often times way off) I think that the 180 grs are around 2450 and the 215 gr. ought be about 2150. These basically duplicate many of the older loads. I know that I could load them much hotter in the Ruger, but if I wanted to have a faster bullet I would have bought something bigger. The accuracy is very good and I am presently very happy.

Funny thing. What with all the posts about the ruger #1's in 303 british one of my favorite cartridges why hasn't anyone suggested or did a conversion to 7.62x54r?. Better bore dimensions than a lot of moisins out there and a single shot to boot. not putting down the #1's at all, I have a #1 in 45/70 that I love to shoot with cast bullets. Frank

quote:

Originally posted by Singleshotlover:
Funny thing. What with all the posts about the ruger #1's in 303 british one of my favorite cartridges why hasn't anyone suggested or did a conversion to 7.62x54r?. Better bore dimensions than a lot of moisins out there and a single shot to boot. not putting down the #1's at all, I have a #1 in 45/70 that I love to shoot with cast bullets. Frank

Bill of Oregon and I mentioned converting a No. 1 to 7.62 Rooskie on another thread. But I wouldn't convert a .303 Brit to that because they are a special run and if not regularly catalogued at some point may be desirable in and for their own sake.

Now, if I had another beater .22-250 on hand, or any chambering of a No. 1-A or No. 1-AB, I'd certainly use that as a donor.....a nice 25" long #1-1/2 or #2 profile barrel and some good barrel-band iron sights and front sling swivel (and a transplanted Ruger 1/4 rib for the scope)....mmmm boy!

(You evil man! Putting temptation before a weak soul. Come to think of it, I've got half a dozen new, unused .30 barrel blanks laying in the shop right now....)

I selected the Hornady 174RN as my hunting bullit,then started a round of gathering powders.After reading the lastest coverage,I picked RL-15,19,IMR 4350,H414 and 760.Most all would run 1" to 2" at 100 yards.Also,Ruger cheated me out 1" of rifling at the throat,as I cannot touch the lands?
To say I was losing faith is an understatement and the thoughts of returning the rifle,requesting a re-barrel, I remembered my .30-40 Krag liked IMR 4064 and the bullet out as far as it could go.
So 10 rounds were loaded and off the range I go... This was shot with 6
x42 Leupold and a little windy,but,I think it's a keeper...

Any of you fellas been back out to the shooting range with your .303s? I'm still hoping to hear more about accuracy., as this seems to be quite an issue for some of the guys who bought No. 1s in this caliber.

I think one thing to do is check the throat and seat accordly.I was surprised to find mine as long as it is.Stupid of Ruger to do that.??

Mine will be used mostly for deer with the possible wild hog thrown in.
I'm still deciding on the hunting scope,right now it wears a Leupold 6X42...

Guys


I just ran into a guy I know that was trying to sell a .303 British in a #1.

Im not sure what he was asking but I think Ill look him up and find out what he wants for it.


Cal30

A bunch of Ruger #1's in .303B were recently sold here in Oz. Most seem to have the long, long throat and some have a bore over size. Good if you cast but not good if you roll handloads with factory pills.

If you can't get one to shoot, slug the bore.

Code4: I have one of the #1's and the bore slugs at slightly over .313. I was surprised to find that this diameter matches the original specifications for the cartridge and I believe the specs adopted by SAAMI although I'm not positive about the latter. It seems most bullet manufacturers have not sourced this information and make them too small. It won't be a problem as I intend to shoot primarily paper patched cast bullets and conventional gas checked cast bullets. My son shot his rifle, a P14, quite a bit and likewise found that the Hornady 174 grain round nose was the most accurate of commonly available jacketed bullets he tested.
It would be interesting to test some of the larger diameter bullets that I have heard Woodleigh makes. If I had my druthers Ruger could have had a .311 or .312 bore but it appears they did follow accepted standards.