.303 British
Originally designed as a black powder cartridge,
the .303 British was the first loaded with a smokeless propellant called
Cordite around 1892. The .303 served as a British military cartridge until
the 1950's and at one time was an extremely popular big game cartridge. In
the hands of farmers and natives, this cartridge with its long .311" bullet
has probably killed more African game than any other. Even today the .303
British continues to be quite popular there as well as in Canada.
Even though the .303 British was once available in the Winchester Model 1895
lever action rifle, few American hunters had ever heard of it until dozens
of foreign governments dumped their obsolete military rifles into the U.S
market during the 1950's and 1960's. At that time, Lee-Enfield rifles brought
as much as $24.95 on the war surplus market, which was most tempting to the
chap trying to squeeze a deer rifle into a growing family's budget.
Ballistically, the .303 British is quite similar to the
.30-40
Krag.
Not much is said or written about the .303 British these days, mainly because
those who still use it are hunters and not writers. But it continues to get
the job done just like a number of other mild mannered cartridges that have
become classics in their time.
Sierra, Speer, and
Hornady offer the .311" bullets of
various weights. Some rifles with a bore and groove diameters on the minimum
side will also handle .308" bullets about as well. When loaded with a 150
grain spitzer at 2700 fps, the .303 British will kill deer just as dead,
just as quick, as the
.308 Winchester.
Heavier bullets are best for bigger game. Regardless of what bullet is loaded
in the .303, H335
is an excellent powder.
Source: Hodgdon Data Manual, 26th Edition
Historical Notes:
The 303 British was the official military rifle cartridge of England and
the British Empire from its adoption in 1888 until the 7.62 NATO came along
in the 1950's. Original loading was a 215 grain bullet and a compressed charge
of blackpowder, smokeless powder became the propellant in 1882. Manufacture
in the U.S. began about 1897. Remington chambered their Lee bolt action magazine
rifle for this cartridge and Winchester did likewise in their Model 95 lever
action. No American rifle has chambered the .303 British since 1936. However,
Winchester, Federal, and Remington continue to load this popular caliber.
General Comments:
The 303 British has always been popular in Canada and other parts of the
British Empire. In the U.S. it has not been as widely used because of its
performance similarity to the
.30-40 Krag.
However, since the end of WWII, the importation of large numbers of British
Lee Enfield military rifles has altered this situation. At the present time,
the .303 is more popular than the
.30-40 Krag.
Norma imports 130grain and 180 grain loads that greatly increase flexibility
and usefulness of this cartridge for the American hunter. The 215 grain bullet
has always had a good reputation for deep penetration and is a favorite for
moose and caribou in the Canadian backwoods. The .303 is suitable for anything
the .30-40 Krag
is in ways of game. In Australia, a number of popular sporting cartridges
are based on necking down and/or reforming the .303
case.
Editor's Note:
Although often classed with the
.30-40 Krag,
this cartridge is loaded to higher pressures and delivers superior ballistics.
Foreign factory loads place it very close ballisticly to the
.308 Winchester
and measurably above any factory
.30-40 load,
though handload for the
.30-40 in
the Model 95 Winchester can match the .303 British.
Source: Cartridges of the World
| 303 British Reloading Components & Accessories | |
| 303 Caliber (.311) Bullets |
RCBS Ammo Box (#86903) |
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