Author Topic: .303 Ammo (Read 368 times)

Dago · « **on:** April 30, 2006, 08:30:27 AM »

Wasn't someone looking for .303 ammo? Hangtime or lazs?

Classic Arms has some .303 British.

.303

dago

Dago · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2006, 01:48:51 AM »

Did anyone buy any?

Hangtime · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2006, 01:53:28 AM »

Not I... my Enfields are .308; but thanks for the link!

VOR · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2006, 07:37:57 AM »

Just eyeballing the stuff online, I'd say buyer beware unless someone can vouch for the guy selling. He says he tested it, so that's a plus.

I've fired alot of English and Pakistani surplus that just didn't function all that well. Alot of hangfires and duds, as I recall. It's probably a result of poor case seal around the primers and bullets that allows moisture to get in over time.

A day at the range with a box of P.O.F. headstamp and my No. 4 would go something like this:

1. Load rifle
2. Steady position, sight picture, breathing, trigger squeeze.
3. *CLICK*
4. Light up a smoke, kick my feet up, chat with the guy in the next lane about guns and trucks and stuff.
5. Extinguish cigarette.
6. Reaquire position, sights, and breathing stance.
7. BANG

Actually, not a bad way to relax at the range if you're into the more liesurely side of shooting.

lazs2 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2006, 08:07:57 AM »

I don't smoke tho.

lazs

Hangtime · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:03:56 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by VOR
Just eyeballing the stuff online, I'd say buyer beware unless someone can vouch for the guy selling. He says he tested it, so that's a plus.

I've fired alot of English and Pakistani surplus that just didn't function all that well. Alot of hangfires and duds, as I recall. It's probably a result of poor case seal around the primers and bullets that allows moisture to get in over time.

A day at the range with a box of P.O.F. headstamp and my No. 4 would go something like this:

1. Load rifle
2. Steady position, sight picture, breathing, trigger squeeze.
3. *CLICK*
4. Light up a smoke, kick my feet up, chat with the guy in the next lane about guns and trucks and stuff.
5. Extinguish cigarette.
6. Reaquire position, sights, and breathing stance.
7. BANG

Actually, not a bad way to relax at the range if you're into the more liesurely side of shooting.

LOL.. I think I've seen this stuff. we called it 'flintlock ammo'. Could actually hear the firing pin 'twap' the case, then a 'pffft-BANG'.

Was, for some reason; hysterically funny.

Angus · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:25:31 AM »

Happens sometimes to my 22 mac ammo. Never Winchester though.
I just rotate the cartridge and shoot again. Usually works.
Happy that it doesn't go off when I have my finger at it

Yeager · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:27:47 AM »

Cheap is not good when its exploding in a breech three inches from your face. If your going to harness the power that results from explosive detonation, spend the money and buy decent explosives.

Hangtime · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:49:30 AM »

Yeag if the rifle is in spec and the headspace is correct then old powder is no additional risk to the shooter. Any rifle out of spec is dangerous, no matter what ammo is in it.

Yeager · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:00:09 AM »

the condition of the firearm is not the variable here, Im going to give the benifit of the doubt to the person who owns and cares for the weapon. Its the old crusty CHEAP third world ammunition that is the variable. if you trust the ammunition "knock yurself out" (no PUN intended)

VOR · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:00:34 AM »

Hangtime, I've been hearing more and more "evidence" that some mixes of old powder recipies can become more volatile with age. It hasn't been my experience personally, though.

I've fired cordite .303 ammo headstamped during WWI and have several bandoliers of Turkish 8mm Mauser headstamped during WWII. No problems, but I tend to be pretty cautious about what constitutes a good round versus a bad round.

Knew a guy that blew the op rod out of his new production Garand firing what turned out to be a bad lot of over-pressure Korean 30.06. Far as I know, it was 3 or 4 specific lot numbers and I'm pretty sure they've all been taken out of circulation by now. Just in case, I keep those numbers handy at home in my desk and double check before I place an order from ammoman or aim surplus.

Hangtime · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:09:54 AM »

Yep.. on that basis; (over spec chamber pressure from hot loads) ammo can be deadly... for that reason if it's handloads, and I didn't hand load it, it don't go into my rifles. Never considered mil-surp to be risky from a 'too hot a load' standpoint (all my .308 mil surp stuff is 148-155g) but, now I'll be a mite more cautious before I buy.

Thanks for the illumination, VOR!

Angus · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:12:40 AM »

Reminds me that I also had a dud when I fired a Hollywood round from a 60-year old M1. It was during film shooting, and lol, I must have looked normal, on my stomach, franticly re-entering and firing again, "click" again, and then it was half jammed or something, lol.

Makarov9 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:38:30 AM »

I made the mistake of buying some surplus .303 from Sportsman Guide. It ended up being 1942 British ammo. It's all click.....bang. I fired 3 rounds of it and that was enough....any one want to buy 200 rounds of this for damn cheap?

I'm glad Wolf is now making .303 ammo. I grabbed some and will try it out soon. Love my SMLE!

VOR · « **Reply #14 on:** May 06, 2006, 01:31:15 AM »

Yup, that's the stuff!

I had a similar experience with some 8mm Egyptian surplus. I think the vendor put it in a tumbler or something cause the stuff looked brand new and shiney. I ended up scavenging the bullets with a bullet puller so it wouldn't be a total write-off. Nothing is more worthless than 300 bullets in a caliber that I don't even own reloading dies for. 10 years from now I'll pass by them again in my garage and wonder what to do with them. I'm just a hopeless packrat when it comes to some things.