Safety on the range

[Chopper]

Just a question for the older blokes like Alan
Who knows of any Blow ups with 303 days ??? Chop

[AlanF]

That was way back when they only scored out of 50! Before my time...

[Razer]

Never ever saw any but that doesn't mean there was none.
One reason that there may have been a possible zero count is because all ammo was supplied by army and there were no 'roll your own'. This was also the case right up to 1998(?) with the issued ADI 7.62 loaded with 144grain projectiles(mandatory). Only when the army stopped supply did hand loading kick in so we were well away from the old 303. Not sure what is allowed in Service Rifle shooting these days as it died a natural death in some clubs during the 2000 to 2010 period, as much from lack of interest as range restrictions disallowing other than prone single shot disciplines.

[Chopper]

Good on ya Razer, PS Who is your modern day Percy Pavey ? if I may ask Chop

[Chopper]

Some should read , Australian Target rifle , NO 98, 2012, pages 23 , 24 NO tech talk on ammo, Just PAVEYS wind reading , HE BEAT the best, And mind control, Back then , Ammo issue was it , if it was 10 inch up and down ammo, You had to read 10 feet left and right, THAT WON IT , Now ????? Chop

[Chopper]

Also , Australian Target Rifle, No 109, 2014, Pges 26, 27 , If you are intersested Chop

[Razer]

Good on ya Razer, PS Who is your modern day Percy Pavey ? if I may ask Chop

If I had to pick one it would be the quiet achiever, JC, that is James Corbett.

I have seen 303 actions blow up but not on the range.
In the late 1950's is cost a fortune to buy a brand name centre fire. We used .22 rimfire, Hornets and 25-20's to shoot pigs.
It was illegal to own a military calibre so many had 303-22 and 303-25 calibre conversions to get around this.(Sportco I think had barrels made for conversion).The 303/22 was the pro roo shooters choice.
Ammo was supplied mainly by Riverbrand(SA) who bought the used military brass, hydraulically removed primer and reloaded for these calibres(also for the 243 later). I would hazard a guess and say they possible still used cordite for propellant but never pulled any to see, but, when we got single flash hole brass, we would reload using the very accurate method of so many sticks of cordite taken out of pulled 303 ammo.
The .243 was coming into vogue and some bright spark decided to import some, so, got Sako to convert Mark 4's to .243w.
After they passed customs safety regulations and were approved for public sale, these crazy bastards stopped the Sako conversion and barrels and got used Mark 3's converted in India. Needless to say the Mark 3 didn't take to kindly to the pressure of .243 and quite a few blew up.
The horse had bolted, so to ensure shooter safety, all 243w factory ammo was slowed down about 400fps so as to not stress the Mark 3.
I have a Sako converted .243W in my safe that I bought new in 1958. It even came issued with a proof test card which worked out at about 58000psi.(Sako only used new actions)The bolt conversion is a delight to see, machined to perfection.
It still shoots brilliantly, is on a sporter stock with Monte Carlo cheekpiece which is made from American Walnut, also fitted with a Sako micro-groove barrel and with over 12000 rounds down the spout it is still 90%. Has only come out of the safe and fired the odd shot or two for the last 25 years. The biggest drawback was the magazine was reduced to 5 rounds.
It cost 28 pounds and that was well over 2 weeks wages back then. I have an old 'Shooter' magazine from then with the advert in it. Yes, it has huge sentimental value to me.

[Chopper]

Great Info, Well done Razer, I met Perc towards the end , He made me a couple of stocks , M17, no matter how good the ammo is , reading wind was the winner, it went further left and right by far,than up and down, Thanks for your input, Im sure a few are interested, Chop , ps any more I wonder what he would have thought about primer weights Chop

[BATattack]

I started writing something then deleted it for safety and stupidity reasons!!

Anyway I was a part of some ridiculous overloading and barrel obstructing and the action held together. The end of the barrel split off by the action was intact.

[Chopper]

Thanks for your honest info Batt, new shooters will learn , Anyway , I am building a Benchrest on an M17 Winny , and am almost complete, used to belong to an old Broken Hill mate of mine since 1954 , and am taking pride in the build , Chop, ps just would like . to help in the thinking about spending big bucks too Win, and have fun

[Chopper]

Razer may agree ?

[Chopper]

The M17 I have read , was released on August 18 ,1917 , and are still being converted and used , Chop

[johnk]

The M17 was chambered for the 30/06. The P14 from which it was derived was a .303 chambering.

Both were manufactured of the highest quality materials & are still used for Magnum & big Nitro calibres without detriment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1917_Enfield

[Chopper]

Triggers and speed lock kits are still around, and would think a bit safer than some previous models, there is some good reading from ,Remodeling, The U.S Model M17 Rifle from the American Rifleman , Great reading , P14 and M17 can be bought for a song , So Far , and Blue up Great, They just have to ping off the modern day cartridge , powder and projy in the modern day barrel, Chop

[johnk]

The quick fix when I hunted in the seventies was to run a P14 bolt into a M17 rifle & rechamber it for .308 Norma Magnum (the belted magnum case with a neck - not like the Winchester).