Commercial .303 British Ammo

USAF_462/2W1X1 · 07-10-2008, 12:30 PM

Ok guys I have been looking around the web because I need to buy some .303 British ammo. I DO NOT want any of that iffy, hit or miss, Pakistani stuff but that is all the Mil-Surp I can find, so it looks like this will be a "commercial" venture... I only buy FMJ rounds for storage and for the range, since I rarely, if ever, hunt with my No.4 Mk 1*.

So... this is what I am looking for: a good shooting (read accurate and fairly clean), somewhat inexpensive, FMJ .303 British round. I don't mind if it is corrosive or not.

I have found Hot Shot, S&B, Prvi Partisan, and the ever lamented Wolf.

Of these the Prvi Partisan is the cheapest so far, but the only one of the brands listed that I have actually had experiences with was the Wolf. Now I won't use Wolf in my auto loaders, but I really don't see a problem with using it in the bolt rifles.

I was hoping that you good folks here and fellow members would be able to shed some light on this quandry for me. Which brand is best value for the range for money spent?

robertscheib · 07-10-2008, 12:46 PM

USAF -
I've been asking the same questions - all I can find in my locale for .303 is "Federal Power Shok" softpoint hunting ammo, 150 grain and 180 grain. It is REALLY great ammo, shoots very accurate and clean in my N04 Mk1, but price here is nearly $26.00 a box of twenty! [Oh yeah, I'm saving that brass!!]
I've read many opinions on the "POF" surplus - some say it totally sucks and others say it was very good, apparently depends on date of manufacture? No one seems to be posting information as to any other source of .303 surplus available.
Personally, I'm very close to getting a reloading setup and load my own fodder! All my popular friends are doing it!

wunhunglo · 07-10-2008, 12:56 PM

.303 surplus has virtually dried up; you might be lucky and find some Greek HXP or portuguese FNM but other than that it's privi partisan or reload!

USAF_462/2W1X1 · 07-10-2008, 01:14 PM

So prvi is ok stuff Wunhunglo? I just didn't want to get it because it is the cheapest only to find out it was crap ammo and I couldn't hit the broad side of a C-130 with it!

wunhunglo · 07-10-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USAF_462/2W1X1

So prvi is ok stuff Wunhunglo? I just didn't want to get it because it is the cheapest only to find out it was crap ammo and I couldn't hit the broad side of a C-130 with it!

yeah, Privi is OK stuff, not real target stuff but OK. Bit expensive but about all we see in the UK these days; it's modern & non-corrosive.

NRAJOE · 07-10-2008, 01:48 PM

Haven't bought any modern....still got 200 rds of Greek HXP...400 of 1970's South African and 150 rds of FN....

USAF_462/2W1X1 · 07-10-2008, 02:02 PM

Rub it in NRA Joe, rub it in... lol

NRAJOE · 07-10-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USAF_462/2W1X1

Rub it in NRA Joe, rub it in... lol

Sorry dude....

Big Dog · 07-10-2008, 08:05 PM

If you can luck into some FNM .303 ammo - GRAB IT! Great stuff! But I haven't seen it in years.

timberlord · 07-10-2008, 10:12 PM

There's also UMC Remington 174gr FMJ ammo

It's kinda hard to say which ammo is the best because ... what shoots best out of your rifle may not do so well out of mine.
Whenever I'm at a gunshow , ammo is the first thing I'm gunning for .
Found lots of good deals for older hunting fodder ( .303brit ) and milsurp

wily1 · 07-11-2008, 09:54 AM

I just use the federal 150, seems to work well. I have thought about reloading but doesn't seem to be a big bullet selection. Have all the stuff as I reload for other calibers but wondering if it would be worth it for the .303.

nighthawk80 · 07-11-2008, 11:21 AM

Ive used both Wolf Gold and Prvi Partisan (they are acually one in the same) with great luck. Plus you have good brass to reload with if you end up going that route. Igman isn't to bad either. All shot minute of clay pigeon for me.

NRAJOE · 07-11-2008, 03:07 PM

I don't reload...shot 50 rds of HXP couple weeks ago at the range...gave the guy next to me all the brass...he acted like I gave him a palm full of gold or something...

billy · 07-11-2008, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NRAJOE

I don't reload...shot 50 rds of HXP couple weeks ago at the range...gave the guy next to me all the brass...he acted like I gave him a palm full of gold or something...

i LOVE guys that dont reload!

captsquirrel · 07-12-2008, 08:13 PM

The only thing I've used in mine is S&B. The only reason being is about 7 or 8 years ago my local gun shop had a close-out and was selling it for ten bucks a box. He had 20 boxes left and I bought it all. I don't shoot my Enfield as much as I would like but I'm down to ten rounds. I went to cheaper than dirt and the prices looked decent but I've never ordered from them so I don't know if it's a good idea or not. That's my two cents FWIW.

Iron_Colonel · 07-13-2008, 11:41 PM

I haven't had much experience with other brands than Federal loaded .303. I think I bought a box of Remington once too. But the Federal shoots pretty well out of my Enfield. Puts a pretty good group at 100 yds. The Pakistani surplus shoots pretty well out of my gun also, so I don't mind shooting the milsurp. It shoots quite accurately. Sure, I'll have a hang fire sometimes, or a click-bank. I don't really mind it. I think the commercially loaded stuff is a little more potent than the Pakistani surplus stuff. I just clean her up well afterwards. I haven't shot any prvi stuff. Almost bought some to try it out. I liked the Federal which would do perfectly for hunting. But I have a hunting rifle anyways, and my Enfield is one of my favorite guns to shoot out of my milsurp collection.

thumperpaul · 07-19-2008, 06:48 PM

I was having luck at the local (monthly) gun show for a while. There is a blind gentleman there who is a real English/ Commonwealth rifle buff. (he even had a complete un-Bubba'd Ross rifle on display at the last show), and he always had two 50 round boxes of .303 surplus for sale. ($25 a box; most of it was Dominion Arms Canadian...beautiful stuff!!) I think I have bought him out though; so I am hoarding my last 250 rounds. I am reloading some Greek surplus brass with mixed results; some of it won't chamber in my #4 Mk1*. I have used (expensive!) Winchester Super X 180 gn commercial, and am saving the casings.
A pity the good surplus stuff is drying up

Acog74 · 07-19-2008, 06:49 PM

wolf/prvi partizan is about the best you can do and is reasonable accurate.

twtalbot · 08-17-2008, 11:05 AM

Reloading is the way to go. As soon as my .303 dies arrived from Midway, I took the last of my POF '64 and pulled the bullets for reloading (don't want to pop a corrosive primer that I don't need to). I was surprised to see that as of 1964, .303 British ammo was loaded not with modern IMR-type propellant, but cordite: case-length, stiff, yellowish strings that burn in the open with an orangish-yellow flame. There was a cardboard wad under the bullet and it was sealed with a black, pitch-like substance.

Big Dog · 08-17-2008, 05:44 PM

Joe, awhile back a feller shooting his Enfield at the public range threw away his empties - I fished 'em out of the trash barrel. I snagged two good British bandoliers, two really nice Australian bandoliers, enough stripper clips to fill them, and the brass - reloadable FNM!

I grabbed it like it was GOLD.....!

I haven't got the dies yet, but soon.....

S&B is good ammo too. Also reloadable.

07-10-2008, 12:30 PM	#1
USAF_462/2W1X1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Currently Clovis, NM but Goldsboro, NC bound! Posts: 327 Blog Entries: 6	Commercial .303 British Ammo Ok guys I have been looking around the web because I need to buy some .303 British ammo. I DO NOT want any of that iffy, hit or miss, Pakistani stuff but that is all the Mil-Surp I can find, so it looks like this will be a "commercial" venture... I only buy FMJ rounds for storage and for the range, since I rarely, if ever, hunt with my No.4 Mk 1*. So... this is what I am looking for: a good shooting (read accurate and fairly clean), somewhat inexpensive, FMJ .303 British round. I don't mind if it is corrosive or not. I have found Hot Shot, S&B, Prvi Partisan, and the ever lamented Wolf. Of these the Prvi Partisan is the cheapest so far, but the only one of the brands listed that I have actually had experiences with was the Wolf. Now I won't use Wolf in my auto loaders, but I really don't see a problem with using it in the bolt rifles. I was hoping that you good folks here and fellow members would be able to shed some light on this quandry for me. Which brand is best value for the range for money spent? __________________ "Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway." ~ John Wayne

07-10-2008, 12:46 PM	#2
robertscheib Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 71	USAF - I've been asking the same questions - all I can find in my locale for .303 is "Federal Power Shok" softpoint hunting ammo, 150 grain and 180 grain. It is REALLY great ammo, shoots very accurate and clean in my N04 Mk1, but price here is nearly $26.00 a box of twenty! [Oh yeah, I'm saving that brass!!] I've read many opinions on the "POF" surplus - some say it totally sucks and others say it was very good, apparently depends on date of manufacture? No one seems to be posting information as to any other source of .303 surplus available. Personally, I'm very close to getting a reloading setup and load my own fodder! All my popular friends are doing it! __________________ The older I get the faster I was!

07-10-2008, 01:48 PM	#6
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,043 Images: 3	Haven't bought any modern....still got 200 rds of Greek HXP...400 of 1970's South African and 150 rds of FN.... __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

07-10-2008, 02:02 PM	#7
USAF_462/2W1X1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Currently Clovis, NM but Goldsboro, NC bound! Posts: 327 Blog Entries: 6	Rub it in NRA Joe, rub it in... lol __________________ "Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway." ~ John Wayne

07-10-2008, 08:05 PM	#9
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,208	If you can luck into some FNM .303 ammo - GRAB IT! Great stuff! But I haven't seen it in years. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

07-10-2008, 12:56 PM	#3
wunhunglo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: currently "Sunny West Africa" Posts: 1,650	.303 surplus has virtually dried up; you might be lucky and find some Greek HXP or portuguese FNM but other than that it's privi partisan or reload!

07-10-2008, 01:14 PM	#4
USAF_462/2W1X1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Currently Clovis, NM but Goldsboro, NC bound! Posts: 327 Blog Entries: 6	So prvi is ok stuff Wunhunglo? I just didn't want to get it because it is the cheapest only to find out it was crap ammo and I couldn't hit the broad side of a C-130 with it! __________________ "Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway." ~ John Wayne

07-10-2008, 10:12 PM	#10
timberlord Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 299	There's also UMC Remington 174gr FMJ ammo It's kinda hard to say which ammo is the best because ... what shoots best out of your rifle may not do so well out of mine. Whenever I'm at a gunshow , ammo is the first thing I'm gunning for . Found lots of good deals for older hunting fodder ( .303brit ) and milsurp __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...LongStamp1.jpg

07-11-2008, 09:54 AM	#11
wily1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brandon, Manitoba Posts: 191	I just use the federal 150, seems to work well. I have thought about reloading but doesn't seem to be a big bullet selection. Have all the stuff as I reload for other calibers but wondering if it would be worth it for the .303.

07-11-2008, 11:21 AM	#12
nighthawk80 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Just south of Central Indiana Posts: 403	Ive used both Wolf Gold and Prvi Partisan (they are acually one in the same) with great luck. Plus you have good brass to reload with if you end up going that route. Igman isn't to bad either. All shot minute of clay pigeon for me.

07-11-2008, 03:07 PM	#13
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,043 Images: 3	I don't reload...shot 50 rds of HXP couple weeks ago at the range...gave the guy next to me all the brass...he acted like I gave him a palm full of gold or something... __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

07-12-2008, 08:13 PM	#15
captsquirrel Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: S. Nevada Posts: 405	The only thing I've used in mine is S&B. The only reason being is about 7 or 8 years ago my local gun shop had a close-out and was selling it for ten bucks a box. He had 20 boxes left and I bought it all. I don't shoot my Enfield as much as I would like but I'm down to ten rounds. I went to cheaper than dirt and the prices looked decent but I've never ordered from them so I don't know if it's a good idea or not. That's my two cents FWIW.

07-13-2008, 11:41 PM	#16
Iron_Colonel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington St. Posts: 374	I haven't had much experience with other brands than Federal loaded .303. I think I bought a box of Remington once too. But the Federal shoots pretty well out of my Enfield. Puts a pretty good group at 100 yds. The Pakistani surplus shoots pretty well out of my gun also, so I don't mind shooting the milsurp. It shoots quite accurately. Sure, I'll have a hang fire sometimes, or a click-bank. I don't really mind it. I think the commercially loaded stuff is a little more potent than the Pakistani surplus stuff. I just clean her up well afterwards. I haven't shot any prvi stuff. Almost bought some to try it out. I liked the Federal which would do perfectly for hunting. But I have a hunting rifle anyways, and my Enfield is one of my favorite guns to shoot out of my milsurp collection. __________________ Я люблю купить российские винтовки!!

07-19-2008, 06:48 PM	#17
thumperpaul Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: vancouver bc canada Posts: 174	I was having luck at the local (monthly) gun show for a while. There is a blind gentleman there who is a real English/ Commonwealth rifle buff. (he even had a complete un-Bubba'd Ross rifle on display at the last show), and he always had two 50 round boxes of .303 surplus for sale. ($25 a box; most of it was Dominion Arms Canadian...beautiful stuff!!) I think I have bought him out though; so I am hoarding my last 250 rounds. I am reloading some Greek surplus brass with mixed results; some of it won't chamber in my #4 Mk1*. I have used (expensive!) Winchester Super X 180 gn commercial, and am saving the casings. A pity the good surplus stuff is drying up

07-19-2008, 06:49 PM	#18
Acog74 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: CT Posts: 27	wolf/prvi partizan is about the best you can do and is reasonable accurate.

08-17-2008, 11:05 AM	#19
twtalbot Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 52	Reloading is the way to go. As soon as my .303 dies arrived from Midway, I took the last of my POF '64 and pulled the bullets for reloading (don't want to pop a corrosive primer that I don't need to). I was surprised to see that as of 1964, .303 British ammo was loaded not with modern IMR-type propellant, but cordite: case-length, stiff, yellowish strings that burn in the open with an orangish-yellow flame. There was a cardboard wad under the bullet and it was sealed with a black, pitch-like substance.

08-17-2008, 05:44 PM	#20
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,208	Joe, awhile back a feller shooting his Enfield at the public range threw away his empties - I fished 'em out of the trash barrel. I snagged two good British bandoliers, two really nice Australian bandoliers, enough stripper clips to fill them, and the brass - reloadable FNM! I grabbed it like it was GOLD.....! I haven't got the dies yet, but soon..... S&B is good ammo too. Also reloadable. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.