.303 accuracy?

[enfieldspares]

For everyone on this thread with a historic 303 -

Do you have it with open conditions on your ticket, or is it conditioned for target only?

I have a SMLE 303 which is conditioned for target only. All my other rifles, including a .300, are open. The FEO explained this as they don't really want people going hunting with 100+ year old rifles when they own modern rifles as well.

FYI OP - non FMJ 303 British hunting ammo is not that common in the UK. Easy to find in Australia or Canada, but not so easy in the UK. I see you have found some Winchester and Federal SP rounds, but that isn't the kind of stuff I see much of at the average UK gun shop.

I had my SMLE and, after I had sold it, my No4 conditioned both for target use and deer (this being before the AOLQ condition)

 

[Triggermortis]

I applied for mine to shoot live quarry only and on that basis it was granted.
I have mine for any lawful quarry on an open ticket, I am not a member of any target clubs.
My FEO accepted the use of it for close range woodland stalking in general as good reason.
I have picked up 200 x 150g Hornady Interlock SP’s which I intend to reload.
Any recommendations for powdess?

 

[Triggermortis]

This arrived today, if anyone needs to reference from it PM me, I’ll copy the relevant pages and forward them by email

 

[Heym SR20]

For everyone on this thread with a historic 303 -

Do you have it with open conditions on your ticket, or is it conditioned for target only?

I have a SMLE 303 which is conditioned for target only. All my other rifles, including a .300, are open. The FEO explained this as they don't really want people going hunting with 100+ year old rifles when they own modern rifles as well.

FYI OP - non FMJ 303 British hunting ammo is not that common in the UK. Easy to find in Australia or Canada, but not so easy in the UK. I see you have found some Winchester and Federal SP rounds, but that isn't the kind of stuff I see much of at the average UK gun shop.

There is no reason why a 303 or any other old rifle shouldn’t be conditioned to shoot live quarry. Frankly any rifle still in use will be in good condition and in the right hands and the right ammunition will be more than capable of humanely taking any game animal that walks in the UK. Yes there are of course min velocity and muzzle energy requirements and original specifications of ammo might not quite meet these, but there is ammo available or that can be loaded that will be more than capable. Indeed most old rifles have quite fast twists so they will also work with copper bullets.

Last year I hunted with a friend who had a 318 Westley Richards by William Evans built in about 1920 in Argyl after Red Stags. He could shoot iPhone sized groups at 100 yards with the open sights with 50 plus year old cartridges he had with rifle. I have no doubt that he could have taken the Red Stag he had in his sights if only it had moved five yards so it had a solid backdrop behind, and that the rifle would have performed just as well as it had done on its many other adventures - and judging by the luggage labels on its case it had seen many. It’s now in Australia getting many new adventures- friend was made an offer he couldn’t refuse.

 

[badmolassesaccident]

There is no reason why a 303 or any other old rifle shouldn’t be conditioned to shoot live quarry.

I agree with that. Although I didn't feel like arguing about it as like the FEO said, I had plenty of other modern rifles which are more accurate. And he didn't object to open on the .300 magnum I asked for. Had I got open on the 303, maybe I'd use it on the odd occasion for high seat shooting at short range, but it isn't like I'm short of open ticket rifles at the moment without the 303.