The 303 British: Powering Empires and World Wars

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  • Опубліковано 5 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 95

  • @johnstewart7022
    @johnstewart7022 Місяць тому +38

    You didn't mention how much game has been taken with the .303. In Canada, Australia, India and Africa there have been many thousands of head of game taken with the .303. In Canada for a long time, people didn't use anything else, even on Moose, Caribou and Elk. It worked well then and still does.

    • @mattyallen3396
      @mattyallen3396 Місяць тому +5

      Millions of deer culled in Nz. 1920's to 1970's

    • @MrPh30
      @MrPh30 Місяць тому +2

      And buffalo in African regions ,aswell as elephants , Bells backup rifle was his Lee sporter 10 shot and ma couple of extra magazines which he had as in case of emergency or big herd of game ahead .

    • @Noelzsazsa
      @Noelzsazsa Місяць тому +2

      My grandfather and father both used them in the top end of Australia for everything from wild horse buffalo and crocodile dad was an expert with fitting spots stocks and scopes machine the old sights off do the full job we can mount them on Australian stock saddle vertical in front of the pummel excellent gun we tried replacing with mini 14 and went back to 303 only thing that comes close is the 6.5 Mauser set up the same

    • @icky_mack
      @icky_mack Місяць тому +4

      I can't tell how many deer and seal I've taken with 303 many of them handloads.

    • @cedhome7945
      @cedhome7945 Місяць тому +2

      Not to forget still in use in India and Pakistan

  • @Thermopylae2007
    @Thermopylae2007 Місяць тому +25

    One of the unfortunate consequences of the pandemic seems to be the reduction of production runs of less common calibers like .303 British. The cartridge was a staple here in Canada for several decades, but now it's hard to find or incredibly expensive when available. Thankfully, I scrounged a lot of brass at the range when I was younger, but it would be great to see more of it.

    • @KathrynLiz1
      @KathrynLiz1 Місяць тому +1

      WInchestere and RP make 303 brass... I have both... The European stuff is high quality but pricey.

    • @danielbretall2236
      @danielbretall2236 Місяць тому

      Even before the pandemic, the prices were out of control. For 303. and 8mm mauser, I was paying 45 dollars a box!

    • @letsdothis9063
      @letsdothis9063 Місяць тому

      ​@@danielbretall2236 .303 was $65 for a box of 20 at Academy Sports the other day. That's a "big box" store. It's even more expensive at other places.
      I'm disabled, and I just can't afford that. Thankfully I don't rely on my Enfield. But I do like to shoot it.

  • @michaeldurling793
    @michaeldurling793 Місяць тому +17

    I waited 4 years for a replacement barrel to keep my Enfield #4 going another 100 years.

  • @piobmhor8529
    @piobmhor8529 Місяць тому +9

    I used a surplus Lee Enfield No. 4 for deer for decades. It was unsporterized, full military stock with iron sights. Sure put a lot of venison on the table. The .303 soft point is more than capable of dropping anything up to and including moose. As I got older, somehow the rifle seemed much heavier for some reason, so I changed to a modern Tikka T3 in .308. My Enfield is now a range toy, but I do take it out to my tree stand from time to time for “old times sake”. Great rifle.

    • @KathrynLiz1
      @KathrynLiz1 Місяць тому

      Yeah... I have a .308 that I am sure is a lot heavier then when I built it... 😀

    • @M60E3G
      @M60E3G Місяць тому

      Same here with my No 4. Have a box of PMP 150gr just for deer

  • @cedhome7945
    @cedhome7945 Місяць тому +10

    I saw a documentary about the hardanger plateau in Norway where drops of arms and ammo in ww2 where often in remote areas and you can find cases of 303 in big boxes. Someone tried some and after 80 years sitting in the wild it still worked!!

    • @Noelzsazsa
      @Noelzsazsa Місяць тому

      @@cedhome7945 my friends found some buried by the military in Australia at the end of the war that was the 90s it was almost 50years after the war and were in good order the amount of things that have been dug up in our area it's a gold mining region all buried after the war

    • @PepeLepew-rm9ft
      @PepeLepew-rm9ft Місяць тому

      @@cedhome7945 speaks volumes for the quality of 303.

    • @BV-fr8bf
      @BV-fr8bf Місяць тому

      @@PepeLepew-rm9ft And mercury (fulminate) primers and cold weather

  • @devooski4751
    @devooski4751 Місяць тому +10

    303 British taken lots of moose, deer and medium to large game in Canada. America has 30-30. Canada used the 303 British.

  • @Roostertail76
    @Roostertail76 Місяць тому +5

    Love love love the 303. I have a Number 4 I bought when I was a kid . It’s one of my favorites to warm up . Great podcast 👍

  • @warrenglen7636
    @warrenglen7636 Місяць тому +2

    Around 1993-1994 time frame I got a #4 MK-1 (might have been MK-2) for about $95.
    It looked brand new. The entire rifle was wrapped in paper and covered in TAR. No, it wasn’t Cosmoline, but a hard, sticky, black, tar.
    Once I got it off, there was no wear on the bolt or receiver. Perfectly clean and sharp bore, matching numbers on all parts including the magazine.

  • @BobyourUncle
    @BobyourUncle Місяць тому +4

    23:25 I don't own anything in a historic or hard to find caliber but after watching this I will definitely buy Remington the next time I get a box of 9x19's. Heritage matters and companies that understand and preserve heritage even if it doesn't do that much for the bottom line will always have my support. Thank you!

    • @remington
      @remington  Місяць тому

      Thank you for your support!

  • @daveypenland6527
    @daveypenland6527 Місяць тому +2

    I have hunted with 303 British scince I was a kid and it has never failed me and I am 67 years old

  • @johngayder9249
    @johngayder9249 Місяць тому +6

    “An empire upon which the sun never sets”

  • @schinderiapraemeturus6239
    @schinderiapraemeturus6239 Місяць тому +6

    If you save your brass, cast your .311 bullets, and learn to pop out Berdan primers hydraulicly ,they can be reloaded economically with either BP or a BP substitute. I use either FA-70 or SINOXID for primer, and a homemade BP sub propellant... currently getting 2100-2200 fps with a tamped, slightly compressed load in 7.62x54R (Mosin) with powder coated 130gr .311 cast bullets. Cost is about 15-18 cents a round

    • @schinderiapraemeturus6239
      @schinderiapraemeturus6239 Місяць тому +1

      @martkbanjoboy8853 yep...and keep in mind powder coating thick can solve such a problem, in fact with trial and error you can make up that difference with a thicker coat. I like to tumble coat them with a wax/graphite lube before loading

    • @Thermopylae2007
      @Thermopylae2007 Місяць тому

      @@martkbanjoboy8853 The Lee 185gr mold casts at around .313.314

    • @Thermopylae2007
      @Thermopylae2007 Місяць тому +1

      @martkbanjoboy8853 The Lee 185gr mold casts bullets about .313/314. If I press on the gas checks instead of using my Lee .311 sizing die, I get excellent accuracy out of at least one of my Enfields that otherwise opens up to about 5-6 MOA if I use the sizer. Now I only need to see how many reloads I'll get with reduced charges (circa 1100-1200 fps) versus full loads that only get about 4-5 reloads before the brass is toast.

  • @wiggee1
    @wiggee1 Місяць тому

    Great Podcast. Close. The sun never sets on the British Empire. Anyway I’m a Canadian and growing up just about every household, in the west anyway, had a sporterized Enfield .303. You could buy them for $10 at the local War Surplus Store

  • @timclark-e4z
    @timclark-e4z 24 дні тому

    great conversation really enjoyed your relaxed informative style

  • @wsbill14224
    @wsbill14224 Місяць тому +3

    Speaking of mil surp bargains, I think I got the best deal in history. I had a co-worker with a FFL who was making one more big gun buy before letting his license expire. He ordered 10 SKS type 56 rifles in 1993 for a total of $470. He sold me two AT HIS COST and they're still new, however I sanded and finished the stocks like everyone else does so they don't look like garbage sticks!

  • @davidharrington6944
    @davidharrington6944 Місяць тому +1

    For the "mad minute" the bolt handle is manipulated with the thumb and index finger and the trigger is pulled with the middle finger. It takes a little practice to master but you can put out a pretty impressive rate of fire when you get it down.

  • @bekkerbosbeer3453
    @bekkerbosbeer3453 Місяць тому

    Great caliber!!!! Thanks great podcast

  • @cheaze69
    @cheaze69 Місяць тому +7

    I have a .303 Longbranch ( Canadian)

    • @howardg7162
      @howardg7162 Місяць тому

      My dead father in law probably made it ,hello from Toronto Canada 🇨🇦

    • @HerkCC
      @HerkCC Місяць тому

      I have one as well...still in its original glory. Took my first deer with it.

  • @NelsonZAPTM
    @NelsonZAPTM Місяць тому +11

    Nobody outside the US calls 303 "British"
    Just 303.

    • @outinthesticks1035
      @outinthesticks1035 Місяць тому +7

      In the states, savage had a cartridge called "303 savage" that was fairly popular 100 years ago, so buyers in the states had to specify "303 Savage" or " .303 British "

    • @NelsonZAPTM
      @NelsonZAPTM Місяць тому +3

      @@outinthesticks1035 I see, thank you.

    • @joefountain7605
      @joefountain7605 Місяць тому

      Lots of .303 Savage rifles in Canada​@@outinthesticks1035

    • @realmetis8002
      @realmetis8002 Місяць тому +1

      ​@outinthesticks1035 in Canada we also have the savage however 303 brit was the go to

    • @outinthesticks1035
      @outinthesticks1035 Місяць тому +1

      @@realmetis8002 I have seen literally 100s of 303 Brits , got three in my cabinet. Two lee Enfield, and a pattern 14
      Lots of people seem to be going back to them for moose rifles , not as much meat damage
      But I have never seen a 303 savage in real life
      I'm from west central Saskatchewan

  • @Mick028
    @Mick028 Місяць тому

    The original black powder .303 cartridge consisted of a compressed pellet of black powder inserted into an un-necked case; the necking process was done afterwards. This explains the reason that reloaders find it difficult to replicate the original load.

  • @HerkCC
    @HerkCC Місяць тому +1

    I have three... just as Harry "Breaker" Morant said....we had "Rule .303".

  • @leokeglovic1536
    @leokeglovic1536 Місяць тому +1

    With more than 15 million .303 Lee-Enfield rifles produced, you would think the cartridges would be easily available.

  • @A14b19
    @A14b19 Місяць тому

    I paid £450 23 yrs ago for a N4 1952 brand new test fierd only .lucky shot it on military range 300 yrds open screw sight hit half figure target in window time after time .love it

  • @grahambamford9073
    @grahambamford9073 Місяць тому +1

    The Irish army reserve were using .303 Enfield's and bren guns until the 90s. Before being replaced by the Fn Fal and then the Steyr aug.. when you talk to Irish army veterans they hold a special place for the old .303.
    I think you can probably find .303 ammo and rifles all over the world from Africa to the middle east to India to Canada to Australia they still show up even to this day along with the mosin nagant rifles.

  • @michaelwilson9986
    @michaelwilson9986 Місяць тому +8

    That sinking of that ship wasnt the main reason for our getting into WW1. 1915 btw if memory serves.
    The Germans was in talks with Mexico on a joint war on us. That didnt sit well in DC with the Dems so they used the Lustania sinking n use of Uboats by the Germans as reason to get in it.

    • @alecblunden8615
      @alecblunden8615 Місяць тому

      14:48 The sinking of Lusitania occurred in the era of the Cruiser Rules which allowed stop and search, NOT unrestricted warfare. It was never legal.

  • @Whatsthedealsquirter
    @Whatsthedealsquirter Місяць тому

    I got a sportirized one my dad left to me ,I'll always own it no matter if I can get ammo or not😊

  • @Eggomania86
    @Eggomania86 Місяць тому +1

    Interesting fact, Uberti does offers the only new factory rifle chambered in .303 British it's an 1885 reproduction called the Courtney Stalker. It's a rendition of an English stalking rifle. Also to, regarding 30-40 Krag, Shilho Sharps does offer said cartridge in their 1874 rifles.

    • @MrPh30
      @MrPh30 Місяць тому

      A rifle action Selous never used either , he used Farquasohn actions .

  • @saltyroe3179
    @saltyroe3179 Місяць тому

    Had a surplus Enfield that .303 and mostly shot ww2 surplus in the 1970s. It was a hateful rifle compared to the Mauser and Springfield.

  • @jasonleerjason5001
    @jasonleerjason5001 Місяць тому +2

    South African here, I have 11 of them 😂❤

    • @PepeLepew-rm9ft
      @PepeLepew-rm9ft Місяць тому

      @@jasonleerjason5001 There must be loads of 303 ammunition in former colonial arsenals of now independent African nations.

    • @jasonleerjason5001
      @jasonleerjason5001 Місяць тому

      @PepeLepew-rm9ft Indeed, I have around 3500 milsurp rds, interesting fact is that South Africa made 45 percent of all the 303 rds used by Britain and the Commonwealth during WW2 and continued to make for the Rhodesian Armed Forces up to 1980

    • @PepeLepew-rm9ft
      @PepeLepew-rm9ft Місяць тому

      @@jasonleerjason5001 I know mate I'm not there now but was a Ridgeback.

  • @melvynsands757
    @melvynsands757 Місяць тому

    A friend of mine bought a smle about twenty years ago and it had never been shot,it had been sold to the army of the republic of Ireland and never been used

  • @PepeLepew-rm9ft
    @PepeLepew-rm9ft Місяць тому

    I'm amazed miss May's that Remington has a connection to 303 🎉 given it's empire munition.

    • @crackmonkeynet
      @crackmonkeynet Місяць тому

      Considering Remington built Pattern 14 & 17 rifles there is a strong historical connection .

  • @CWR66
    @CWR66 Місяць тому

    I bought a 1943 Savage made #4mk1* a few years ago online that shoots really nice and it has a name scratched into the metal that says Shoemaker I think, it's very faint. Someone has sanded the stock and some of the finish off but the strangest thing is that the bayonet lug has been removed for some reason which is lost to history I suppose. I realize this video is a promotion for Remmington but there are others who load 303 such as Hornady, Steinel, Sellier and Bellot and PPU.

  • @farber442
    @farber442 Місяць тому +2

    I have a well seasoned 1943 Enfield! Very accurate rifle with Remington ammo in it.

  • @RobertMacpherson-t7m
    @RobertMacpherson-t7m Місяць тому

    I am from Canada I still use my uncle’s 303 hunt deer and moose never failed,artic ranges used them up until few years ago

  • @courtenaycastings4100
    @courtenaycastings4100 Місяць тому

    Bullet shortages led me to swaging my own .312” bullets. It was expensive, but I no longer depend on supply chains.

  • @georgesakellaropoulos8162
    @georgesakellaropoulos8162 Місяць тому

    Fun fact: The Bren wasn't completely phased out of service in the British army until the 80's.

  • @pablodelorenzi2841
    @pablodelorenzi2841 Місяць тому

    El 303 se diseño por el cartucho 7.65x54 mauser es la misma punta de ahi deriva este cartucho ingles

  • @randyrobinson8751
    @randyrobinson8751 Місяць тому

    Some German units in WW2 thought they were coming up against machine guns. British soldiers were taught to shoot fast

  • @milllcar
    @milllcar Місяць тому

    Why of such a common gun is it so hard to find ammunition?

  • @381038jam
    @381038jam Місяць тому

    I don’t know why guys keep talking bad about the nagant There great rifles. Robust accurate tuff. They work. Would be a top pick if that was the only rifle you could have in a survival situation. They just work and can’t break

  • @CliffordJessup
    @CliffordJessup Місяць тому

    The 303 Jungle carbine is the original scout rifle, but not in 308.

  • @michaeltrent2726
    @michaeltrent2726 Місяць тому

    Its put a lot of meat on my table. Everything from deer, hog, antelope and elk

  • @randyrobinson8751
    @randyrobinson8751 Місяць тому

    Savage even made 303 rifles

  • @Robert-gs6cr
    @Robert-gs6cr Місяць тому

    You said the 30 30 has probability taken more deer on this continent than any other ,north of the medicine line the 303 has probability taken more moose than any other caliber

  • @johngamba4823
    @johngamba4823 Місяць тому

    Interesting but why do Americans persist in confusing English with British? They aren’t synonyms

  • @caesar4880
    @caesar4880 Місяць тому

    Does anyone else think the Zimmerman note was pretty suspect and we possibly got into the war over nothing?

  • @steveh4962
    @steveh4962 Місяць тому

    A great video, especially mentioning the false pretext of our entry into WW1 (like Iraq!), BUT.....Remington should put their money where their mouth is. How about increasing production of the.303 ammo AND components? If you really want to keep those Enfields shooting at least make this available! Come on guys!

  • @paulargent1003
    @paulargent1003 Місяць тому +1

    Interesting that Remington projectiles are .310 instead of .311 and are inferior in target groups than other manufacturers projectiles

  • @extech921
    @extech921 Місяць тому

    Ya....303 is everywhere
    for 70 bucks a box of 20..

  • @frederickking1660
    @frederickking1660 Місяць тому

    My 20" 308 model 700s shoot a 168 or 175 gr bullet about 2500 fps with 42 or 43 grains of varget. You can go a little faster but its not needed. We shoot 175 matchkings to 1000 yards with about 40 moa of elevation.

  • @Noelzsazsa
    @Noelzsazsa Місяць тому +2

    Dad would recondition them and fit a sports stock reblueing and machine the military sights off and fit a scope we used the in outback Australia on the cattle station we could buy 10 for around $300 in the 80s good bush gun for feral horses and buffalo

    • @marie-clairehocking8305
      @marie-clairehocking8305 Місяць тому +2

      Talking about cordite I have canadian 303 picked up at Vimy Ridge when opened the cordite still burns well after 107 years

    • @Noelzsazsa
      @Noelzsazsa Місяць тому

      @@marie-clairehocking8305 I stopped using the cordite rounds when I started to get some were not discharging it's awkward when you are trying to take down a feral animal and that happens I had a buffalo about 10meters away ready to change so I wasn't taking any changes