.303 mold for Lee-Enfield

[Ray1946]

Have been away from cast bullet shooting for about 30 years. I decided the other day I would like to design a mold for my No.4 MkII Lee-Enfield. I have been reading a lot about the Greenhill formula and the length of projectile a given twist can stabilize. Before I cause brain damage to myself, is there a simple way to determine the radius of the ogive of the bullet? I know some of the real nice jacketed designs have a radius of maybe 7 to 9 diameters. I also have a 308413 that has a really nice flowing radius.Thanks,.................Ray

[docone31]

Why design something already designed?
C312-185-1R
I use that Lee mold.
Great, works for me. My Enfield likes it.
Works well with paper patching also.

[Kraschenbirn]

Ditto on reinventing the wheel. My 1942 #4 Mk1 likes the previously mentioned Lee 185-grainer better than jacketed ball ammo while one of my shooting buddy's #3 Mk1 prefers the Lyman 314399. (His Lithgow's bore is a bit tighter than that of my Longbranch.) Also, CBE offers several proven boolit designs for the .303.

Bill

[Gerry N.]

Why design something already designed?
C312-185-1R
I use that Lee mold.
Great, works for me. My Enfield likes it.
Works well with paper patching also.

I have that mold as well. I use the boolits from it as cast, tumbled with Lee Mule Snot in my #4, my Krag, and when I still had 'em my Arg. Mausers. They all liked it. As I used it as a plinking load only, I used the semi-universal load of 1cc of Unique, lit off by whatever primers I had. Lately that's been Wolf. They seem to be fine, every one's gone off and the bullets end up satisfyingly close to where I aimed 'em.

Your mileage may vary.

Gerry N.

[303Guy]

I'm with Ray1946. Design that mold! Have a look at the Money Boolit design. I'd keep the ogive radius to about one or two diameters and make the boolit heavy - up to 245gr (but those won't fit in the magazine). The heavier, the higher the BC. Only the boolit length is important and keeping the unsupported nose section short - not more than three diameters, I should think. I would also go smooth sided but that isn't to everyones liking.

[Ray1946]

Thanks for the vote of confidence 303GUY. I think I will design my own. If I recall correctly, the guy at Colorado shooters is still making molds to your drawing. Have to find out what they are going for now,...........Ray

[atr]

hi Ray,,
Ive used that 185 gr Lee in my #4MK1, but my groove dia is 0.317 so the accuracy is not what I would like......Im currently experimenting with a Lyman 165 gr flat base which casts at 0.321 and I hope my accuracy improves

[Ray1946]

ATR,..............I have used the 185 gr. Lee in a Mosin-Nagant and it really worked great! Mine dropped from the mold at about .3145 and I sized it to about .3125. It would shoot 1/2 to 3/4" groups at 50 yds. from a rest, if I remember correctly, I think I used a tuft of dacron under the bullet.............Ray