SMLE

Sold

CCI 450’s for me. Again, RS62. Just switched to Norma 204 powder which is proving to be promising.

One last bump before I sell to a dealer....

Crikey! Didn’t realise it was so bad elsewhere! Less than a week in leafy Warwickshire.

Can’t believe there’s nobody looking for a bargain 223...... bumpity bump!

Let’s see what happens BlackRat, if I don’t get any bites I’ll be back in touch

Looking for offers based on £965 Howa 1500 heavy barrel action in Aussie Precision Chassis. This rifle is a little laser beam! Fitted with LuthAR stock, Accushot monopod (bipod in photo NOT included), Aussie Gun Bloke trigger kit breaking at 1.4lbs and VG6 muzzle brake. Includes 20moa rail by Britannia and Vortex Diamondback Tactical scope in Warne steel rings with a Vortex bubble level. Sale includes 100 Lapua cases (4x fired) and 400 69g Sierra Matchking bullets together with full set of Lee dies, plus my load data that gives me the “little laser” performance. Rifle is in perfect condition and has fired around 1100 rounds based on my reload notes. For sale on Guntrader too.

What a great bunch of people making up the team at Warwickshire. These folks rarely get praise publicly but my goodness I’ve been astounded at their friendly helpful approach on the phone and the courteous, informative chat I have with the FLO as a recent variation was processed. From submission to approval and return of my FAC within six days; five star performance. Thanks Warwickshire!

I’ve just purchased a stock of bullets from them. Friendly comms on the phone, couple of emails to update me on the order processing and dispatch. Package arrived within 24 hours of posting. Well wrapped, no damage. Based on that single transaction, I personally would not hesitate ordering from them again.

Afraid that particular act does apply, it’s freely available and I would recommend that anyone acting as an officer of a constituted club acquires a copy and digests the obligations within. Reasonableness is the name of the game and being able to evidence that “you” have done all that you can so far as is reasonably practicable to mitigate risk might well prove valuable post incident. It is that desire to produce evidence that is likely to be the motivation behind asking what to me seems a reasonable question.

For sale is my Spuhr 4602 mount. About 2 years old, only been fitted once and in as new condition. 34mm rings and 38mm high Complete with original box, fitting wedge and spare screws. Looking for £200 posted in UK before I try a part exchange at Optics Warehouse.

Spot on Pops, spot on!

As a point of reference, my 6.5 Creedmoor, shooting the same bullet at pretty much your velocity and SD will be at moa or just under all day long at 1000 yards. Quick edit..... at your 37.4 load, mine achieved with RS62 though.

Thanks guys. Not sure I can get those powders locally but I’ll need to ask at my usual sources.

I’ve moved to SMK’s Ralph as couldn’t get TMK’s either. I have a couple of hundred left but not convinced I’ll pick up any more. Lapua Scenars might be an alternative but not tried yet to source any.

Looking for some real world experience from cast lead shooters. I currently use Unique behind 240 grain .44 cast lead bullets in my lever gun for short range fun shooting that works well, but I’m wondering whether a change to one of the Vihtavuori powders might be worth doing. I hear good things about N340 and tin-star in cowboy action loads with cast loads, the data is rather limited from Vihtavuori so wondered if anyone out there is using these powders, how they find they behave, any leading issues etc. My current load is 7.6 grains Unique with RNFP bullets in a 20” barrel Henry, just as a reference point for comparison.

“but I did find on trying a few TMKs that they produce lower MVs than the old-fashioned (ie cheaper!) SMKs with same charges RS50 and same CBTO lengths.“ Interesting Laurie. I found the same to be true using some crude chronograph measurements on my loads. With the RS40 powder loads mentioned above I was getting about 2770ish fps with the TMK’s and about 2830ish fps with the SMK’s. Not a particularly robust series of measurements but a difference noted none the less.

I’ve done the same thing, moving to the SMK at 69g. I used the Hornady case length gauge thing to set seating depth and started at 30 thou off. Using my old TMK load of 22.9g of RS40 I found there was no meaningful difference in accuracy. My Howa with this load is like a laser at 300 yards and holds about an moa at 600 if I try really hard. I tried it with my other powder load of 24.8g of N140, and again, no real difference that I could tell. No pressure signs or issues at all but please, do your research and work your load up safely.

Nic Couldrey has just posted on farcebook that all covid restrictions have now been lifted for NRA affiliated clubs operating on MoD ranges thus allowing clubs to run guest days again.

You and I Mr Vortex appear to have the same hymn sheet 😀

I used a set years ago for 45/70 I think with a bloke I used to shoot with at wedgnock but only because I was fascinated watching him do it and he let me have a go for a few rounds. It looks counter intuitive but nothing to worry about if you follow the instructions and pay attention. I suspect millions of rounds have been made that way before we all became victims of marketing strategies.

Just had a quick check, he’s published a recent one on 30-30, so not too dissimilar to 303, but there are others with specific Lee Loader videos on the 303 cartridge. A quick search will be all you’ll need. These are good tools, never going to produce competition winning ammo, but good enough for government work as the saying goes 😀

Seek out Logcabinlooms on YouTube. He’s put a couple of videos out there over the years on these bits of kit. Can’t recall if he’s covered 303 but the principals will remain valid. Interesting character too with a real mix of content.

I’m a casual shooter. I don’t shoot in competition but I do try to shoot well. A “plinky plonker” as Bradders used to say 😀 I also have to acknowledge that I have many demands on my finances and my time so have reached a realistic set up that allows me to enjoy this hobby and do it reasonably well without disproportionally soaking up funds and/or precious home time. Yes, I’d love a custom rifle, but I can’t justify the expense. Yes, I’d love to produce the finest ammunition but I can’t justify the additional expense over and above my relatively basic, Lee based, set up, and I can’t reconcile the additional time and obsessive attention to detail required to be honest. So, for what I call my serious rifle, I have a nice Howa 6.5 Creedmoor in a KRG stock with Athlon glass in a sphur 20 moa mount on a 20 moa rail. I produce my ammo on a Lee single stage press using Lee dies. I use Lapua brass trimmed to length with about a 2 thou variability in each batch. I use CCI magnum primers seated on the press, Lapua Scenar bullets sat about 8 - 10 thou off the lands and RS62 powder. I anneal after 5 reloads and never worry about primer pockets, other than cleaning them. I never weigh bullets, primers or anything, I keep it simple ‘cos I’m aware I might be stupid! The fewer steps in the process, the fewer opportunities for cock up! Load development arrived at a near five shot single hole at 100 yards and about 2700 fps measured on a simple Caldwell chrono. Never bothered with sd as didn’t see the point, all I was after was an accurate load. Must admit, the Scenars seem very jump tolerant to me. Something worth exploring in more detail when I eventually retire perhaps? This set up consistently gives me about 0.75 to 1 moa if I do my bit, at just about any range I shoot up to 1000 yards. I’m happy with that on balance and it staggers me that every shot, pretty much I make at a 1000 yards is hitting something the size of a dinner plate! Remarkable really when you think about it! So horses for courses. If you can afford a great custom set up and spend ages producing statistically consistent custom ammo, go for it. If like me you just enjoy the whole shooting thing with a more modest set up and ammunition system that fits around other life demands, well that’s fine too. There’s room for us all in this fascinating hobby.

Happy to be corrected, but I believe this is awarded personally by the Monarch and not based upon government lobbying. Either way, a system out of touch with the majority of the population. I doubt the petition will achieve anything tbh, but I feel I’ve had my say at least.