Need help sizing/gauging .303 Brit cases.

[savasyn]

I just started loading(or trying to at least) .303 British. I have a Wilson case gauge that I was planning on using to check my sized brass and trim length but even with the resize die all the way to the bottom(and then some), the brass still won't fit in the gauge as the shoulder isn't pushed back far enough. I can't screw the die down any further, so this is a far back as it's going to go.

I've tried both Lee and RCBS sizing dies and they produce the same results (brass won't fit in the gauge.) I have dropped some live rounds in the gauge and they DO fit properly so what the heck?

I'm skeptical of the Wilson gauge as I had one for .223 when I started loading that and it was super tight as well and read that some properly sized brass was wrong. I replaced it with a Dillon gauge and I've been happy since. Unfortunately, Dillon doesn't make a .303 gauge AFAIK.

One thing I have noticed is that the live surplus .303 rounds I have have a short, squarish shoulder on them and the dies I'm using create a sloped shoulder more like a .308 so perhaps that has something to do with it.

Anyone have this problem before or know what's going on and can offer some insight?

Thanks!!

[Peter in CA]

Re: 303 British

savasyn,
I do not even know what a Wilson case gauge is, but I know that all of my Enfields have VERY forgiving chambers and they swallow all of my reloads from my RCBS or Hornady dies. I am sure that any Enfield that you might have will chamber a reload just fine. 303 chambers do tend to be generous. Now my Ross has a cavern for a chamber, but it is probably one the most accuratate 303's that I own. You should see what the case looks like when it comes out of the Ross after firing. Not much shoulder at all.

Peter in CA

[savasyn]

Peter,
Thanks! I'm pretty much at the point where I'll make some dummy rounds and see how they work in the gun. I've heard that Enfields have loose chambers so I'm not /too/ worried about it. I've just trained myself to hit the marks on the gauges with .223, .308 and .30-06 so I might just have to let that go for this caliber.

[knucklehead0202]

i wouldn't sweat it. see if they'll chamber. then fire some and see how they compare to a resized one. that'll tell the tale.