About .303 British
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to go over .303 British today. The cartridge is well-known for being utilized by militaries and fighters for well over a century. We are going to delve into the traits, features, and use cases for the .303 British in addition to covering other considerations. Without further ado, let’s talk about .303 British.
What is .303 British?
The .303 British was introduced in 1888 in the United Kingdom alongside the Lee-Metford rifle. By 1895, the cartridge began to see use in the iconic Lee Enfield series of rifles, a breed of service rifle which was commonly used by the British until the mid-20th century. In addition to its use in service rifles, the cartridge was also utilized in machine guns such as the iconic Lewis Gun and Bren. The cartridge notably features a rim at its base, a common practice of its time which optimized it for use with machine guns and rifles alike. Additionally, the cartridge sports a distinct and pronounced taper which aids in reliable feeding.
Like many of the other service rifles calibers of the era, the .303 British can be described as a potent cartridge. Recoil-wise, especially in a lighter rifle such as a No.5 Mk.1 “Jungle Carbine,” the cartridge exhibits a stout, authoritative recoil impulse. With heavier projectiles ranging from 150 to 180 grains paired with high velocities, the .303 British is capable of delivering good hits on target with impactful results. These traits made it well-suited to combat and other roles such as hunting and other sporting use cases.
Is .303 British Interchangeable with Other Calibers?
The .303 British is not interchangeable with any other calibers. Despite the cartridge featuring a similar sized projectile to and influencing the 7.7×58 Japanese, the two calibers are incompatible with each other. While some Lee Enfield type rifles utilize other calibers such as .308 Winchester or 7.62x51mm NATO, this is not made possible by any form of interchangeability. These examples were either rebarreled and rechambered later in their lives or were built for 7.62x51mm NATO from the ground up. In short, the .303 British will not interchange with any other caliber.
Long Service Life
The .303 British is notable for its long service life. Since the cartridge’s official service debut in 1889, the cartridge has been utilized in nearly every major and minor conflict. This includes both World Wars and numerous other conflicts throughout history. In these use cases, the .303 British has been utilized in official. military capacities and in the hands of unofficial, small forces such as partisans. The .303 British has been utilized by fighters in everything from the Irish War of Independence to the Vietnam War and Soviet-Afghan War. Even today, the cartridge sees use in the hands fo guerillas and fighters across the globe.
How Available is .303 British Ammunition?
At this point in time, .303 British ammunition is harder to get ahold of than more contemporary calibers. This is to say that it is more difficult to acquire .303 British ammo than it is to acquire ammunition for calibers such as 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO, and even .30-06 Springfield. Despite this, the cartridge is supported by a fair number of ammunition manufacturers such as Hornady, Federal, Sellier & Bellot, PPU, and Winchester to name a few. Additionally, one can still find surplus .303 British ammunition offerings from a variety of countries. These offerings can be found from countries such as the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey, and India to name a few.
While loadings for .303 British may not be consistently available on local shelves, there are things shooters can do to stay stocked up. Like many calibers, the .303 British is available in individual and bulk ammo quantities. If one elects to buy bulk .303 British ammunition, they can effectively build up a larger stock of ammunition. Of course, shooters can also choose to shop for ammunition online, effectively expanding their potential ammo offerings. If one chooses to buy .303 British ammo online, they are no longer bound by what they can find locally. All in all, one will be able to find .303 British ammunition if they are looking for it, despite its occasional scarcity.
How Available are Firearms Chambered in .303 British?
Like .303 British ammunition, firearms in the caliber are also less common than other offerings. This is to say that firearms chambered in .303 British are less common than offerings in calibers such as .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, and .243 Winchester. Firearms in mainstream calibers tend to be available at most places where ammunition is sold, something which is not always the case with .22-250 Remington chambered firearms.
Typically, firearms chambered in .303 British will be of the bolt action variety in the form of military surplus rifles. Typically, these milsurp rifles are Lee Enfield rifles from the World War One era, interwar period, or World War Two era. Lee Enfield rifles are most commonly found in the form of No.1 Mk.3 SMLE type rifles or No.4 Mk.1 type rifles. Additionally, some rarer examples of Lee Enfield rifles include No.5 Mk.1 “Jungle Carbine” rifles and No.4 Mk.1 (T) sniper rifles.
What is .303 British Used For?
In this day and age, the .303 British is mainly employed for recreational purposes. While ammunition is not as plentiful as it once was, many shooters continue to employ the cartridge in this role. Doing so allows shooters of all generations to experience history by shooting old service rifles from conflicts past.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the .303 British is a long-standing service cartridge which has certainly endured the test of time. The cartridge is employed by shooters of all types for purposes such as hunting, target shooting, and hunting. Additionally, the .303 British also sees use in specific match types which focus on vintage service rifles. Of course, the cartridge is still employed in combat to this day due to the prolific nature of ammunition and firearms in the caliber in many conflict zones. We here at True Shot Ammo offer .303 British ammunition for sale in both individual and bulk ammo quantities. Whether you want to buy .303 British ammo or something else, we have got you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at [email protected] for more ammo options.
View more posts about ammunition:
Related Posts
One Response
Do you have 303. Ammo in stock?