No1 SMLE

[Bret4207]

Son was gifted a No1 MkIII (I think!) SMLE. After cursory cleaning and inspection he shot off what was left of a box of fairly current Rem factory 180's, 15 or so rounds. All brass has what appear to be longitudinal markings on part of the case extending maybe 1/3-1/2 way up the lower area of the case, mostly on what appears to be the "bottom" of the chamber as the case lay in the rifle. I can sort of make out a matching shine or distortion in the bottom of the chamber. All I can think of is reamer chatter, but it's very uniform and covers a rather broad area for chatter IME. Would any one else care to offer a possible cause for this? I don't see any reference to any sort of fluted chamber ever used in SMLEs in line.

Looking at cases in better light, all appear to have the markings all around circumference of case. gotta be chatter marks...I think.

 

[Hawk]

Pictures?

 

[CZ93X62]

I don't get the marks you speak of in my No. 1 Mk III (BSA 1918), but if reloading is in the cards I would see about a neck-sizing die for resizing the fired brass. The chambers in mine and others I have handled and fired are "generous", let's call it. Chamber shoulder locations are kinda poetic, as well. Throat diameter on mine is .3155" or so, and a semi-custom bullet sized to .316" shoots fairly well in my example. I don't run it hard, at 101 years old and who-knows-how-many-engagements it has earned some gentle and respectful treatment. The 200 grainers at 1500-1600 FPS are docile and enjoyable.

 

[Pistolero]

Since the .303 British headspaces on the rim, they are infamous for semi-random chamber shapes,
shoulder locations, etc. As long as the bullet is in the chamber neck at firing and the case didn't rupture,
they seemed to be perfectly happy with shoulders of highly variable location, size and shape. Too
SMALL was a no-no, but too big or oddly shaped seemed to be fine. Brass was absolutely totally
considered worthless trash after firing, so the only possible issue was whether it ruptured or not,
or had difficulty with extraction.

This is a real PITA for handloaders, and the only real solution is neck sizing, isolating brass for
each rifle, or accepting very short brass life. Not sure if this line is a factory defect or not, but I
suspect that it would pass a Brit armorer's specs without comment unless it caused extraction
difficulties. Probably if some armorer saw this they'd just shrug and put it in the "approved for
issue" rack.

Bill

 

[Bret4207]

I've looked at all the brass and can't feel any swelling with my fingers. I'll have to get the tenths reading mic out and see if I can measure any difference. I doubt the rifle will see much use in the long run.

 

[Missionary]

Good morning
Somewhere I read the Brit armores had "five" different length bolt heads they would use to headspace rifles that exhibited very long chambers or to short a chamber (when not spotless) that would not easily chamber "standard issue ammo".

 

[fiver]

the 3's are rough on brass.
I kind of run whatever cannon fodder cases I can find through mine and I expect a case separation from time to time.
I haven't even tried to measure the throat or anything because I know it will lead to another mold and size die that won't work in anything else I have.
it gets pretty much a diet of low velocity home made thin jacketed 311 diameter bullets.

my no-4 does a lot better so I take a little more care with it's case prep and such.
I use the same load as I use in my 308 in it and it goes along just fine.
as long as I don't mix up the cases.

 

[Missionary]

Bought my son one of the Ishapore 308's some time back. He is very happy with it.
We have at least 2 303's and a Savage "Lend Lease". Each one is a different chamber so we segregate brass to them. I would need my reloading book on them but I think they are each different diameters. Happily bought a NOE .316 back awhile for a fat groove Krag. Just have to size to the right groove if needed.

 

[462]

I had a Fazakerly No. 4 Mk. 2 that required a .318" cast bullet. Bought a Shirley No. 4 Mk. 1, for my son-in-law, and it required a .316" cast bullet. Didn't have a mould fat enough to satisfy the Savage, so it is a non-shooting heirloom.

 

[Bruce Drake]

I had a Fazakerly No. 4 Mk. 2 that required a .318" cast bullet. Bought a Shirley No. 4 Mk. 1, for my son-in-law, and it required a .316" cast bullet. Didn't have a mould fat enough to satisfy the Savage, so it is a non-shooting heirloom.

Have you considered getting a Mountain Molds bullet mold? if you need a .316" bullet, you can have them cut the custom mold to drop any of their 30 or 32 caliber bullet designs to meet that need.

https://www.mountainmolds.com/

 

[462]

Thanks for the suggestion, Bruce, but the inherent brass problems and a keener interest in Mausers and Old West guns became more of a gun priority.

My son has the Savage, I sold the Fazakerly and the Golden State Armory Santa Fe Model of 1941. The Santa Fe conversion was very nicely done, but it was a spur of the moment purchase and didn't fit in with my ex-military rifle accumulation. I sold it for a small profit, the new owner quickly fitted a fairly nice Monte Carlo butt stock and sold it for a loss not long after.

 

[Bruce Drake]

Thanks for the suggestion, Bruce, but the inherent brass problems and a keener interest in Mausers and Old West guns became more of a gun priority.

My son has the Savage, I sold the Fazakerly and the Golden State Armory Santa Fe Model of 1941. The Santa Fe conversion was very nicely done, but it was a spur of the moment purchase and didn't fit in with my ex-military rifle accumulation. I sold it for a small profit, the new owner quickly fitted a fairly nice Monte Carlo butt stock and sold it for a loss not long after.

Yeah, I've been finding it difficult lately to get quality 303 Brit Brass without paying a premium price for them
Bruce

 

[Bill]

			The lee collet die is your friend with a 303, I have not lost a case in that cal since I started using them Bill

 

[skeet1]

Bret4207,
The mark on your brass may be like the rifle I have, it also gets these marks on the brass. I don't think that it is a stretch mark in my case, it is not where a stretch mark would normally appear. In my rifle I think it may be from the use of one of the old "Stuck Case Remover" that people use to use when they would have case separate in the chamber. I believe the chamber is scratched.

I use the Lee neck sizing collet die and my .303 brass lasts just as long as other calibers. As Bill says this is a must die for the .303.

 

[Bret4207]

Skeet, these marks run the long way, not like a stretch mark. Still ahven't figured out what made them, but it's not a huge concern for the amount it will get shot. I think I have 1100 rounds of surplus stuff here someplace bought years back for something like $29.00. If he gets real into the gun he can have at it with that stuff and then learn to clean it!

 

[Pistolero]

Be careful with surplus Brit .303, Bret. Their priming is notoriously short lived. Have you checked that stored
ammo lately? I have a case of it....about 25% normal firing, 50% various lengths of hang fires and 25% dead
primers. It helps you work on your follow through.

 

[Bret4207]

Was unaware of that Bill. It's been sitting there for close to 20 years without a shot fired. I imagine it will sit there for a while longer.

 

[CZ93X62]

I enjoy firing milsurps with cast bullets. I have the SMLE, a G98/40 (Mannlicher-made 8 x 57 Mountain Carbine), and a Romanian M-44 Mosin-Nagant carbine. All 3 are worth the trouble.

 

[flint4570]

I have 4 smle's all are fine rifles no real issues with any of them . just neck size only brass well last plenty of times. One has a slightly fat chamber so I keep brass separated. All shoot fine with a .314 dia. cast bullet .

 

[MW65]

I have three flavors... A Brit no5, Canuk No4, and an Aussie No1. All shoot great with my old std handload. Now starting to find the sweet spot with a NOE 200gr.