Thread: Is the 303 obsolete?

Yeah the way i saw it. Most deer are shot under 150m metres and a moderate condition 303 should be able to do that. So a cheap shooter, wont be pretty but will do the process for a few years till he has a few deer on the ground.

Theres reliable factory ammo and optics might be a prick, but its a start.

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At the Kaituna Blenheim Club Champs there were two shooters using 303’s with aperture sights at 800 and 900 yards in very testing wind conditions keep all their shots in the black with a respectable number of five score or better shots which is better than more than a few individuals can do with modern calibers and optics. Nothing wrong with the old .303. Like most things it’s down to the operator how they go.

I think the main point is, yes there are good 303s out there, but they are probably not the cheap ones!

I sold an inexpensive Rossi 308 single shot for under $500 that shot a sub 2moa group at 100m. Would be capable out to 200-250m confidently all the time with inexpensive factory ammo (PMC bronze). Did better with handloads. There are plenty of good options in common hunting calibres if someone is willing to pay around $500, and buying from a seller honest about performance of the rifle (hopefully a few of those here!). In reality it only takes a few packets of ammo being burned up trying to get a $200 rifle of unknown performance to shoot and there goes most of your $200-300 difference these days.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

I still want a 303 double.

Doesnt anyone with good taste????

Originally Posted by bjp

I think the main point is, yes there are good 303s out there, but they are probably not the cheap ones!

I sold an inexpensive Rossi 308 single shot for under $500 that shot a sub 2moa group at 100m. Would be capable out to 200-250m confidently all the time with inexpensive factory ammo (PMC bronze). Did better with handloads. There are plenty of good options in common hunting calibres if someone is willing to pay around $500, and buying from a seller honest about performance of the rifle (hopefully a few of those here!). In reality it only takes a few packets of ammo being burned up trying to get a $200 rifle of unknown performance to shoot and there goes most of your $200-300 difference these days.

This is so true...303s used to be a cheap option as they were half the price of a 'modern' rifle and you could get cheap ammo....but now a rifle in one of those 'modern' calibres is about the same price or often cheaper than the 303s that are about, and the cheap ammo is long gone so ammo is similarly priced regardless of calibre....If you are offered a 303 , consider it, by all means, but there are other better value rifles out there that have dropped into the same value range that will also be good options...

Originally Posted by timattalon

Doesnt anyone with good taste????

or this...

Originally Posted by Rn-85

Yeah the way i saw it. Most deer are shot under 150m metres and a moderate condition 303 should be able to do that. So a cheap shooter, wont be pretty but will do the process for a few years till he has a few deer on the ground.

Theres reliable factory ammo and optics might be a prick, but its a start.

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Ammo and accuracy isn't the problem, as you said it's the optics.

If you can buy one already setup with a scope for $200 go from it. But if you are having to pay to get a scope mounted, then decide to shorten it for a suppressor, you've now invested into something that was never worth it.

I spoke to someone recently who was setting up a 303 for Bush hunting. He was having lots of issues with scope bases coming loose and struggling to get a reliable setup.
Any money and time spent at that stage was a pretty bad investment, but he'd already spent the money up front so was stuck trying to get it to work.

303 is a more than capable cartridge, and most of the rifles are good enough for bush hunting.

Actually I changed my mind.
For a new shooter a old 303 is probably still a bad idea.
Really easy to develop a flinch with a 303, they are not comfortable rifles to shoot for even experienced shooters.

Learning to shoot a harder recoiling is difficult at the best of times, one with a 100+ year old stock design with a brass or steel butt "pad" doesn't help with this at all.

Originally Posted by bjp

or this...
Attachment 286921

I’ve used Brens- reliable and accurate but not the most lefty-friendly!

Well here are the results from my first shoot at 200M (with my 303 let alone any other rifle) over the weekend.
Was shot in the sitting position, i reckon i would have got tighter groupings had i rested it on a sandbag.
Has an early redfield "TV" scope 3-9x40 fitted.
I dont have this sighted in perfectly at 50m let alone 200

The only correct answer is, no you heathern, tge 303 is eternal.

All the negatives mentioned here are to do with the 303's platform ie the rifle the caliber is available in. When calibers such as the 6mm Remington are talk of as being obsolete, it's directed at the cartridge.
If the 303 cartridge was available in a modern platform it may well be more popular.

All the negatives mentioned here are to do with the 303's platform ie the rifle the caliber is available in. When calibers such as the 6mm Remington are talked of as being obsolete, it's directed at the cartridge.
If the 303 cartridge was available in a modern platform it may well be more popular.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

All the negatives mentioned here are to do with the 303's platform ie the rifle the caliber is available in. When calibers such as the 6mm Remington are talked of as being obsolete, it's directed at the cartridge.
If the 303 cartridge was available in a modern platform it may well be more popular.

Well the Winchester 30-30 is still made and popular today and is of a similar age too.
Age is not really a barrier.
I think i heard somewhere that there was a company making a modern rifle chambered in .303 but need to look it up.
There are modern aftermarket barrels that would give your old SMLE sporter a huge upgrade in accuracy and probably would have better tolerances in the chamber for reloading too, avoiding the need for neck sizing.
Would be an expensive upgrade and huge investment to import a barrel, but would be a great option for a 303 purist.
If there was enough demand, perhaps someone may import a shipment someday. Tons of parts out there to throw a gun together with a new barrel.
Might even be a market for it, i see there are synthetic stocks available for the 303, so anythings possible.

Barrels are definitely being made and are available..... Agree it's not the cartridge that's the issue,just the worn out flogged to death options we normally see it in.if rossi did reproduction of the Winchester?88?? Oh boy oh boy look out.and yes single break open does have appeal.