Thanks @sestoppelman . It is a 1901 MLE action and I have built a number of Lee Speed styled rifles in 303 and 375-303 as well as this 400 LS on these actions for a few people here in NZ and made stock sets for a few in the US and Canada as well.
Very nice, and interesting as well. I grew up using a .303 Jungle Carbine. I did not know folks 'wildcatted' this cartridge. Just to be clear, you have necked this up to .400? Did you have the original barrel rebored or change the barrel? What sort of load/velocity do you use in this? Thanks for your time...
@Rick Cox The 303-375 is the 303 case necked up and there were common wildcats on the case with the 22-303, 243-303, 25-303 and 270-303, particularly in Australia but the 400LS is the 405 Win case shortened by .21 from 2. 583 to 2. 375 and loaded to an OAL of 3. 02 with a 320gn cast bullet. I have a play load of 22gn blue dot for 1600fps and a serious load with 3031 which will run it to 2300fps if needed while staying under 40k psi. I used a short chambered 405 barrel and lengthened the chamber to bring it to the max OAL I could load into the magazine.
I have necked up 303 brass but it does not have enough length to hold more than .175 of the bullet
@Von Gruff thanks for the info. I'm handy but no gunsmith! I have never heard of anyone wildcatting the .303. To this day it is arguably the caliber that has killed the most game in Canada with the exception perhaps of the 30-30.
And throughout the empire as well @Rick Cox . Literally hundreds of thousands of deer in NZ with the govt cullers and there would have been about a 90% ownership of LE's amongs the gun owners in NZ untill there was the big upswing in readily availabe rifles at a price that many could afford. Still a lot of meat boughtto the table by the old LE varients.
I am no gunsmith either but these old girls are a breeze to play with and changing and headspacing another barrel is much more simplified than on the mauser or other modern rifles.
@Rick Cox The 303-375 is the 303 case necked up and there were common wildcats on the case with the 22-303, 243-303, 25-303 and 270-303, particularly in Australia but the 400LS is the 405 Win case shortened by .21 from 2. 583 to 2. 375 and loaded to an OAL of 3. 02 with a 320gn cast bullet. I have a play load of 22gn blue dot for 1600fps and a serious load with 3031 which will run it to 2300fps if needed while staying under 40k psi. I used a short chambered 405 barrel and lengthened the chamber to bring it to the max OAL I could load into the magazine.
I have necked up 303 brass but it does not have enough length to hold more than .175 of the bullet
Hi nztimb I bought a LE #5 a few years ago rebarrled to .375 Jennings very much like the 37 Rimmed. The case is blown out straight with a sharp neck. If you have any reloading info from your experience with the 303/375 it would be appreciated. I have been working with IMR 3031
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