Load data- Berrys plated and .303 British

M

mikejonestkd

New member
Good day all,
I have been working with my son on loads for his Lee Enfield and we had a wild thought of using Berrys plated bullets in it for low cost plinking loads. I know we need to stay below 1900 FPS or so, but don't have a decent starting point with the powders I have on hand.

So, I am looking for data using 123 gr Berrys plated bullets, using any of the following powders - H4895, Varget, 4064, 3031, or even powder puff loads with trail boss.



edit - H4895
 
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I'm not a rifle shooter but I do use Berry's plated bullets and like what I've found.

Maybe drop an email to the powder manufacturers with what you're looking to do as see what they suggest. You may get surprised!
 
You might also look for articals by C. E. Harris. There is a lot of different loads he wrote about mainly for cast but it might give you another source.
 
Mikejonestkd,
If you have H4895 on hand instead of H4985 you can us .6 x the max listed load as a starting load as it is recommended by Hodgdon in their reduced loads.
The trail boss loads will likely give lower velocities and the Hodgdon web site has the formula to use in bottle necked cases.
 
There are jacketed 125 grain(close enough. 2 grain doesn't make any difference.) loads on .303british.com and Hodgdon's site. None of which is suitable for plated bullets. No light cast bullet data either.
You do not need bullet specific data.
Berry's, of course, doesn't publish or test any data at all. And their FAQ page links are out of date too. Contact the powder makers and ask.
"...have H4895 on hand instead of H4985..." Or IMR4895? Data for the 4895's is NOT interchangeable.
 
T. O'Heir ... Contact the powder makers and ask.
"...have H4895 on hand instead of H4985..." Or IMR4895? Data for the 4895's is NOT interchangeable.
Click to expand...

In the original post "H4985" was listed as one of his powders. Since Hodgdon doesn't make a 4985 powder I made the correction to H4895. IMR 4895 is similar but there is no data for reductions to 60% listed for it and no listed loads are interchangeable between them. I do thank you for your clarification.
 
I too am considering working up some 303 plinking loads using the light Berrys .311 plated bullets. Google search found a few folks using powders associated with handguns/shotguns, eg Unique, 700x, Red Fot etc. Gonna do more research before ordering any Berrys bullets. Will post up any findings/results.

Be well folks
 
Thanks for the replies.
I finally found some data for H4895 and trail boss, so those will probably be my go to powders.
I also found a source for bulk jacketed 123 grain bullets, at about the same price as Berrys plated, so I might use them instead.
 
Just a quick update- just got back from the range with the Enfield. Both bullets used are originally intended for the 7.62 x 39mm, but are sized close enough for the 303 British

13 grains of trail boss under a 123 gr Berry's plated bullet shot very well, and was like shooting a 223 - almost no recoil and a mild report.

30 grains of H4895 under a 123 gr Hornady soft point also shot well and had just enough recoil to feel it. There was a decent amount of soot blow back on the cases, so the seal wasn't complete.

Both shot into about 2" at 50 yards for me.

Time to tumble some brass, load them again and run them over the chrony tomorrow.
 
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