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Goosic View Drop Down
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Points: 8842 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2023 at 11:44am
Originally posted by britrifles britrifles wrote:


This doesn’t mean the PPU bullets wont shoot that good.  But, they don’t have the consistency in weight and diameter that the SMKs do, that is for sure...


...so, in summary however. You can still enjoy shooting your venerable Lee-Enfield rifles at the range until such time that Sierra decides to offer up the MK's to the general public once again or, the hoarders decide to sell a portion of what they have at a substantially increased mark-up price...
 

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Originally posted by Strangely Brown Strangely Brown wrote:

Originally posted by britrifles britrifles wrote:

Had some time to kill today, and my PPU .311 174 gr FMJBT bullets arrived.  Out of curiosity, I weighed and mic’ed the diameter of 10 bullets, both PPU and 174 gr Sierra Matchkings. 

PPU    174.9 min, 175.4 max, .3108 min, .3116 max

SMK   All weighed 174.0, all measured .3114 diameter.

I may need to up my game, my Mitutoyo digital calipers only read to .000.5"thou. 


Mick, 

A good micrometer is useful, however, I have no intention of sorting bullets by weight and diameter.  I doubt that bullet weight spread is all that significant, nor is the diameter variation.  However, this may be an indication of something more significant to accuracy.  Variation in bullet jacket thickness.  That can cause the bullet to have a center of gravity location not perfectly aligned to the geometric center of the bullet, a real accuracy killer.  

If nothing else, the PPU bullets will be fine for practice shooting, and I can save the SMKs for matches.  

Hopefully, Sierra will once again produce the .311 174 MatchKing, they shoot so well and are very tolerant to throat erosion and jump.  In the meantime, I have enough to last me a number of years.  

Geoff
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Originally posted by britrifles britrifles wrote:

. If nothing else, the PPU bullets will be fine for practice shooting, and I can save the SMKs for matches.

My thoughts exactly Geoff, I have 368 SMK's squirreled away and they all came from a club member who died a few months back. 
I haven't done the mental arithmetic yet to work out how many comps they will cover.  
Mick
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when was the smk last available
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Before Covid-19 
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Originally posted by Shamu Shamu wrote:

As long as you aren't shooting above 300yds then this^^^^.
If you want to shoot long range with the issue sights then dig around & find something closer to the 174Gr MkVII ball as that's what the sights are set up for.
You can still use them with things like the 150 Gr, but the markings will be "off" so you'll have to record & set by using "clicks" (roughly 1/2MOA per click)

Thanks for the help.I tried the PPU 174 grainers with several powder combinations and the accuracy IMO is horrible. At 100 yards it will do about 7 inches. A friend gave me some 4 rounds of Greek Surplus and it shot about 2 inches. Is your opinion that PPU projectile components are good? The weight of the 174s i bought was very inconsistent in weight .To be fair Im a bench rest shooter so im after the best i can get out of this rifle.I just ordered son Hornady 150s like you suggested.Can you offer some insight from your obvious years of success with the Enfield.
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m106: At 100 yards it will do about 7"?
Normally for an AS ISSUED new rifle, it was required to hit a 4 inch square 7 out of 9 times a 100 yards. You might think about getting a bore gauge and checking how worn the rifling is. I have been using the 174grn PPU FMJBT projectiles seated out to 3.110" on top of 40.0grns of VihtaVuori N540 in my No4Mk1/2 and it has been consistently producing MOA groups @100 yards. That particular rifle has a 12x scope on it but even using my No4Mk1 with iron sights, I can typically get a 10 shot group inside an official SR-1 target 10 ring. 
The No4Mk1/2 and my latest group...
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That is horrible!
You should be getting under 3" at worst. I usually get under 2" which is about good for the L-E action.
To me that indicates something is wrong.
I'm not a benchrester, but I am a bullseye shooter.
What powders have you tried if I may ask. Not all powders work well with all bullet weights. I tried H335 some years back & it was an unmitigated disaster, everything from rubbish groups to incomplete combustion & lodged bullets!!
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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I have a Lee Enfield that will not shoot 174 or 180's! All over the place! I tried 150 Hornady Spire points with H4895 and it is a pretty accurate rifle. Usually 2 -3" groups @ 100 yds.
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Yes, this. ^^^
I load 174 or 180 Gr for one of my SMLE's & my No5 Mk1.
The other SMLE & the No4 Mk2 prefer 150 Gr ones!
They are all individuals with individual preferences.
Find what works by experimenting & then stick with it.
I've also discovered that bullet shape matters a lot with the lighter bullets.
The Hornady #3120 beats the heck out of Speer's offering basically, I think because of profile & seating depth!
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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