Reloading .303 British - 303 British case checker/gauge

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303 British case checker/gauge

Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Reloading
Forum Name: Reloading .303 British
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URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13153
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 6:21pm
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Topic: 303 British case checker/gauge

Posted By: slowindown
Subject: 303 British case checker/gauge
Date Posted: January 24 2024 at 5:22am

I have Lyman case checkers for othe calibers I reload. I don’t see that 303 British is available from Lyman. However I do see it is from the shooters box.

https://www.theshootersbox.com/303-British-Case-Ammunition-Gauge_p_52539.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.theshootersbox.com/303-British-Case-Ammunition-Gauge_p_52539.html

Any experience with this one? Do you use them? Do they even work when the brass is fire formed to a particular chamber and neck sized?

Replies:

Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: January 24 2024 at 9:20am

I've got Wilson case gages, and rarely (if ever) use the .303 gage. For chamber fireformed brass that you are neck sizing, the case head will protrude from the bottom of the gage, so it's not really useful. And, you don't want to FL size all the way back to the gage dimensions either as this typically pushes the shoulder back far too much. I use a Hornady Headspace Comparator for that purpose (or you can use the rifles chamber for that matter).

The only thing I find these gages useful for is reloading for auto-loading rifles like the M1 and AR-15; they are a quick way to confirm your dies are set up correctly, and I run the first sized case thru the gage every time I resize a batch of cases.

For checking case length, it's quicker to set your calipers to the max case length and use the calipers as a GO/NOGO gage, very quick.

Posted By: slowindown
Date Posted: January 24 2024 at 9:43am

Thanks. I was thinking it wouldn’t be helpful with neck sized 303b. I currently use them for 30-06 (Garand), .223 and 7.62x39.

Posted By: Sapper740
Date Posted: January 24 2024 at 12:57pm

I only use such case gauges for ammunition I plan on firing in autoloaders and pistols.

Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 25 2024 at 1:25pm

The "Hornady Headspace Comparator" one is great, They used to drill tap one of your own fired cases, not sure if they still do though. Its a standard thread so you can D&T yourself easily.

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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)