.303 Blanks
Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Reloading
Forum Name: Reloading .303 British
Forum Description: Enfield-Rifles.com accepts NO responsibility for any loads that may be used by persons reading this forum. USE CAUTION WHEN TRYING ANY NEW LOADS!!! ANY DATA DEEMED UNSAFE WILL BE REMOVED!!!
URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4918
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 6:21pm
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Topic: .303 Blanks
Posted By: Smith357
Subject: .303 Blanks
Date Posted: December 10 2011 at 9:43pm
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I'm looking for starting load data for .303 blanks to used for tennis
balls fired from an Enfield rifle Grenade launcher. I have some modern
commercial blanks that are working well launching the ball 100+ yards
but they cost 75 cents each. I opened up one of the blanks and it had
about 12 grains of a fast burning flake powder. (square greyish green
flakes to be exact) I'm guessing a pistol powder was used due to the
lack of pressure in a blank case to completely burn a slower rifle
powder. Also what is the best way to seal a blank, the crimped ends on the commercial blanks is blown out and will need to get trimmed off. I'm thinking about some cotton or cardboard wadding and some wax. |
Replies:
Posted By: Smokey
Date Posted: December 11 2011 at 4:52am
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I set up blanks strictly as noisemakers, so I cannot talk to launching tennis balls.
I use about ten to fifteen grains of UNIQUE (it's the fastest propellant I have) and stuff (pack) a cotton ball in the case after it.
Get a fast pistol powder (such as Bullseye) and start low at about three grains or less. Increase the charge gradually until you start to get the effect you want. Watch out for any signs pressure as usual, and check the bore to make certain it's clear after each shot.
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Posted By: Smith357
Date Posted: December 11 2011 at 9:54am
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Thanks, I do have plenty of Bullseye, and I like the idea of the cotton ball stuffing. Do you seal the ends? Here are some pictures of what I'm working with. The crimped ends of the cases split badly so I have trimmed them off. I've never worked with .303 brass before. This stuff is very thick and heavy, I wounder if all .303 brass is this stout or could it be made heavy just for the blanks. I've also noticed this brass poorly stamped.   |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: December 11 2011 at 9:34pm
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Blank brass is very different from regular brass as you've discovered. With regular brass I use Unique same as Smokey does, but i seal differently. What I do is push the case mouth into a bar of household soap, give it a 1/2 turn to snap off the plug & pull out. One bar of soap makes a lot of blanks, but be aware even soap is a projectile so I don't know how well your tennis ball will fare being shot at point blank range with 15 Gr of Unique!  for even more of a dramatic effect use 25 Gr of black powder!------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Smokey
Date Posted: December 12 2011 at 7:28am
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Shamu, do you rinse out the soap after shooting your blanks?
You could also try using a bar of canning wax (paraffin) in the same manner as soap.
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Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: December 12 2011 at 9:37pm
Yep, the bore comes pre-soaped for B/P cleaning I just add hot water. Good tip about the canning wax, but ( contrary to rumor) I usually have soap handy. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |