.303 for moose hunting
Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Enfields
Forum Name: Hunting with the .303 British cartridge.
Forum Description: Share your hunting stories with the rest of us.
URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5633
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 8:18pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: .303 for moose hunting
Posted By: Canuck
Subject: .303 for moose hunting
Date Posted: December 27 2012 at 5:49am
| Just wanting to know what you fellows have been using for ammunition in our .303's for moose hunting. I re-load but want to expand my ammunition options including factory loads. I am using a Parker Hale converted #4/Mk1 with a 22 1/2 barrel with a 5-groove bore and a 4x32 scope with a Monte Carlo stock. Thanks for all your opinions. |
Replies:
Posted By: 303Guy
Date Posted: December 27 2012 at 9:06am
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Any chance of a photo of your rifle? I don't hunt moose so I can't contribute but I am interested in what others are using. I have a number of 215gr soft nose (Remington, I think) that I've never found a use for. Feral cattle maybe? Big red deer? I shot one using Speer's 180gr round nose with a reduced muzzle velocity and that had good penetration and presumably expansion. It exited. Striking velocity was around 1900fps. It broke no bone but traversed a shoulder and the neck. I will most likely use heavy paper patched bullets for any future hunts.
------------- 303Guy |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: December 27 2012 at 11:52am
| I have uploaded a recent picture of my rifle on this site earlier, but I have to find it again. I can re-take another few photos if I can't find it here. |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: December 27 2012 at 11:37pm
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I use #1 MkIII* Parker Hale convert. Use factory loads(Privi Partizan of late). 150 on deer - 180 on moose. Took 2 moose last year. Didn't hunt moose this year Hoadie ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: December 28 2012 at 2:28am
| Thanks Hoadie. I've been meaning to get a hold of some Privi Partisan but it is tough to find out here except at the gun shows. |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: December 28 2012 at 12:21pm
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WANT ME TO GET YA SOME? HOADIE ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: December 28 2012 at 1:33pm
| I most certainly would! That would be mucho appreciated! PM me if you like with your details and I'll give you mine. |
Posted By: longshot
Date Posted: February 19 2013 at 9:06am
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Im new here but i can weigh in on this one. I have hunted moose with the No. 4 Mk1 that my dad gave me. I use Winchester Super X 180grain power point. lots of moose have fallen to this combo over the years by my dad and lots of people he loaned it to back in the 70's and 80's not to mention cariboo, black bear and white tail deer. hope this helps dean ETA that's .303 British not Savage. |
Posted By: 2 Dogs
Date Posted: September 10 2013 at 2:01pm
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I've taken quite a few moose over the years with various 303 Brits. When I was a kid I used the old CIL 215 gr Kling Kores on moose ( because thats what my old man always had around ) and Winchester 180 gr PP on everything else. I've used the 180's, mostly handloaded Sierra's, on moose, elk and white-tails and they performed perfectly. I just got my hands on a couple of hundred of old Norma 215 gr round noses. I'm going to try some loads with Reloader 15 in my Parker-Hale No. 4 sporter, if they shoot well I'm taking her out for moose this October
To be honest, try out as many factory loads as you can and stick with the one thats shoots the best in your rifle . Inside of 150 yrds any of the 180's will perform about the same on moose. Try to avoid raking shots or heavy bone if you can and you wont have any trouble. The Winchester 180's have for some reason always shot more accurately in most of my enfields and have killed a lot of moose in these parts over the years. Hope this helps.
2 Dogs
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Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: September 10 2013 at 8:34pm
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150 gr on deer..180 on moose. Always worked well for me Hoadie ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: September 10 2013 at 10:33pm
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MMMM, moose, the other brown meat. Moose burgers for all. Throw another Bullwinkle on the barbie. ------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: September 11 2013 at 2:07am
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Rhino took a couple handfuls of "Bullwinkle droppings" back home with him. He works on the BULLWINKLE platform, so he thought they should see what it leaves "behind" (You do think differently when you drink) Hoadie ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: Tony
Date Posted: September 11 2013 at 3:00am
You graduated from the club and spear then Hoadie?? ------------- Rottie (PitBulls dad.) “If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons Born free taxed to death!!! |
hoadie wrote:Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: September 11 2013 at 3:59am
..yep.I jump out of tees with a knife, & slit their throats!  (But NOT till I've had a good "bronco" ride on 'em!  Heck..I may even start to use SLINGSHOT! Hoadie ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: 303carbine
Date Posted: September 13 2013 at 2:11am
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I have used mostly 180 grain bullets for moose and deer, I have a collectible red and yellow box of factory Winchester 215 grain soft point, I just can't bring myself to shoot any of them.
I'm glad I reload....
 Many moose have fallen to various 303's that I have owned over the past 40 years, the biggest ones were taken with a 1916 BSA and a 1944 jungle carbine.
The carbine shot the old Dominion 215 Kling Kore soft point ammo and I believe the BSA shot Winchester Power Point ammo.
I tried an experiment with 200 grain Speer SP .308 diameter bullets, they shoot to the same point of impact as the .311 Speer 180 grain bullet.
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Posted By: 3Wood
Date Posted: December 08 2013 at 3:18pm
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Hi, I used 174g PMP on Kudu, I think the Moose should be the same size as the Kudu. ------------- "Straight and Often" |
Posted By: White Rhino
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 2:29am
Headed back out to the BULLWINKLE Wednesday morning !!another 2 weeks of pure Bullwinkle torture as only you could have as a mechanic working on the machinery of Bullwinkle !!! Seems to be the longest 2 weeks of each month !!!!!! Amazing how fast my 2 weeks go at home !!!!! ------------- "White Rhino" "Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer." --W. C. Fields |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 2:32am
I hope he did not have to explain them to US Customs people.
------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |
Posted By: White Rhino
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 2:35am
Nope!! only got busted on the Wine and Pickles I had in my carry one !! guess that stopped them before looking further into the Moose Poo !!!!!!!! ------------- "White Rhino" "Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer." --W. C. Fields |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 3:33am
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"....I hope he did not have to explain them to US Customs people....." i was wonderin on that as well , i know crossing the other way we got checked for potatoes and fruits , seems you-all think you might get cooties from them up there in canada
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Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 3:39am
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I know how you feel, it is quite ridiculous really. ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: February 12 2015 at 6:57pm
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A little late here, but has anyone used Woodleigh 215 gr RN's. I recently got ahold of 100 of these bullets which are purported to be the hot tip for hunting with a .303. I haven't been able to find any loading data for these bullets so far but I'm sure it is out there. Also I have been trying to get ahold of some Hornady 174 gr RN's for a Hunting Load. Not available anywhere right now. So far the best I have gotten out of that gun was shooting 150 gr Privi Partisan ammo. I also have some 180gr ammo from them. Randy ------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: Lee Enfield
Date Posted: February 12 2015 at 7:33pm
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Check out "www.woodleighbullets.com.au", they have a load data section. I'm thinking about trying some myself. I use their "130gn PP SN" @ 2883 Fps and it works great, knocks the "stuffing" out of Fallow and Red Deer, also works on Sambar (the ghost of the bush) but shot placement needs to be a bit more precise on them. I use ADI AR2208 for them and ADI AR2209 for the 150gn Hornady. Woodleigh Bullets list ADI AR2208 and ADI AR2209 for the 215 grain pill.
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Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: February 13 2015 at 11:26am
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I looked at that data but it only calls out powders which I don't have access to. I need something for normal American Powders like IMR 4895,4064 or 3031 all of which should work just fine with this cartridge and bullet. Just have to find out where the charge weights are in relation to other cartridges. All of the manuals I have give loads for 150,174 and 180 gr bullets only. Randy ------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: February 13 2015 at 1:09pm
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215 Gr data is hard to find here possibly because the bullets are as well! ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Lee Enfield
Date Posted: February 13 2015 at 6:37pm
Are they the powders that you have on hand ? If your interested i can work out some data to use at your discretion. Have you or can you get something a bit slower burning....IMR4350 or IMR4007Scc ? What type of "action" do you have...No1 or No4 ? I've had a quick look at the charge rates vs load density vs chamber pressure and the 2 powders above seem to fill the "case" more with lower pressures which will lessen "felt recoil", benefit case life, put less stress on the "action" and enhance accuracy (goes with the "recoil" bit) than the powders you listed. If you have the powders stated in your "post" i can work out "starting" and "Max" loads if i've got some info (action type, head space, barrel length, etc, etc...) about the firearm the load is intended for. 
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Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: March 26 2015 at 1:03pm
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Woodleigh finally did get back to me with some loads that I can try. They had Varget listed and I have that, and also had H4350 listed. and I have some IMR 4350. I have enough information to get started. I don't plan on shooting a bunch of these at nearly $1 a pop however I do want a hunting load that works right and I've got 100 tries to get it right. I got the bullets from here http://www.huntingtons.com/" rel="nofollow - http://www.huntingtons.com/ but had to wait for months due to the Longshoreman's strike in LA. I think Midway has some now too. I also finally got some Hornady 174 gr RN's and will work up one for those as well. Randy
------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: March 26 2015 at 2:30pm
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Good going, Randy. Concerning those 174 gr. Hornady's...are those new production? ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: March 27 2015 at 9:09am
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Canuck: They are new production. Got them from Mid South Shooters Supply. I had been waiting for Midway to get them in but they still haven't and it's been two weeks since I received these. Got 200 174gr RN's and 300 150gr SP's about $27/100. Randy ------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: March 27 2015 at 3:50pm
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Thanks for that, Randy. I will have to go online and order some from my Canadian sources like Cabella's and etc. ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: March 27 2015 at 5:13pm
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Canuck; I'm not sure if your aware of it or not..but as a licenced Canadian fireams owner, you are allowed to import something like 900 rounds of ammo at a time. I can't see bullets being any different. Just sayin..it may save you some coin. Hoadie ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: March 27 2015 at 5:23pm
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Thanks Hoadie, I will look into that! ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: March 27 2015 at 7:57pm
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It sure would be a good thing if you guys could use American Sources for this type of thing. The amount of Markup the Canadian retailers are getting is not in line with what the actual Value of the product is. Pretty sure Midway ships to Canada, Also if you have a Cabela's they don't usually gouge. Here a link to the Hornady bullets I bought form Mid South. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/search?SearchTerm=Hornady+7.7" rel="nofollow - https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/search?SearchTerm=Hornady+7.7 A phone call to them would probably answer the questions. Randy ------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |