.303 Cleaning

Bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action, self loading rifles and other miscellaneous longarms.

.303 Cleaning

Post by Baldrick314 » 27 Apr 2015, 9:31 am

When I had a .303 I used to clean it with a .30 cal brush. Today I saw a brush that was sized for the .303. Does anyone use these or do you get adequate results from a regular .30 cal brush?
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by BBJ » 27 Apr 2015, 11:19 am

I've only ever know people to use .30 cal brushes. Sounds like a bit of a marketing ploy to me.

You're only talking about a 0.03" difference after all and the brushes flex obviously.

I see you already have a .308 and 30-30, I wouldn't fork out for an extra brush when you've already got for those. I'd just use the same.
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Baldrick314 » 27 Apr 2015, 12:21 pm

That was my thought too mate
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by XP22 » 27 Apr 2015, 2:58 pm

I use .30 cal brushes and just bend them slightly when they get a bit loose(make sure they are brass cored not steel)
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Grated » 27 Apr 2015, 2:59 pm

Just use your .30 cal brush.

Wouldn't surprised me if the one you saw was the same just with a different label giving them "another" product.
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Turkle » 29 Apr 2015, 9:26 am

You could always take the calipers down to the shop and see if the brush is that 0.03" different :lol:
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Varmtr » 29 Apr 2015, 10:55 pm

Actually 303 is an odd ball measurement. The 303 is measured from land to land but groove to groove the 303 can range from 0.310" - 0.312". Hence you will see 303 projectiles measure around the 0.311" dia, the Russian 7.62x39 can be the same depending on barrel and were the ammo is made.
So to get a better barrel clean of the rifling grooves you are better to run the 303 size brush ( which would be slightly bigger than the 30cal brush ) or a 8mm brush.
If you are using the old berdan primed 303 ammo after shooting it's best to put boiling hot water down the barrel first. The old 303 ammo is mercuric primed and this causes corrosive salts in the barrel hence boiling water to get rid of it. Then proceed with the normal cleaning.

Just for interest what model 303 and ammo are you using Baldrick ?
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Baldrick314 » 29 Apr 2015, 11:10 pm

Varmtr wrote:Actually 303 is an odd ball measurement. The 303 is measured from land to land but groove to groove the 303 can range from 0.310" - 0.312". Hence you will see 303 projectiles measure around the 0.311" dia, the Russian 7.62x39 can be the same depending on barrel and were the ammo is made.
So to get a better barrel clean of the rifling grooves you are better to run the 303 size brush ( which would be slightly bigger than the 30cal brush ) or a 8mm brush.
If you are using the old berdan primed 303 ammo after shooting it's best to put boiling hot water down the barrel first. The old 303 ammo is mercuric primed and this causes corrosive salts in the barrel hence boiling water to get rid of it. Then proceed with the normal cleaning.

Just for interest what model 303 and ammo are you using Baldrick ?


Yeah I was aware of the odd measurement, that's why I was asking if there was benefit to using a larger brush.

I don't currently have a 303 in the collection, previously owned a No4MK1. Hopefully I'll get another SMLE in the future. When I had it I was shooting factory ammo so no corrosive primer issues
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Varmtr » 29 Apr 2015, 11:20 pm

The No4's are a stronger action than the SMLE's No1 Mk3's. I have seen with sustained use the No1's running Mk7 and Mk8 ball ammo the headspace will start to get excessive fairly quickly. It's not really recommended to run the Mk8 ammo through SMLE's was originally designed for the Vickers and for memory its 174 FMJ-BT and fairly hot loading.
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Norton » 05 May 2015, 11:23 am

Varmtr wrote:If you are using the old berdan primed 303 ammo after shooting it's best to put boiling hot water down the barrel first. The old 303 ammo is mercuric primed and this causes corrosive salts in the barrel hence boiling water to get rid of it. Then proceed with the normal cleaning.


You don't reckon it's removed with the normal solvents, oils etc. as part of said normal cleaning?
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Varmtr » 05 May 2015, 7:10 pm

Norton wrote:
Varmtr wrote:If you are using the old berdan primed 303 ammo after shooting it's best to put boiling hot water down the barrel first. The old 303 ammo is mercuric primed and this causes corrosive salts in the barrel hence boiling water to get rid of it. Then proceed with the normal cleaning.


You don't reckon it's removed with the normal solvents, oils etc. as part of said normal cleaning?


Yep probably.
But I do remember a old big bore shooter from Horsham who was a metallurgist telling me that he does it this way. He did go into detail but what I mostly got out of it was the boiling water expands the metal and micro cracks thus allowing the salts to wash out. He put something like 3 or 4 jugs of boiling water down the barrel.
Good for him good for me.
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Title_II » 05 May 2015, 8:36 pm

Is .303 popular in Australia from war surplus? It's largely dead in the States. My buddy had a couple when we were kids so I always liked them.
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by Press » 06 May 2015, 10:53 am

To call it "popular" is probably over stating it, but it's definitely not dead. Probably better described as having a bit of a cult following.

.308 is the most popular .30 cal of course and pretty common for a lot of first time shooter and the go-to for a lot or hunters of benchrest. Same as there I'm sure.
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Re: .303 Cleaning

Post by sha » 13 May 2015, 11:43 am

Title_II wrote:Is .303 popular in Australia from war surplus? It's largely dead in the States. My buddy had a couple when we were kids so I always liked them.


If someone is into "old" guns here there is usually and SMLE .303 in the safe :D
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