.303 Wolf Gold

[abner13]

The older models are notorious for excessive headspace and oversize chambers.

My No.4Mk1 is made by Savage and appeared to be unissued. The bolt closed tight on a GO gauge.

[Stooperzero]

heres a solution you can try.

done it on a few things, Steel heat tape and cut to match the bolt face and hole cut for the FP . Do it one layer at a time.



Won't help if the throat's horribly eroded though.

[Rosco the Iroc]

I got it from a guy on here, got it home and it failed acceptance inspection, it had the neck section of a case stuck in the chamber. He said he had no clue.

I use it for history lesson on guns. I could let it go, I got the wolf because the people want the cases as souvenirs. So if I don't plan on reloading them.
Never heard of the tape. Humm. Also I'll get a mic check it and go to a forks of the de show and hit up the parts tables, might get lucky. But Fuck sarco $33 for a stripped head.

[abner13]

Won't help if the throat's horribly eroded though.

Lots of the early guns were used with ammo loaded with Cordite , which was highly erosive.

[Stooperzero]

But Fuck sarco $33 for a stripped head.

liberty tree collectors is your friend for stuff like this.

[pete1955]

Lots of the early guns were used with ammo loaded with Cordite , which was highly erosive.

This is why you want to shoot flat base bullets that when fired and kicked in the seat of the pants will fill the bore diameter.

The old British cordite powder contained more nitroglycerin than many pistol powders have today and burned very hot.

This is also why using the rubber o-ring method of fire forming works so well. With the cordite throat erosion you can't seat the bullets long and jam them into the rifling and hold the case against the bolt face.

Fire forming the cases using a rubber o-ring and letting the cases headspace on the shoulder solves the headspace issues.

In 1914 the chambers on the Enfield rifles were reamed larger in diameter and longer to the shoulder location. This was due to a ammunition scandal and who was awarded contracts to produce ammunition. Some of the .303 British ammunition was so poorly made it would not chamber in the original Enfield chambers.

Below is a Wilson .303 British case gauge and in the gauge is a fired case. The amount the case is sticking above the gauge is how much longer the military chamber was to the shoulder.

[Stooperzero]

i've shared the same brass through my SmLes, No.4/5 and a Bren with no issues.


I have seen some bizarre stuff from others though with worn out guns.

[pete1955]

Minimum military headspace on the Enfield rifle is .064 and max is .074 and rim thickness can add to the headspace issue. And their is a reason why the military crimps their primers in their cases.

The images below is from a 1947 Australian book.





Below on the left is a Remington .303 British case with a rim thickness of .058 and on the right is a Prvi Parizan case with a rim thickness of .062. And normally their is .003 between the GO gauge and the NO-GO gauge. But the SAAMI allows a maximum of .010 between min and max headspace or to the field gauge.



Pacific Tool and Gauge offers three lengths of headspace gauges per rifle caliber. In order from the shortest to longest, they are: GO, NO-GO, and FIELD:
1. GO: Corresponds to the minimum chamber dimensions. If a rifle closes on a GO gauge, the chamber will accept ammunition that is made to SAAMI’s maximum specifications. The GO gauge is essential for checking a newly-reamed chamber in order to ensure a tight, accurate and safe chamber that will accept SAAMI maximum ammo. Although the GO gauge is necessary for a gunsmith or armorer, it usually has fewer applications for the collector or surplus firearms purchaser.

2. NO-GO: Corresponds to the maximum headspace Forster recommends for gunsmiths chambering new, bolt action rifles. This is NOT a SAAMI-maximum measurement. If a rifle closes on a NO-GO gauge, it may still be within SAAMI specifications or it may have excessive headspace. To determine if there is excessive headspace, the chamber should then be checked with a FIELD gauge. The NO-GO gauge is a valuable tool for checking a newly-reamed chamber in order to ensure a tight and accurate chamber.

3. FIELD: Corresponds to the longest safe headspace. If a rifle closes on a FIELD gauge, its chamber is dangerously close to, or longer than, SAAMI’s specified maximum chamber size. If chamber headspace is excessive, the gun should be taken out of service until it has been inspected and repaired by a competent gunsmith. FIELD gauges are slightly shorter than the SAAMI maximum in order to give a small safety margin.

[SteveWag]

I have a box of Wolf GOLD empties, that a customer gave me. It's labeled 174 Gr FMJ BT, Brass case, NC Boxer Primed. Headstamp indicates PPU, fired in an unknown firearm. Everything looks normal, no extended OR flattened primers. Your primers are related to bad headspace. If fired in an SMLE, change bolt the head . OR, reload such that the case headspaces on the shoulder rather on the flange (You should be doing this for any flanged or belted case),
Steve

[bfoosh006]

Sorry ahead of time... but I keep seeing this surplus .303 and frankly, while I don't own a Enfield... I have always wanted one.

So... I will share the link, and hope this helps anyone looking for '80s surplus.

https://www.sgammo.com/product/303-b...1980s-vintage-

https://www.sgammo.com/product/303-b...-1980s-vintage