Handloading 303 Blanks or shotshells.

[lincolnjeffries]

Hi, Just wondering about 303 blanks ans shotshell. Is anyone here loading their own. Is there a special crimping die for blanks ? I was recently handling a 303 Lee Enfield No 4 that had been convered Into a shotgun. Years ago I seem to remember 303 shot cartridges for sale in Gunmart.

[450 Martini]

I have loaded and fired thousands of 303 blanks over the years using shotgun powder and a CH4D 30 cal blank crimp die. I do not use these in .410 conversions as they tend to disintegrate on firing and case fragments can exit the muzzle. The easiest way to make blanks for these conversions is to take some .303 brass, cut them down beneath the shoulder, prime and fill with black powder and paper wadding. Most reputable living history groups have banned the use of 410 converted rifles due to the fragment danger. I know one chap who had to have a piece of cartridge case surgically removed from his shoulder.

.410 conversions of .303 rifles come in several configurations. The official armoury conversions done in India only take a special musket cartridge that is based off the 303 case. It is possible to fireform brass to fit these guns. Those done in the UK to be owned on a SGC prior to the 1980's usually can take commercial shotgun cartridges.

[lincolnjeffries]

Thank you for the reply. Sounds fun. Are you a re-enactor ?
Sadly this wasn't one of the official Indian conversions. I have seen those,they have a blanked off magazine well and were used for foraging and guard duty. This is a No.4 proofed for 303 smooth, presumably with the original chamber still, with a fixed magazine. I had wondered about fragments exiting the barrel.
Are the crimped blanks single use or can they be recrimped. Do you anneal them ?
Any experience with 303 shotshells ?

[450 Martini]

I'm a bit of everything it seems but among my jobs i am a armourer for films, T.V and living History events. Most of my source brass for blanks at the moment is fired PPU blanks that i cut down beneath the old crimp. As these cases are usually longer than standard brass i can usually get three or so firings off each case before the brass becomes too frayed. If the smooth bored No 4 has a standard chamber factory blank will work fine in them. I have a friend in the business who smoothbored a few SMLEs for Irish reenactors a few years ago, they retained the standard 303 chamber.
As for shot shells i suppose you could make a little paper cylinder fill it with shot and glue it into the neck of a powder filled .303 case in a similar way to those "shot capsules". I did something similar with a smooth bore martini henry and it worked fine.

[lincolnjeffries]

Much appreciated :-)