Strengths of various actions?

[Canuck Bob]

What lever actions would handle a 303 Brit cartidge? I suppose anything that would be chambered for 30-40 Krag.

I know the 95 Winchester came in 303 but I was thinking of a standard lever like a Winchester tube feed. The 303 specs out at a shade over 3" and pressures in the 30-40 range.

[Canuck Bob]

As usual I should have used Google first. It appears a Model 71 would be ideal and maybe an 1886 (strength?).

It would seem a shame to desecrate a 71. Did anyone ever make a replica?

[J Miller]

Bob,

Browning made a run of 71s in Japan. Not sure of the dates but some were quite recent.

They also made a run of 95s around the same time. If I were going to create a 303 Brit lever gun I'd use the 95. That way I could use the pointed bullets.

Joe

[Hobie]

Not to put too fine a point on it but... back in the day they did things for a reason(s), usually a very good reason(s). The 95 was chambered for the .303, .30-40, etc, for a reason not just the whim of somebody sitting on the can reading the Sears Roebuck catalog. The 95 is the choice for a .303 then and now.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

A 95 for sure. Limit on the 71 is about 2.8" ... maybe 2.88" with some work.

[southfork]

Why not just buy a Winchester Model 95 in 303 British? Lots of them were sold new in Canada, so I'll bet you could find a used one one pretty easy, especially if you contacted a Canadian gun dealer to watch for one. A guy in my town used to have a gun shop in western Canada, and when he moved back to the States, he brought his unsold rifle inventory with him. There were three used '95 Winchesters in the rifles he put on the table at the local gun show (.30-40, .303 and .35). I debated between the .35 Winchester and the .303 British, but finally decided to buy the .303 because it was in much better condition. Has a 28 inch barrel and a nice bore.

[Ysabel Kid]

The '95 action is certainly strong enough, and was designed for spire-pointed bullets. The '86/71 actions are strong enough, but as pointed out, probably not long enough. The '95 was originally chambered in the .303, so there should be no problems at all with this round.

[Lefty Dude]

Why would any one want a .303 Brit ? The 30 US is a far better choice.

[Kansas Ed]

Why would any one want a .303 Brit ? The 30 US is a far better choice.

Around here we call statements like that bait


Ed

[Canuck Bob]

Why a 303? I would only have to explain it to someone nurtured on a monthly diet of Guns and Ammo ballistic charts. I just bought a 32-20 Winchester 92 a 357 Mag would be better? Not on your life.

303 Brit, the main reason we don't speak German regardless of John Wayne.
Shot more game on every continent than any other cartridge.
First center fire I ever shot.
First dozen or so game animals I shot.
Taught how to use a 303 rifle by my Uncle, a true war hero.
Carried by many members of my family in 2 World Wars and Korea.
Canada is a founding member of the British Empire and the resulting Commonwealth of Nations and not an American colony.

I hope this clears it up for you

[piller]

Around here, one should never ask why someone wants a levergun shich is factory made in the caliber desired. Instead, we should help feed that need to have one of every type and caliber made just to be able to shoot them when we can. This is a group of people who all have that sickness which makes us want more leverguns than we truly need after all.

[Bruce Scott]

Why not a Ruger No.1?

Now available in .303:
http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx? ... .+1+Series

[Canuck Bob]

I had one of the first hundred produced by Ruger bought and paid for when ruger agreed to build them with a Canadian dist. A bunch of guys up here initiated the build. I allowed my dealer to sell it to someone on the waiting list so I could finance a 32-20 Winoku TD imported from Lypseys when they put them on sale. The Ruger is a nice gun but it isn't a 92 Take Down.

I have always wanted a custom gun. Something concieved and brought to fruition by myself. At first a left hand bolt action in 303 loosely styled after the jungle carbine seemed the answer. But lets face it, another bolt action build is rather mundane and to a lever man nothing is as ugly as bolt action rifle.

The fly in the ointment is that I'm not fond of the 95.

[southfork]

Y'all know this already, but 30-40 krag and 303 British ballistics are virtually identical. Both are great rounds, and I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that the 303 British came first (around 1888 or 1890). Who can knock that?

Besides the 'sun never set on the British empire' for a very long time thanks in part to the 303 B! And I'm about 150 years removed from my British roots!

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I have an origonal 1895 in 30 Gov and have to say they are heavy long barreled affairs that are well worth the extra muscle involved to haul around the woods and swamps all day.
Hunt up an origonal 303.. they are for sale often on the sites. By the time & money you got a repro rebarreled you could have an origonal in your hands.

[Canuck Bob]

I've been rolling around a number of ideas regarding a 303 build. Lefty bolt build, this thread and actually had a Ruger paid for in 303 but a Winoku 92 took my heart.

I've come to realize I got it all wrong. Here in Canada the milsurps are still available in reasonable numbers. Decided to drop this idea and pick up a clean Lee Enfield or two for shooting.

The No5 will be first, nicknamed jungle carbine, and a cheap sporterized model, you Yanks call that Bubba'ed I think, with a scope for knocking around.

With cast bullets and surplus brass it will be cheap and fun. It also satisfies my sense of History and honors our fine Military.

[Kansas Ed]

The fly in the ointment is that I'm not fond of the 95.

I wish you were travelling through Kansas...I'm betting that with a little range time and carry time with my M95 in .303, you'd own one when you got back home

Ed

[damienph]

The fly in the ointment is that I'm not fond of the 95.

I wish you were travelling through Kansas...I'm betting that with a little range time and carry time with my M95 in .303, you'd own one when you got back home

Ed

Ed:
That is a great idea, bring your 303B and meet me in Newton, or Hutch, I am pretty sure that I can get enough range time over the winter to decide if I should get a model 95 of my own. Thanks!!

Damien

[damienph]

Or is the offer only open to Canadians?