Load data for the .303 Savage

There is not much load data out there for the old .303 Savage round. In this video we have a look at some .303 Savage data from a few vintage loading manuals. If you know of any other sources of data please leave a comment below.

[@essspo9712]

Thank you for making this video

[@314299]

No problem, I hope the info was of use to you.

[@slowhand1198]

Thanks for archiving this info. I don't have a 99, but if I ever run across one, I'll surely appreciate you posting this.

[@314299]

That's the idea, I know there will not be a lot of people who will find this of interest but it might help a few out.

[@bobspence2440]

A very nice presentation , thanks.. If you could expand on your thoughts and experiences with either .308" bullets or .311" ones that might helpsome reloaders.. I did read your comment to one person about that btw.. Both will work , but accuracy results will tell which size worked best.. And no , I have not reloaded for this calibre yet.. I'm not a real dyed-in-the-wool Savage fan , but I do like the older ones with the internal rotary magazine and the counter on the side of the receiver...Thanks again!

[@314299]

Experience with my rifle leads me to the conclusion that the barrel on my rifle is a standard "30" caliber one requiring .308" jacketed bullets. Cast bullets from .309" to .311" work fine. Of course with rifles of this vintage individual barrels can vary in tolerance, this is going to be more of an issue with cast bullets as jacketed bullets are more tolerant of bore size variation. I would not try bigger than .308" jacketed bullets in any given 303 savage unless the bore has been slugged and measured and found to be suitable for the larger diameter bullet.

[@user-gh1wk6xo4m]

I have found the Lee reloaders manual 1 & 2 and Lyman manuals up to 46th edition carry the .303 savage.

[@314299]

Yes you are correct there is "load data" for the 303 Savage in those Lee books. I did not mention it as it is not proper data developed for the round, it is reduced 30/30 data. I personally think it does not have much value as load data, as there is no need to reduce loads for this round as it is only chambered in the very strong Savage 99 rifle.

[@user-gh1wk6xo4m]

yea I noticed that after my reply on the issue. do you know of any spitizer style bullets in 150 grain plus besides Hornady FXT's, that have a longer ogive? @@314299

[@johnblood3731]

This is another great video by 314299. Never seen anyone do this much info sharing. And I wish everyone would have several reloading manuals if they are going to reload. I have 7 speer, 5 Lyman, both Lee's, 3 nosler, and 4 Lyman shotgun plus several ABC's of reloading plus a few more. I also have aliant,imr,Winchester 's powder manuals(8 each). This keeps me searching and cross checking loads.

[@314299]

Yep, you can never have too much load data. Many folks today seem reluctant to buy even one manual wanting to rely entirely on on-line resources, to me that seems like a mistake.

[@thelocalon17usdaprime72]

I have a 1935 Savage 99 in 303 Savage. Thanks for the video!

[@314299]

Nice. I hope the info proves useful for you.

[@chevy6299]

The number one rule of reloading is get as many manuals as you can get your hands on. From the look of it you are doing just fine.

[@314299]

I'll stop buying them when I have them all, which is unlikely to happen.

[@warrenhapke2091]

Hodgdon's web site has one load for the .303 Savage, a max load of 33.5 grains of Win 748 (an old-school powder) and a 170 grain bullet. I have a 46th edition Lyman hand book with a page of loads for the .303 Savage. It lists loads for 110, 150 and 170 grain jacketed bullets and 169 grain cast bullets. Powders for the jacketed bullets are IMR-3031, IMR-4895, IMR-4064, and IMR-4320.

[@314299]

The data on the Hogdon website is probably the load that most people will come across, I need to give it a try myself but don't have any 170 jacketed bullets at the moment. I have a copy of the 46th edition Lyman book and overlooked it for some reason, thanks for mentioning it. The data it gives for the 110, 150 and 170 jacketed bullets is the same data that they had listed for those bullets in the 45rd edition. They changed the cast bullet data slightly calling the 311291 bullet a 169 grain instead of 173 but the powder charges are the same.

[@Bret4207]

RCBS 30-180FN, brass reformed and trimmed from 220 Swift and 3031. Duplicates the factory Winchester Silvertip load in my 99 303. Wonderful old cartridge with that lovely long neck. Try to find a copy of JR Matterns "Handloading Ammuntion", got a buncha 303 loads with old standard powders still available to day. I believe Phil Shapres book also cover the 303 and Naramores. Anything the 30-30 can do the 303 can do, maybe even a little better since it;s got to be in 99 Savage, the finest lever gun ever built!

[@314299]

Interesting to reform the 220 Swift into .303 Savage, that's one I had not heard of before but it makes sense if no proper brass can be sourced. I just ordered 100 of the PPU produced brass so that should keep me entertained for awhile. I have a reprint of the JR Mattern book (1926 edition) and it had not occurred to me to check it but there are loads on page 356, unfortunately they are mostly for obsolete powders like No. 17-1/2, HiVel, Lightening, etc. The only current powder listed were some loads for Unique. I have a reprint of the Phil Sharp book around here somewhere but cannot find it at the moment. Thanks for the tips.

[@Bret4207]

@@314299 PPU brass wasn't available when I was needing to find brass 15 years ago or so. In fact, I'd never heard of PPU until a few weeks back. It can also be formed from 307 Winchester I think, but that was hard to find even back then. It works and Swift brass is nothing if not tough. I'd forgotten those books don't have more modern powders, may bad. I've used 30-30 data as a starting point, although the case capacity differs and of course seating depth with the RCBS is quite a bit different than with, say, the standard Lyman 311041. I have 3 boxes of NOS Winchester 190r Silvertip factory loads. I hesitate to sacrifice any of it, but one shot across the chrony would give us a real world reading of what factory used to do. I've no idea what the newly loaded PPU stuff runs, but the books used to say a 190 at 1900 or1950, although someplace in my mounds of old material there are some references to 2100fps by one maker. My RCBS30-180's run about 192grs on average from a moderately soft wheel weight (old ones) alloy. With 3031, starting at 28.0grs, I got up to 1900 without any problems. I should say my stash of 3031 dates from the late 70's so newer stuff may vary a bit. Really like your 99-303. Mine has the crescent steel buttplate and is not the most comfortable rifle to shoot off a bench.

[@Bret4207]

@@314299 Do you have access to Ken Waters "Pet Loads"? He has a 303 Savage specific section with a bunch of loads for jacketed and cast.

[@garyh1449]

I noticed that the first books had .311 cast bullets and the others had .308 which I thought was correct.

[@314299]

That might be a result of most "30" caliber Lyman molds produce .311" size bullets, I'm sure Lyman wanted to promote their own products a bit. And to be fair many older barrels were less consistent in dimensions and a .311 bullet might be a better fit than a smaller bullet.

[@hpbear101]

I shoot a lot of obsolete calibers and recently purchased a subscription for the loaddata web site, they do have data on many old cartridges.

[@englishrupe01]

i second the loaddata site, but it's not free. Well worth the $30 or so a year, though.

[@314299]

Good point, you do get a lot of old load data from on site that way.

[@ditto1958]

The current Lee book does have some 303 Savage load data.

[@314299]

Thanks for mentioning the Lee book. The most current version of the Lee book no longer has the 303 Savage data. 303 Savage data was present in the first edition (1996) and the second edition (2004) but is gone in the revised second edition (2016). If you have a book printed later than 2016 that has the 303 Savage data please let me know as that is the latest version I have. In my opinion it's no big loss that it is gone from the book as it was pretty poor data being just reduced 30/30 loads. There is no logical reason to reduce 30/30 data to use in a .303 Savage as the case capacity is larger and the guns are all the very strong Savage 99 action.

[@paulvenn4447]

While I understand not having old cartridges takes up pages on books and that comes at a cost for the big brand data books, but I'd love it one of the big players would just release a whole book of "obsolete" cartridges such as the 303 Savage and other old things such as wildcats and what not. And I'm not even meaning up to date modern powders, I'm not chasing someone to go out and re-do it all from scratch with pressure testing etc, just want all that old data for old cartridges, but in one place. Half the time you had to have old shooter or varminter magazines to get data on certain Ackleys or other old cals, things that are just impossible to find nowdays.

[@314299]

That would be an interesting idea to have a book of all "obsolete" reloading data. As you say no need to do all the testing again, just re-release the old data. However the lawyers would have a fit as the components and testing methods/equipment have changed a bit since the old data was released.

[@reloader7sixtwo]

I love my old Sav. 99 in 300 Sav. but would like to have another in a different caliber, had to find a nice one around here these days. I love oddball stuff and the .303 Sav. would be one of those.

[@314299]

The 300 Savage is a fine round, but less than ideal for cast bullets due to the short neck. I'm sure you will come across a 303 Savage at some point, there are a decent number of them out there.

[@reloader7sixtwo]

@@314299 Just an FYI, I shoot the Lee .312" 160 gr. TL gas check bullet sized to .311", the Lee .309 170 gr. FP as well as the Ranch Dog 170 gr. FN in my Sav. 99 in 300 Sav. with excellent accuracy. The short neck has never caused me any issues. imgur.com/TqH6ST1 and imgur.com/cFRyZ5L

[@paulchandler9646]

Any 45-90 or 35 Remington info in that book.?

[@314299]

Which book in particular?

[@DeeMoback]

Basically same as 30-30 ..... yup ...... IMR3031 is my favorite most universal powder

[@314299]

Yep, IMR 3031 is certainly a very useful powder, a great one to keep on hand and very versatile.

[@WilliamCChapin]

A local shop has a consigned 99 in 303...it’s tempting...I better not go look at it!

[@314299]

Did you get it?

[@WilliamCChapin]

314299 Shooting Channel I haven’t looked at it yet. It’s listed as an 1899 Feather Weight Takedown in .303 Savage. They also have a 99H in .300 Savage listed.

[@amanarif2283]

How to buy ammunition in India

[@314299]

I have no idea what is required in order to buy ammo in India.

[@Anon.Emouse]

loaddata.com is a good resource where they have compiled load data from old and new reloading books for a lot of old calibers.

[@314299]

Yes, that's a good source of data if you have a subscription to it, thanks for mentioning it.

[@JimmyHondaRacing12]

Dang man how'd you get all of these!?!?

[@314299]

Most were bought over the years at gun shows. I keep my eyes open for old manuals and pick up any that I don't already have, if they are reasonably priced.

[@DeanMk1]

That was a nice walk through some of your reloading manuals. Enjoyed that very much. Thanks for sharing. I know Buffalo Bore makes a "heavy" .30-30 load that uses a 190 gr. bullet that is sort of an "upgraded" .303 Savage-type load. That bullet they use comes from a company called Hawk Custom Bullets, who make both cast and jacketed bullets for various calibers. Considering that the Buffalo Bore round is only listed with a MV of 2100 f.s., it stands to reason that the bullet would probably work well in a .303 Savage, too. Here's Hawk's addy, if you want to check it out - hawkbullets.com/

[@314299]

I've come across an on-line article on reloading the .303 Savage that mentions using that 190 grain Hawk Bullet, that writer also was of the opinion that it was the ideal jacketed bullet for loading the .303 Savage as it had a suitable construction for the velocity range of the round. I'm not sure if anyone imports those into Canada, but an interesting bullet none the less.

[@englishrupe01]

I just found this older article with some load data, if you haven't already seen it: web.archive.org/web/20091128114327/www.huntshoot.com/hunting_equipment/load_data/loading_303_savage.html

[@314299]

No, I had not seen that before, thanks for the link,