I had been having trouble finding pills to load in my 303-25, but I have bought a bag of powder coated hard cast pills https://reloadershaven.com.au/black-widow-projectiles-25-20-85gr-rnfp-bb-qty-500/
As I start I plan on loading them on top of a case full of trail boss.
But I’m wondering if any of you lot have experience loading this cal?
Outstanding timing brother, was just looking into moulds for my cousins .303. Not sure if you’re aware of CBE but their site is Cast Bullet Engineering. Might be an option to buy a mould and no more problems with supply. If you know where I can get .303 gas checks from, I’d appreciate it 
Not sure mate, CBE sell gas checks but they don’t have .311 listed on their website.
I have used hawksbury river cast pills in the 303 without checks with good results
disclosure, I gas check 44, not 303, but same same.
…also, apologies if I am teaching you to suck eggs
…also, sorry @GUN-DMC, hi-jacking your thread - mods can delete 
@Brett
Depends on your 303 swaging/sizing die, although the moulds should be throwing the same base, regardless of swaging. However, you need to make sure that the mould is in fact cut to throw gas checked bullets. CBE has what you need (http://www.castbulletengineering.com.au/Accessories/gas-checks).
Also, Hornady (http://westernfirearms.com.au/reloading-supplies-moulds-casting-moulding-accessories-30-cal-gas-checks-p-2234.html) - I find myself using those the most and they work very well with Lee moulds.
CBE is awesome and I have spent some considerable dosh there, BUT! CBE is amazing for things that are hard to get and unique. They charge accordingly. If it’s vanilla 303 you’re after - Lee moulds are the best value and quality for money. Also, they come with handles, CBE don’t.
Finally, if you are casting 303 and want to gas check them, then I assume you are going to be spitting them out using AR2208 or something like that at considerable velocity. Watch out for leading - maybe even hardness test your stuff to make sure it’s suitable for the speeds you are anticipating. And definitely lube/powder coat.
**thinking, yes, if you powder coat, I suspect you don’t need to GC or lube, as long as they ‘slug’ well.
WARNING
There’s a dude who sells GC’s on eBay, seller ID: dogeroge - they look silver. Do not get them from him, he’s a grade-a a-hole and his checks are lose and not sized properly. I even tried them on GC-base powder coated pills and they would just pop off, even though powder coating should add some diamter and they should have been very firm.
N.B.
Thanks for reminding me, I am buying Carcano moulds next from CBE.
Just realised hanging around with you jerks taught me a thing or two. 
Lol, @juststarting do you just use 30 cal GC’s, or do you need .311’s for the 303?
If so @Brett CBE have .30 cal gas checks.
I really know SFA about them, never used them myself.
It depends on the mould, @GUN-DMC. 99% it’s a standard size, i.e. GCs are commercially available. Just need to measure it or ask or Google. 1%, like with 8x56R it’s not common and it’ll just have to do. I haven’t got to that part yet.
It sounds to me like the gas checks he’s selling are made from aluminum, guys… I’m not at all keen on the idea of shoving aluminum down the barrels of my guns, but I can’t speak for those of you that live in the Land Down Under. 
You’d be correct. I thought I’d give them a try in my old 30 cal, but after seeing the quality, I went back to Hornady.
Sounds like a very good idea…
I use .30 cal gas-checks on cast .303 bullets. I don’t believe you can buy .311 ones.
.303-25 takes standard .257 pills. For hunting I’ve always preferred Sierra Gamekings in 87 and 100gr.
Ive struggled to find light weight .257 pills, i’m sure there are options out there but I’m sort of pressed for options as far as LGS’s go. I found the hard cast 85gn black widows, theyre made for loading 25-20win. figured why not give them a try. I load for a few a cal’s with hawksbury river pills.
Ive not used gas checks before and the topic sort of got derailed by them lol!
1 Like
I have used 75 grain jacketed hollow points in my .257 Roberts, but they were stoked up and used for a flat shooting varmint round.
They vaporised rabbits @ 200m.
I gather you are looking at a low velocity round?
I just want to shoot it but a slow cast load for goat seems practical with these pills
Rebel in Qld are listing a good range of .257 projectiles.
The .303-25 isn’t far behind the .257 Roberts and I would recommend an 87 - 100gr bullet for hunting, especially for goats and pigs…
You’ll find that an 87gr spitzer @ 3000f/s is a flat shooting, hard hitting combination for all-round use.
1 Like
I have loaded up some test loads ready to try out.
Black widow 85gn powdercoated cast pills.
Fed LR primers
Remington brass
Trail Boss - three rounds each @ 1gn intervals starting at a minimum charge calculated at 70% of max and working up to half a grain short of max.
It’s pretty windy here today so I might not get to test them today, but I’ll post some results.
1 Like
Pic of the finished product?
