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Rifle · Obsolete / Non-standard

.303 British

.3037.7x56mmR

British military cartridge.

Caliber
0.3118″ · 7.92 mm
Introduced
1889
Case
Rimmed
Primary use
Military, Hunting
Status
Limited
Velocity2,440–2,690 fps
Energy2,400–2,600 ft·lb
Typical grains150 · 174 · 180 gr
Identity
Introduced
1889
Type
Rifle
Origin
United Kingdom
Inventor
British Empire
Manufacturer
British Military
Standard
Obsolete / Non-standard
Status
Limited
Availability
Common
Build
Case capacity
56 gr H₂O
Twist (typical)
1:10
Primer
Large Rifle
Case type
Rimmed
Pressure & range
Max pressure
49,000 psi
Eff. range
600 yd
Recoil
16–22 ft·lb

Ballistics

Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Underwood Ammo ELD-M 174 gr, 2,380 fps, BC 0.279 G7 · 100 yd zero.

overlay up to 2
RangeVelocityEnergyDrop (in)Drop (MOA)
0 yd23792187-1.5″—
100 yd223119220.0″0.0
200 yd20871682-5.5″-2.6
300 yd19471464-19.0″-6.1
400 yd18121268-41.7″-9.9
500 yd16811092-75.0″-14.3
600 yd1554933-120.6″-19.2

Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →

Performance

Best for HuntingNosler Trophy Grade AccuBond180 gr · AccuBond · 2,461 fps · BC 0.261 G7Buy now →
Best for TargetSIG Sauer Match Elite150 gr · OTM BTHP · 2,723 fpsBuy now →

Buy links open .303 British ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.

Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds

Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.

CIP TDCC · verified
Measuremmin✓
Bullet ⌀7.920.312✓
Neck ⌀8.640.340✓
Shoulder ⌀10.190.401✓
Shoulder angle17°—✓
Base ⌀11.680.460✓
Rim ⌀13.720.540✓
Belt ⌀n/a
Rim thickness1.630.064✓
Neck length8.430.332≈
Case length56.442.222✓
Overall length78.113.075✓

Size vs familiar rounds

Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .303 British is highlighted below.

Factory loads

In production — 304 active loads across 38 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 322 →.

BrandLoadGrainBulletFPSft·lbBC
FiocchiExtrema150SST2,6852,4010.257 G7
HornadySST150SST2,6852,4010.257 G7
NoslerCustom180Partition2,4612,4200.474 G1
NoslerTrophy Grade Partition180Partition2,4612,4200.474 G1
NoslerTrophy Grade AccuBond180AccuBond2,4612,4200.261 G7
Underwood AmmoELD-M174ELD-M2,3802,1880.279 G7
Sellier & BellotRifle150SP2,7562,529—
Sellier & BellotSP Hunting150SP2,7232,469—
Sellier & BellotSP Hunting150SPCE2,7232,469—
HornadyCustom InterLock SP150InterLock SP2,7232,469—
NormaAlaska150SP2,7232,469—
SIG SauerMatch Elite150OTM BTHP2,7232,469—
BarnesVOR-TX150TTSX BT2,7232,469—
FederalAmerican Eagle150FMJ2,7232,469—
FederalGold Medal150BTHP2,7232,469—

Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.

Suitable powders

1 reloading powder listed for .303 British, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →

IMR 3031
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory

Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.

Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.

Firearms chambered in .303 British

12 models in the database chamber .303 British. Browse all →

Uberti 1885 Courteney Stalking RifleRSAF Enfield Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I Sniper Replica .303 BritishWinchester Model 1895RSAF Enfield Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk II*ROF Enfield Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk IILee-Enfield No.4 Mk IIRSAF Enfield Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk II .303 BritishSMLE Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I/2 .303 BritishLee-Enfield No. 4 Mk II 303 BritishROF Maltby Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.2 .303 British 25.19-inchLee-Enfield No.5 Mk I Jungle Carbine .303 BritishEnfield Rifle No.5 Mk I Jungle Carbine

Lineage

Immediate parent
Root — no documented parent
Direct descendants (2)
.303 Epps.303/25 Cadet
Family TreeOpen .303 British in the interactive cartridge family tree↗

Connected reference

Loads322 factory loads for .303 British↗Reloading1 suitable powder — cross-reference↗FirearmsFirearms in .303 British↗ToolCompare ballistics↗

History

Adopted by British military in 1889. Served through both World Wars. Lee-Enfield rifles with this cartridge armed millions. Replaced by 7.62 NATO in 1950s-60s.

FAQs

What twist rate does .303 British use?
.303 British typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
What bullet diameter is .303 British?
.303 British uses a 0.3118″ (7.92 mm) diameter bullet.
Is .303 British still in production?
.303 British is limited; typical availability is common.
What is .303 British used for?
.303 British is primarily used for military, hunting.
What are the best powders for .303 British?
Reloading powders commonly listed for .303 British include IMR 3031.

Sources & provenance

Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 304 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →