Unsafe Ammo

[aadhaulya]

Dear All.
I was looking for alternate ammo that can be used for my 30.06 Rifle as the ammo is not supplied by IOF and the imported ones were very expensive, in the range of Rs 225 to 250.
I came across the following very interesting link that has an exhaustive list of unsafe ammo for different weapons. It seems that the 30.06 can use .303 cartridges (though I do not know the cost and availability)
Request views from experienced members.

http://www.saami.org/specifications_and ... ations.pdf

Regards

[AgentDoubleS]

Aadhulya,

Which part gave you the impression that the .303 can be used in the IOF 3006? I doubt anyone will recommend using a catridge other than a 3006 for well a ..3006. For a rifle with such tight tolerances I'm not sure you can use a .303 cartridge. I havent even looked at the case dimensions but I would really not take a chance.

If cost is a concern try a few dealers outside Delhi, they might be stocking IOF 3006 ammo for rs 80-90 a pop, it will be hard to come by. S&B is available at Rs 160-180 a pop IIRC in Delhi.

If nothing works, I'd suggest just shoot less instead of trying anything else. Just my 2 cents.

Cheers,
SS

[xl_target]

I looked through that SAAMI document that you posted and nowhere in there do I see where it says .303 can be used in a rifle chambered for .30-06.
Am I missing something or is my reading comprehension suffering as I get older?

[Vikram]

Both cartridges are of different sizes. Also, the .303 is a rimmed cartridge.

I doubt if you could even chamber the .303 in your .30-06 rifle. Also, the .303 is a PB calibre in India. You cannot possess/purchase cartridges in a different calibre other than the one you have license for.

In one line, a recipe for disaster.Cease and desist!

[timmy]

aadhaulya, excuse me, but I think that you may be reading this chart improperly.

The chart says not to use the following cartridges in a .30-'06:

7.62x39
8mm Mauser (8x57)
32 Remington
35 Remington
375 Winchester
38-55 Winchester

The chart says not to use the following cartridges in a 30-40 Krag (30 Govt)

303 British
303 Savage
32 Winchester Special

the .30-40 is quite similar to the .303 British. But the .30-40 is most certainly not anything like a .30-'06, other than having the same diameter bullet.

Follow the advice that's been given here: If you want to shoot a cartridge other than a .30-'06, get a rifle for the cartridge you want to shoot. It is dangerous to do otherwise. Reasons can be provided if you need to know why. But do not consider doing this thing you ask about.

If you have never had a cartridge case open up when firing, spilling high pressure gas at tens of thousands of pounds per square inch on your face, I can assure you that it is a most disconcerting and unpleasant experience. And that's while wearing safety glasses!

[aadhaulya]

Thanks for the details that I did not go through. I had presumed that probable the bullet being the same size .30 it may work. But after seeing the drawings sent by @Tim it seems that it would be impossible to chamber because of the rim. From now on I would rather play safe.

Thanks again for the quick response.

Regards

[TwoRivers]

It's unfortunate that no one with any knowledge checked that SAAMI listing before it was printed. Including the .375 Winchester and .38-55 over and over with rimless cartridges where these can't possibly be chambered and fired makes no sense at all. Also, the "25-45 Sharps", a poorly named .25-.223, seems to have slipped into a lot of places where it does not belong.

Oversights like that call the value of that listing into question. Not that the people who would try to fire anything they can slip into the chamber would consult a list in the first place.

[CZHarry]

Maybe through word of mouth or maybe phone book listing you could try your luck finding someone that does cartridge reloading.

[xl_target]

Thanks for the details that I did not go through. I had presumed that probable the bullet being the same size .30 it may work. But after seeing the drawings sent by @Tim it seems that it would be impossible to chamber because of the rim. From now on I would rather play safe.

Thanks again for the quick response.

Regards

It is very simple, actually.
Going just by cartridge's name will get you in serious trouble.
While both .30-06 and .303 may be referred to as .30 caliber, the bullet diameter of the .30-06 Springfield cartridge is .308 of an inch and the .303 British is (surprise!) .312 of an inch.

If your rifle says ".30-06" on the barrel or receiver, that is the ONLY ammo you can safely use in it.
Please take heed of this or you risk serious injury or death to yourself and to bystanders who might be nearby.

[aadhaulya]

I thank god that I asked the question before attempting something very stupid.

Regards

[TwoRivers]

In this particular instance, it could not have been done.

[aadhaulya]

It is very simple, actually.
Going just by cartridge's name will get you in serious trouble.
While both .30-06 and .303 may be referred to as .30 caliber, the bullet diameter of the .30-06 Springfield cartridge is .308 of an inch and the .303 British is (surprise!) .312 of an inch.
If your rifle says ".30-06" on the barrel or receiver, that is the ONLY ammo you can safely use in it.
Please take heed of this or you risk serious injury or death to yourself and to bystanders who might be nearby.

Just a thought of academic interest.
What I gather from the discussion is that 'The shell should be the exact fit in the chamber' and the bullet could be a little smaller though it may compromise on accuracy. Like a 12 bore slug, it easily falls through the barrel but I found it fairly accurate at about 40 mts. (4 shots).
That means if the shell size of the .303 and .315 is the same then the .303 can fire a .315 ammo as the bullet is .003" smaller. This is a very minute difference compared to the rifled slug of the 12 bore.

Regards

[TwoRivers]

No, you still don't quite get it. No cartridge should be fired in a rifle but the one it is chambered for.

The .315 case is quite a bit larger, by about .030", than a .303 case. Firing a .303 in a .315 chamber would be asking for a face full of hot gas, as the case would most likely split. The difference in bullet diameter is .012", not .003". While the .303"s bullet is smaller, the case is longer by about 6mm and the case neck would jam in the .315's chamber throat. Neither rifle nor shooter would come to harm by mistakingly firing a cartridge with exactly the same case, but smaller bullet, in a rifle chambered for the larger caliber shell, but accuracy would be nonexistent. The case provides the gas seal, gas escaping into the action usually blows up the rifle, and at the very least ruins the shooter's day, if not his face.

[shooter]

If you want to study swapping cartridges in rifles then also study the following for Academic interest:
Blast injuries
Loss of digits
Loss of eyesight
WHO definition of blindness.

Ill make it simple:
Read the name on the cartridge and the name on the rifle- they should match.

[aadhaulya]

Dear Shooter,
I appreciate your and the other members of this forum to ensure that I play safe. I love to experiment, but still play safe.

1. (In a country where it is allowed ) I have not broken ay laws of the country. I have fired 12 bore cartridges through a home made contraption using a 3/4" Id Stainless Steel plumbing pipe, Though I welded a steel tube about 6" long with the same ID (1") as the outer ID of the 3/4" stainless tube. The cartridge was loose in the tube and split the paper cartridge. I did this after tying it to a tree and fired from the opposite side to be safe. It worked fine so I fired about 10 rounds playing safe and then about 20 rounds holding it in my hand but with industrial gloves and industrial eye protection. The thing is visually perfect even after 30 shots through it and the outer dimensions are absolutely fine. Measured using a vernier caliper, to check for bulging of the barrel.

2.If you are supposed to fire only if the description of the cartridges matches the one written on the gun, Why do people publish the documents attached in my first post? Or may be it is not an official document issued by a reputed agency (Or so it seems from the name).

But this is for sure that I would rather play safe" at this stage of my life (still have to get my daughters through school).

And again really appreciate the concern shown by the members to hammer in the message that I should always play safe.

Regards
Mods may delete this post if they seem fit. Though I have not broken any laws of the country.

































Regards