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Old 12-29-2010, 02:50 PM
  #9  
dylan_b
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: canada
Posts: 257
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Originally Posted by Pygmy
Dylan...I have no experience loading the .303....

However I have read that at least some of the problems with case life ( i.e. case stretching) were due to the rear locking feature of the SMLE rifles..

Do you suppose that the more rigid Ruger # 1 action would help alleviate some of the issues..??..

I am not arguing, but just asking your opinion for the sake of discussion...
case stretching due to rear locking is a myth. but that said the myth spans from 2 once common rifles (probably the most common with rear locking) hailing from europe. the mannlicher schoenauer and early lee enfield's although typically extremely accurate were cut a little deep when it came to chamber reaming. the reason for this was that the brits had expected the enfield to be in service across the entire world and therefor the rifle needed a chamber that could safely fire poorly made ammo. the mannlicher schoenauer had a chamber cut in a similar fasion for the same reason except for safari use not millitary. these were not the only rifles seen with case stretch and in almost all other incidents the case stretch is due to the chamber. to be honest i dont see why rear locking might make a case stretch. if its locked, its locked, doesnt matter how its achieved. if the bolt doesnt experiance any movement during firing there should be no problem. to boot, most of the bolts on front locking rifles also have a bearing surface on the head and a fitted recess in the receiver to further prevent bolt "wiggle".
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