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typo: should have read 150 gr. bullet above...

steve white,
I swage .318 bullets, myself, usually from .321" 170gr 32 Win. Spec., but some from .323" Herter bullets. I didn't have any problems with them, but never tried them at 250 yds. I try to keep the difference in diameter to .005" or less, and .323" to .318" is precisely that. I don't have experience with Buffalo Arms bullets, but they have a good reputation and I don't think you will have a problem with them.
Mike

Fox Bullets offers a 150-grain Spitzer profile ideal for engraving with lands, currently available through Edinburgh Rifle for U.S. orders. Meanwhile, G S Custom Bullets USA offers a 157-grain option known for precision and low-pressure performance due to drive bands, making them suitable for delicate drilling barrels. These options cater to swarovski rangefinder users looking for reliable accuracy and performance in their shooting endeavors.

Sellier $ Bellot 8x57JR is currently in stock at Ammo To Go (10 boxes left in stock, and it is new stock with new graphics on the box itself, so hurry) AmmoSeek has some leads on suppliers as well, and in both JR and JRS. Nice to know, as some suppliers like Natchez have been on backorder. I regret to report that GS Custom bullets are no longer available for handloading.

As .318 bullets are hard to find here in Germany I took a new Volvo truck wheel bolt with a 7/8x14 thread that cost me only 6 Euros and got it bored through by a toolmaker neighbour into a very long conical hole reducing the hole diameter from .323 under at the beginning to .318 diameter for the last inch before they pop out then I guessed that standard jacketed .323s should be drawn down the required 5 thou (that was the concept), But jacketed .323 bullets were just too hard to draw down so the idea was shelved. I also had 300 of these (web site below) H&N .323 heavy copper plated lead bullets "they do not offer them in .318" diameter and I have just tried drawing them down. I lubed the bullet with a Q tip of standard sizing lube and 30 bullets have reduced perfectly down to .318 diameter without any undue pressure on the presses arm lever and the bullet base is still the same shape as it was before sizing. Lee do not offer as standard this diameter die.

https://www.hn-sport.de/en/reloading/rn-323-190-gr-hs

bavarianbrit,
The .318" diameter portion of the hole doesn't need to be very long, 3/8" is plenty, otherwise there will be a lot of friction involved. Also, you didn't say how you tried to push the jacketed bullets through the die. Your neighbor can make a "pusher" for you with the bottom duplicating the shape of a shell holder and with a hardened rod (less than .318" diameter) attached to it to push the bullet through the die. Lanolin based lube works well and can be found in the Baby section of your local sore (used to prevent or threat diaper rash). It is easiest applied by dipping one of the bullets into the lube to get a blob of it onto the bulled. This bullet and the rest of the box are dropped into a one-pound size coffee (or other) can and swirled (for lack of a better word) around to lube all the bullets at one time. After the bullets are sized, the extra lube can be cleaned off with lighter fluid on a rag or old towel (acetone or alcohol evaporate too quickly). You cannot size solid metal or partition bullets this way, they have to be "cup and core" bullets. Also, the press has to be heavy enough to avoid damage. You can have your neighbor bore the top of the die to a diameter more than .318" to within 3/8" of the transition. You are on the right track, good luck. In addition to S&B, you might try PRVI for .318" bullets.
Mike

Hi Mike,
I finally got the drilling back from my smith and the firing pins do now retract after firing. First off I have made up 10x loads with .318 bullets from S&B on the new SHM cases that look to be of the same form as some old .318 RWS bullets I had found, the story here is that RWS sold the worn out tooling to S&B so some range time will tell. I am also loading 10x of the H&N copper plated drawn down bullets to use first for checking the B Nickel / Marburg variable scopes present alignment.

bavarianbrit,
Great, Also, I recently learned that Sax (www.SAX-munitions.de) makes .318" bullets. I do not have experience with them, and they seem to be very expensive. I'm guessing the cost is because they are solid copper. Since they are copper, they are lighter than the traditional bullets. These bullets would be something to keep in mind if lead or partial lead bullets become prohibited. How is your project to make .318 " from .323" coming along?
Mike

Hi Mike,
I today loaded 10x of the H&N pure lead copper plated bullets that I had drawn down from .323 to .318 I loaded the 8x58R Sauer with 25.7 grains of RL7 which looks good on the computer with 1920 FPS estimated. They drew down pretty well in my Prazi 120 press but the jacketed .323 bullets I have will not draw down, perhaps I should go back to my Rockchucker press and try again. I also tried .321 jacketed bullets to draw down with the same refusal, maybe a hydraulic car jack would give me the force needed. The boys that did the refit of the firing pin system on this drilling told me the inside of the lock work is of phenomenal workmanship but I am still waiting for the photos to come over to me.

bavarianbrit,
I'm confused, I use an old Rockchucker press and have no problem with .323 or .321" with my setup. Instead of the press, the problem must be the die. You should need only about 3/8" highly polished of the size necessary to give a .318" result (because of "spring back" you may have to start a little smaller, size and measure a bullet, if it is too small polish the die more and try again until you get the size you want), and bore the rest of the die larger than .323"(I suggest 1/2"). If you can find .321" bullets you might not need to size them to .318". If a .321"(or .321"for that matter) will easily enter the mouth of a case fired in your rifle (and not resized) it can be used as is, in those cases. If you change case type, you should test the new cases. If the throat is large enough to allow the neck to expand and release the bullet, excessive pressure should not result. The bullet will be the diameter of the grooves once it has traveled the length of the straight shank of the bullet into the rifling. During this time the pressure is building and as the bullet moves the volume available for the gases increases. On the other hand, if the neck does not release the bullet, the pressure will build until something gives away to release it.
Mike