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M1 Garand Loads
Warbirds
Member Posts: 16,834 ✭✭✭✭
Well my friend just got his CMP Garand in the mail today, he has to go on a road trip leaving tom. and coming back early saturday so I was hoping to make some 30-06 loads that are known to be safe and easy on the action of his M1-Garand, I prefer Alliant powders in general but I guess I could make an exception for this rifle of his. I am already set up for 30-06 but I don't want to go to hot, to light a load and it may not cycle correctly. I have a wide variety of bullets in .30 caliber already in my reloading supplies, and I have brass, primers, On hand I have Rx 15, Rx 19, and Rx 22 for various rifles, also have Reddot/Green dot, Unique, bullseye, but I have no problem running to the gunstore to pick up something more appropriate. And I have to confess right now I haven't even cracked a book to look for a load.
(Dave's Disclaimer) I will double check any suggested load to make certain I can find it in a book prior to loading any ammo. No animials were harmed in the making of this thread.
Thanks for your time.
Dave
(Dave's Disclaimer) I will double check any suggested load to make certain I can find it in a book prior to loading any ammo. No animials were harmed in the making of this thread.
Thanks for your time.
Dave
Comments
Does anyone here shoot in these competitions, and what kind of loads do you use?
.
Here are some excerpts from my notes:
People with experience in shooting and reloading for the M1, do not
recommend any powder slower than IMR 4320. Slower powders cause higher gas port pressures and therefore more stress on the op rod.
* Do not use powder that's slower than IMR4320.
Doing so will create much higher than spec'd gas port pressures and
that will put too much force on the operating rod. This excessive
pressure will be enough to bend the operating rod. It can also
cause the receiver to crack at the back as the bolt slams against it
with too much force. I've seen about half a dozen M1s that have
been ruined by the use of too slow of powder; their owners thought that as
this powder (4831, 4350) worked fine in a bolt action rifle, it would
be fine for their M1.
IMR4064 was the favorite powder when the M1 was extensively reloaded
for to compete in highpower matches. About 47 or so grains with a
Sierra 168-gr. bullet was used to win a lot of matches. Although 4895
was used for both ball and match ammo as loaded by military arsenals,
4064 produced much better accuracy and longer barrel life. In addition,
4895 is a fairly dirty powder and often requires barrel cleaning more
often than when 4064 is used. 4895 was (and is) used in military
ammo because it meters more uniformly in automatic powder measures than
4064; for handloading and weighed powder charges, 4064 produces better
accuracy.
* Full-length size the cases, but do not set the shoulder back any more than about .003-in. from what a fired case measures.
To do this, you'll need an RCBS Precision Mic, a great tool that lets
you get the most reloads from your brass. When the case shoulder is
set back more than .003-in. from the fired case dimension, excessive
case stretching will occur each time the case is fired. This really
shortens case life, and, in many situations, you get only 2 reloadings
from a case. By keeping the shoulder setback on fired cases from an
M1 to about .003-in., you should get about 4 or 5 reloads from each
case, then the case should be destroyed and trashed.
* Seat the bullets out as far as possible to function through the
magazine area, but ensure they are at least .020-in. back from the
lands.
This will enable the most accuracy the barrel will deliver. It also
prevents a bullet from jamming in the lands and staying there should
you need to remove a loaded round from the chamber.
If your barrel's groove diameter is a bit on the large size, like about
3083 to .3087, Sierra and other US made match bullets may not shoot too
accurate. With this large of groove diameter, the Lapua .3092-in. diameter
match bullets will probably be the most accurate.
I suggest you use commercial cases for best accuracy. Although many folks
are enamored with the military cases with the word `MATCH' in their head
stamp, those cases are not very uniform in weight and thickness.
Folks handloading for the 30 caliber M1 didn't have much success with bullets
heavier than 180 grains. That was because the diameter of the gas port was
`tuned' for powders in the 4895-4064 burning range. Using 47 or so grains of
IMR4064 with Sierra's 180-gr. match bullets was an excellent load; still is.
Use Rem. 9-1/2 or RWS5341 primers, then tune the powder charge for what gives
the best accuracy. Bullets heavier than 180 grains need a powder slower than
IMR4320 to get decent, and uniform, velocity from a 24-inch .30-06 barrel.
Those powders cause too high a port pressure; enough to bend the operating
rod and/or crack the reciever's hump at the back.
From: http://yarchive.net/gun/ammo/garand_loads.html
Additional advice:
Reloading for the M1 Garand
Should I or shouldn't I?
As for reloading... by all means, do it, as long as it is done
intelligently. If you really don't like reloading, handloading new
components can still save you mucho $$.
Reloading for Garand can be done safely, and anyone seeking competency
and shooting hundreds or thousands of rounds pretty much needs to do
(unless independently wealthy!).
Unfortunately, most reloading advice is geared to the ever-popular
bolt action. Some of the advice given is antithetical to what is
required for loading for a self-loader.
Here's what to keep in mind in loading for the M1:
1. Use a powder suitable for the pressure curve requirements of the M1,
for example, IMR4895 and IMR4064.
2. Use a bullet weight suitable for the pressure curve requirements of
the M1, for example 150, 162, 165, 168, 172 grains.
3. Use a CCI mil-spec primer. These use primer cups that are harder than
standard and help prevent slam-fires. Very important and often
overlooked.
Avoid high primers, which cause slam-fires. Store ammo nose-down and
look across the case heads, that allows you to quickly inspect 50 or
more cartridges at once. Also run your fingertip over all primers as
they come out of the press or priming tool.
4. Sizing! This is where most M1 Garand reloading advice is
insufficient. Not neck-sizing is not enough. It also must not be
undersized! In other words, you NEED a shoulder height/headspace
comparator to measure where the shoulder is on your cartridge. I like
Stoney Point's, it is quicker than RCBS and cheaper. You also need to
have an idea of what the headspace is of your chamber. Measuring fired
brass is not enough. It stretches beyond chamber length sometimes due to
adhesion during extraction. Chambering empty cases of various shoulder
heights will help you determine your actual headspace. Cartridges must
be somewhat under chamber size for safe functioning (avoiding
slam-fires).
5. Retire brass earlier. If you measure the shoulder height growth
between unfired and fired brass, you'll see Garand brass goes through
more stretch and resizing compression than bolt action brass. Eventually
you'll get case head seperation if you insist on using your brass
forever. Retire after 1 or 2 reloads.
Use GI brass (the usual caveat about reducing loads versus commercial
brass applies) when possible, see: http://www.gibrass.com It is thicker
than commercial brass and less likely to seperate. Fortunately GI brass
is available new, unused and in quantity at good prices during the last
few years, due to a de-militarization program. This will never happen
again, once it is gone it is gone (the US military is not ever going
back to the .30-06 now and the current de-mil stock is getting into the
mid-seventies when the last production ended.) Be sure and avoid high
primers as in rule #3.
6. The usual caveats about approaching max loads slowly, use a much
lower maximum than that for bolt action rifles, don't try to push
limits. The goals of reloading for M1 are accuracy, variety and cost,
not velocity. Trim cases, check that the neck mouth is not pinched in
the chamber throat (unlikely, but disastorous). Check body size so that
case entry into the chamber is not impeded by outsized case bodies (go
to a small base die if this is an issue).
As you can see, reloading for the M1 takes more time and thought than
for other rifles. With the right equipment and technique it can be done
safely and effectively. Ignore those who casually throw out statements
like "don't reload it's dangerous" and don't bother to explain. Some
might say they've seen reloads slam-fire. All reloading slam-fires can
be explained by ignoring rules 3 and 4 or single-loading. But guess
what... all self-loaders slam-fire about once per million anyway, even
if everything is done right. That's life in the self-loader lane. Wear
safety glasses. Don't single-load without a SLED, etc...
If you decide not to reload... be sure and give your brass to someone
who does!
choice, whether you choose to do it should be based on information, not
just advice.
http://www.charm.net/~kmarsh/m1reload.html
Powder selection is also critical to making safe loads for a Garand. Do not use any powder with a burn rate slower than IMR 4320 or a faster than IMR 3031. Before you get all discouraged about a limited powder selection you should know that (from fastest to slowest burn rate) Hodgdon Benchmark 1, Norma N-201, Hodgdon 332, Hodgdon Benchmark 2, Accurate Arms 2230, IMR 4895, Hodgdon 4895, Hodgdon 335, Hodgdon BL-C(2), Accurate Arms 2460, Winchester 748, Vihtavuori N-135, IMR 4064, Hodgdon Varget, Accurate Arms 2520, & Norma 202 all have acceptable burn rates. Of those powders IMR 4895, H4895, & IMR 4064 are the most popular as they most closely duplicate the powders originally used by the military, but any that fall between IMR 4064 & IMR 4895 on the burn rate chart will produce good results.
http://carnival.saysuncle.com/002449.html
LOADS FOR THE M1 GARAND
The following information was written by Ed Harris and
relates to suggested loads for the M1 Garand. You can direct
question to Ed through the Firearms Echo.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I have had good luck with the following .30-'06 loads, using
LC Match cases and either Fed. 210M or Winchester WLR primers.
These charges are not quite max., but there is no need to exceed
them. Main thing you must realize is that current IMR powders are
somewhat faster than those made prior to 1976, and great old
loads you may have heard need to be cut at least 5% across the
board with current powders.
150-gr. MK to simulate M2 Ball velocity - 49 grs. IMR4895
or 50 grs. IMR4064
or 48 grs. IMR3031
or 50 grs. W748
168-gr. MK for 300 rapid and calm 600 46 grs. IMR4895
48 grs. IMR4064
or 48 grs. W748
LC 173-175 pulls or Sierra 180MK 45 grs. IMR4895
USE THESE FOR 600 47 grs. IMR4064
I don't recommend slower powders than 4064 or W748 in the
Garand.
Of the Accurate Arms powders, 2520 is probably the best
choice, but I don't have specific .30-'06 data for it. AAC's
recommended charges should be OK. If your Garand is 7.62 NATO
let me know and I will post you some appropriate data - have
pressure tested a lot in that caliber.
-= END OF ARTICLE =-
R/
Dave
People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.
-- A. J. Liebling
I have always used IMR 4064 until I tried Accurate Arms 2520. I use 46 grains of AA2520 with 155 gr Sierra Palma Match bullet.
Keep Your Powder Dry
NRA Life Member
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN
and this is what Dave loaded for me
45 gr. IMR 4895 powder
W-W primer
165 gr. Hornandy btsp bullit
it is a slow moving bullit
i shot opened my left eye
i blinked both eyes
and saw the impact down range
i was shooting around 200 - 250 yds.
accurate too!!!!
recoil was like shooting a .22 lr.
Shadow62
look and you will see
listen and you shall hear
I have had good luck with 4064 also, as well as 3031 for lighter bullets. BLC2 works safely but I've never done as well with it.
I've also done pretty well with some of the ACCURATE powders but don't remember which off hand.
In short, use a medium burn rate powder and a medium weight bullet, and within those constraints any published load should do you well.