M1 Garand Loads

[Sniper Uncle]

Hey Guys,
Hopefully getting an M1 Garand soon. Can anyone help me with some suitable loads for this rifle? I hear that commercial loads may be problematic with the gas system, and there may be special needs for primers?????
Help, please, and thank you.

 

[Eagle1899]

Re: M1 Garand Loads

Have shot CCI 200's with 47 grains of IMR4895 with a 150FMJ for alot of years.

45.8 grains of Varget with a 168Amax is also good.

Hornady sells match ammo specific for the Garand. http://www.hornady.com/store/30-06-168-gr-A-MAX-M1-Garand/

 

[Heman]

Re: M1 Garand Loads

My rifle loves 47.5gr of IMR-4895 with a 175gr SMK or a 135gr SMK. But my barrel is a 1:12 twist. You will see 46gr listed and this is what I started with but the 175gr groups shrunk dramatically at 600yds with 47.5gr.

Powder wise the range you want to work with is between IMR-3031 to IMR-4064/Varget. Bullet range anything up through 175's will work. NOW there is a caveat to this, if you get an adjustable gas plug or just drill out the existing one you can safely shoot IMR4350 in the gun. This was the old Navy Long Range load. But I have never done this.

No need for special primers just make sure the primer is seated below the base of the brass. Also make sure you full length resize your brass and that it is trimmed to normal length. If you shoot single loaded DO NOT place the round in the chamber and let the bolt slam shut. Let the bolt carry the round into the chamber.

 

[aloreman]

Re: M1 Garand Loads

Note that hemans load is a bit hot for a garand and could eventaully crack the heal of the reciever or bent the oprod. 47 grains of imr 4895 is about max for a 168 gr bullet. If your goin to shoot em hot get a schuster plug. Try 46.5 gr of varget with a 168 gr match bullet or same powder charge of 4895. google search nra m1 load data. 125gr speer tnts and 49 gr of imr 4895 is a good 200 yd load.

 

[Justshutupnhunt]

Re: M1 Garand Loads

I shoot hornady 165 grain sst bullet and 46 grains of imr 4895. The primer I use is winchester large rifle.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

Re: M1 Garand Loads

Thanks for the info, guys.

 

[Heman]

Re: M1 Garand Loads

Aloreman is correct when refering to new manufactored powder. I neglected to mention that the IMR4895 powder I am using is military pulldown and the charge weight for the M72 match ranged from 46.5-47gr of IMR4895 and the old GI 173 bullet. The lot of ammo my powder came from was loaded at 47gr.

Bent oprods come from using to slow of a powder and if you are using powder of the approrpriate burn rate you will notice chamber pressure before any of the mechanical issues. Cracking can result but that is when loads are being used that do exhibit sever chamber preasure signs such as the USMCs G4 LR load that was 44gr of IMR4895 and a 168gr SMK in their M14's back in the day.