Shooting the Musket - M40A1

pmclaine

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Nov 6, 2011
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    She is a lengthy girl….

    300 yards, 2 MOA target my reloads

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    Man that ammo sucks.

    It’s been a year since I shot the A1 and the trigger seems a little stiffer than the 700 I have been shooting but staying on that 6 inch circle should have been doable.

    This was my last 300 outing with that rifle and 175FGMM on a 4 inch circle.

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    I was shopping for Black Friday deals today and was hoping McMillan had something going. No luck. Wanted to find a M40A1 stock or get a discount to make a A1-ish type stock. Since I saw this build I've been wanting to copy it. Just plan to do a Sendero contour inlet and Remington hinged floorplate bottom. Then do sniper fill to give it some heft. Later, if I get proper contour barrel for my SSA....I'll have it opened up.

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    • Like
    Reactions: deltawiskey
    Save the fireformed brass and load up something it likes!!!

    There must be a good Lake City Match clone load recipe out there!

    I can’t remember if you handload or not… but you are always welcome up here to use my reloading stuff and tailor a load!!! Be an honor to help come up with the right combo for that M40!!

    Sirhr
     
    Save the fireformed brass and load up something it likes!!!

    There must be a good Lake City Match clone load recipe out there!

    I can’t remember if you handload or not… but you are always welcome up here to use my reloading stuff and tailor a load!!! Be an honor to help come up with the right combo for that M40!!

    Sirhr
    I have a really good recipe with LC brass. But the powder has been discontinued. It works really good with the BDC knob on the Unertl.
     
    Can you sub 4895? I have a bunch of LC once fired from my TAC Ops and am starting to develop a load for it…

    Cheers!

    Sirhr
    41.6 of 4166 will get you around 2625 with LC brass and 175 smks set to factory length. I have had really good results with it. I am starting to get into the crowd of load for the speed you are looking for and do small adjustments from there. I have been having really good results good success with that.
     
    I was shopping for Black Friday deals today and was hoping McMillan had something going. No luck. Wanted to find a M40A1 stock or get a discount to make a A1-ish type stock. Since I saw this build I've been wanting to copy it. Just plan to do a Sendero contour inlet and Remington hinged floorplate bottom. Then do sniper fill to give it some heft. Later, if I get proper contour barrel for my SSA....I'll have it opened up.

    View attachment 8557329
    Weaver T-10 is a beast of a scope. Only thing it lacks is a mil dot reticle but it can be had
     
    Last edited:
    Save the fireformed brass and load up something it likes!!!

    There must be a good Lake City Match clone load recipe out there!

    I can’t remember if you handload or not… but you are always welcome up here to use my reloading stuff and tailor a load!!! Be an honor to help come up with the right combo for that M40!!

    Sirhr

    These were some I had loaded up long. They shot okay but being only able to load three in the mag before they bound up I reduced them to mag length.

    Something was lost in translation when COAL was reduced.

    They are topped with Nosler CCs also. I think the CCs are fine for blasting but they seem to create two groups per string of fire.

    I’ll try them in something else to see if there is a match.

    The brass is WCC 13, 2x, originally fired through M14 by my old employer. It’s going to the scrap barrel.
     
    Can you sub 4895? I have a bunch of LC once fired from my TAC Ops and am starting to develop a load for it…

    Cheers!

    Sirhr
    4895 did well for me at 42 grains.

    I like to stick with 4895 or 4064 so that I can also load for my Garand and LMT.

    For bolt .308 I’d be interested in trying 8208XBR because it gives me so much happiness in .223 but that stuff has been unobtanium.
     
    41.6 of 4166 will get you around 2625 with LC brass and 175 smks set to factory length. I have had really good results with it. I am starting to get into the crowd of load for the speed you are looking for and do small adjustments from there. I have been having really good results good success with that.

    FGMM does everything for me I could want a cartridge to do.

    I have not reloaded for .308 in probably 4-5 years.

    Next time I consider it, I will choose one .308 and use its magnetospeed readings to load to a matching velocity.

    I find I can get better SD in my reloads, low teens/single digit, than FGMM, 20-35 SD, yet FGMM gives me more confidence.

    If I take a class or am doing something more than plinking I will use FGMM.