1000 yard M1A loads

lennyo3034

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 18, 2010
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Does anyone have a good load for taking the M1a out to 1000 yards? My rifle doesn't seem to like 175 grain SMKs very much. I haven't tried 155s but and worried about seating depth and magazine fit.

I'm going to try 41.5 gr IMR 4895 behind a 175 SMK at 2.800, but that hasn't worked well in the past. It also seems a little on the hot side.

The rifle in question is a SAI NM model with 22" barrel.

Also, I've never shot that far with before and if anyone is a member of Quantico shooting club, I'd love to get some pointers. Or just a walkaround since I just got my membership card but have never been. Thanks.
 
Re: 1000 yard M1A loads

The best 1000 yard loads I ever came up with was Remington Special Brass. It used small rifle primers. I put in CCI Bench rest primers. 41.5 grns of 4895 and the older 180 grn SMKs. I couldnt find enough brass to keep it going.

A question would be what barrel do you have. I issued my guard members two rifles depending on what ammo we could get. One had the Barnett 6 groove, the other the Military issue match 4 groove barrel. The 4 grove barrel wouldnt shoot the sierra bullets but would the 174 M118 bullets quite well even at 1000.

If you have a 6 grove barrel, I can't understand why it wont shoot 175s. I think I'd change primers and powder. Never seen a M14/M1A that didn't like 4895.
 
Re: 1000 yard M1A loads

I have a 6 groove medium weight barrel. I believe SAI used wilson barrels on their NM rifles when mine was built but I'm not sure. The rifle hates M118LR (too bad I'm sitting on 1000 rounds of it) but is ok with 175 GMM.

It does quite well with 168 SMK and 41.5 gr IMR 4895

Thanks for the help.
 
Re: 1000 yard M1A loads

Military brass marked FC 07 or 08.
IMR4064 @ 41.7, 175gr SMK, 210M a new load used by
the military you can do a search on the site for more
information.......