I read a good article years ago about reloading for the M14 and it made good sense. When adjusting your full length sizer die (whether it is small based or not) strip your bolt of the ejector and ejector spring and drop your brass into the chamber. Keep adjusting your full length sizing die until you can engage the locking lugs with finger pressure closing the bolt. I have a Dillon 550 B so when I hit that sweet spot my die is left in that specific tool holder for that rifle (stripping the bolt is a pain in the butt). I use mil spec brass and have the Dillon primer pocket swager. I also use the CCI mil spec. primer and double check primer seating depth. The Shuster adjustable gas plug for the M1A or rifles accepting the Imperial thread that have been re-barreled is recommended if you are going to experiment with powders which were not originally designed for this rifle (so that you are not beating up your op-rod).
Reloading for the Norinco M305
- Thread starter xgunner
- Start date
That's good to know about the brass. I ditched mine after about 7 or 8 cuz they were so beat up with heads chipped and I was concerned the rim might fail.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
When ammo is set up to NATO specs and the M1A/M305 is operating properly, this is one of the MILDEST cycling semi auto I have used. The brass should land forward in the 2 oclock direction about 3ft from your action. If the brass is launching towards the 4oclock and land a couple of benches over WAY too much gas and cycling energy... you are going to break the rifle.
If your rifle is ejecting forward and close as I have described, turn the gas flow pin and shut off the gas to cycle the rifle and run it as a straight pull. I bet the first few pulls on the handle, you will force the cases FURTHER then the rifle did. In operation, a precision tuned M1A/M305 is going to have a Schuck/Schuck feel to it as the bolt cycles - yes, you will feel the bolt move back and forth. There should not be a jarring when the bolt goes back.
The biggest upside, this is also when the rifle will be its most accurate.... and the brass will not get beat up.
If the action/ammo is cycling properly, you can insert the fired case into the chamber and it will lock up (great way to check if your chamber is round and lock up square). In testing, I just necked sized the cases and chamber checked to make sure all was well before adding powder, etc. I was surprised to find that 2 to 3 firings didn't leave the cases enlarged enough to need body sizing. And this was with conventional Win brass. The Gen of M305's I played with were superbly built.
Today, I would run PRVI which is TOUGH brass and at these low pressures and cyclic forces, stretching would be minimal. Now for 100% reliable function and SAFETY, I would set up a body die to bump any shoulder that was a bit long. Out of battery kaboom is no fun at all. 3 to 4 thou shorter then chamber headspace should lead to safe cycling and very long brass life.
Time to learn how to anneal....
Jerry
PS, the set up above is for precision and accuracy. If you plan to jump out of an airplane, maybe not ideal.
I'll be the first to say it but I run my M1A National Match with ammo that is a little on the warm side for some.
I am using a clone of the MK316 Mod 0 load which is 41.75gr of 4064 over a 175gr SMK using a FGMM 210M primer.
I substituted the Federal case for Lake City but they both hold the same water weight.
I later switched the primers to CCI #34.
I am using a clone of the MK316 Mod 0 load which is 41.75gr of 4064 over a 175gr SMK using a FGMM 210M primer.
I substituted the Federal case for Lake City but they both hold the same water weight.
I later switched the primers to CCI #34.
Agreed! The M305 (and I assume the M1A/M14) is pretty smooth and easy to shoot. My brass always went to that 2 o'clock posn too. My loads weren't all that hot (41.5gr IMR 4895, 168 Gr BT for 2650 fps). Not like the FN which I seem to recall as a bit more harsh! Of course, that damn check bite would get you every now and then and that made the experience just horrible. But I still miss the ol' FN.
Full length resize or bump the shoulder and necksize. Adjust your die to your chamber size. I didn't originally and was only get 4-5 firings on Federal brass before seeing signs of incipient case head separation.. Now I bump the shoulder back .003-.004. We'll see if they last longer. My understanding as per bullet weight was to keep it to 168gr and lower unless running a grooved piston. As has been said, Benchmark and IMR-4895 are good powders. A few loads that have given me 1.5 moa and lower:
-155gr Amax over 42.2 gr Benchmark (mv 2785fps)
-168gr Hornady HPBT over 40.3 gr Benchmark (mv 2629fps)
-168gr Hornady HPBT over 40.8 gr IMR-4895 (mv 2626 fps)
all in Federal cases with CC1 200s
-155gr Amax over 42.2 gr Benchmark (mv 2785fps)
-168gr Hornady HPBT over 40.3 gr Benchmark (mv 2629fps)
-168gr Hornady HPBT over 40.8 gr IMR-4895 (mv 2626 fps)
all in Federal cases with CC1 200s
