Feeding the m14

carlchevalier

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What do you feed your m14? I'm waiting for my shorty to come back from the Doctor:D (M14Doctor) and I'm wondering what to use in it. This is my 1st m14 and I already reload for .308.

any suggestions? can I use the 168 and 175 grains match stuff that I have.

thanks
 
"...can I use the 168 and 175 grains match stuff..." You'll have to work up the load. You'll still have a flame thrower.
 
"...what would you use?..." Wouldn't have a short barrel myself. Too much velocity loss. No offence to M14Doctor, but short barrelled M305/M14S/M1A's are novelty rifles.
However, the 155's would do. There are 150 grain match bullets too. IMR4064 is your friend.
 
Here's some information I got from a half decent article on M1A Rifles dot com:

* Any grain from 147 to 180 is usable.

* 168 grain is recommended for best accuracy

* Use FMJ, HP, or “ballistic tip” type rounds (Hsoi: i.e. plastic tiped bullets; note that the term "Ballistic Tip" is a registered trademark of Nosler, so it shouldn't be used as a generic term for "plastic tipped" bullets)

* Avoid soft points. The lead can shave and wind up down in the action and jam it up.

* Avoid steel-cased ammo (not necessarily SAAMI spec)

* Avoid Hornady TAP (not sure why this)

* Avoid Cavim ammo as it’s not very accurate and varies in size

For hunting

* Winchester Silver Tip is OK to use (I'm not sure if they differentiate between Winchester Super-X Silvertip and Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silvertip, and/or if it matters. The Silvertip is an aluminum cap whereas the Ballstic Silvertip is a polycarbonate tip. Don't know if it matters, and it probably doesn't.)

* Hornady Ballistic Tip (technically Nosler makes Ballistic Tip, as it's their registered trademark. Are they meaning A-Max or V-Max? I don't know, but you get the idea.)

* Winchester Failsafe (Winchester doesn't make this any more, replacing with the XP3 line.)

* 168 grain for deer

* 175 grain for moose

* Moly coated bullets are OK to use but when you start to use them you must stay with them. You will have to clean the gas port more often. SAI does not recommend. If you do use them, it will gum up fast, and you’ll have to clean often and clean well.

* Tracer and armor piercing ammo is OK, as long as it’s NATO spec.

* Frangible ammo is too light, won’t work.

This should give you an idea of what you can work with.
 
"...can I use the 168 and 175 grains match stuff..." You'll have to work up the load. You'll still have a flame thrower.

i loaded for a 18.5''m14, no flames, i don't know where you got that from, do you own a 18.5'' m14???

"...what would you use?..." Wouldn't have a short barrel myself. Too much velocity loss. No offence to M14Doctor, but short barrelled M305/M14S/M1A's are novelty rifles.
However, the 155's would do. There are 150 grain match bullets too. IMR4064 is your friend.

i chrono'ed a load shot through a standard barrel and a shorty and the velocity loss was 75 fps,

for powder i have used h4895, imr4895 and w748, i prefered w748 because i seemed to get a bit more velocity...ymmv
 
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