Rocket Surgery
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've reloaded a lot of combinations with my 2007 m305, and over time, managed to get consistent 1.5 inch groups @ 100y using cheap components. It can be done, and won't wreck your gas system either. I have loaded Varget, it cycled well and got decent accuracy, but I didn't want to load more than 20 rounds because it's a slower burning propellant.
A lot of these opinions have merit, the PRVI brass and federal primers work well with Hornady 150g bullets. I tend to fire a lot of the federal blue box 150g factory ammo, because that stuff is cheap and accurate, leaving me with pounds of brass. I try to reload this only 3 times, because my headspacing is fairly loose.
I think the most important thing here is don't use winchester LR primers, and make sure whatever you use is below flush. Your COALength has to be kept in check, and keep it to the 4895's, 3031, 4064, and BALL-C2 powders. It's good practice to full length resize your brass, but you CAN neck size for the m305's, at least with mine. I don't think you should do it though, I did haha.
My best accuracy was with RL15, hornady 150g btsp, federal primers, and DA 1960's brass. This is an oddball combo because DA brass is hard to get now and RL ranks at #84 on the Lyman 49th edition reloading handbook, which makes it slower than Varget - so this load may do damage, even with 150g bullets.
Just for your reference, I'll list the relative burn rates starting with IMR 3031 according to this book:
#68 IMR-3031
#69 ACCURATE 2230
#70 H335 (all loads I tried with this powder sucked in my rifle)
#71 Ramshot TAC
#72 H4895
#73 IMR4895
#74 ACCURATE 2460
#75 H BALL-C2
#76 ACCURATE 2495
#77 WIN748
#78 VV N135
#79 IMR 4064
#80 H-VARGET
#81 ACCURATE 2520
#82 VV N540
#83 VV N140
#84 Alliant RL15
#85 IMR-4320
#86 H380
Page 219 of this book says that: "Many shooters loading for the m1a/m14 rifles find best results with IMR-4895 or IMR-4064. Shooters reloading military cases will need to remove the primer crimp in order to reprime cartridge cases. Shooters should also stay one to two grains below the listed maximum charges due to the smaller volume of GI brass."
I highly recommend this book. The LEE reloading manual is a bit painful to read, and more like an old man's rambling journal, mixed with potshots at other reloading vendors. There is still good information in it, I've read about 4 reloading manuals front to back and found this Lyman one to be my favourite. I do believe the LEE manual just farms reloading data from the manufacturers and reprints it, while the Lyman company does actual testing, but I'm not sure.
A lot of these opinions have merit, the PRVI brass and federal primers work well with Hornady 150g bullets. I tend to fire a lot of the federal blue box 150g factory ammo, because that stuff is cheap and accurate, leaving me with pounds of brass. I try to reload this only 3 times, because my headspacing is fairly loose.
I think the most important thing here is don't use winchester LR primers, and make sure whatever you use is below flush. Your COALength has to be kept in check, and keep it to the 4895's, 3031, 4064, and BALL-C2 powders. It's good practice to full length resize your brass, but you CAN neck size for the m305's, at least with mine. I don't think you should do it though, I did haha.
My best accuracy was with RL15, hornady 150g btsp, federal primers, and DA 1960's brass. This is an oddball combo because DA brass is hard to get now and RL ranks at #84 on the Lyman 49th edition reloading handbook, which makes it slower than Varget - so this load may do damage, even with 150g bullets.
Just for your reference, I'll list the relative burn rates starting with IMR 3031 according to this book:
#68 IMR-3031
#69 ACCURATE 2230
#70 H335 (all loads I tried with this powder sucked in my rifle)
#71 Ramshot TAC
#72 H4895
#73 IMR4895
#74 ACCURATE 2460
#75 H BALL-C2
#76 ACCURATE 2495
#77 WIN748
#78 VV N135
#79 IMR 4064
#80 H-VARGET
#81 ACCURATE 2520
#82 VV N540
#83 VV N140
#84 Alliant RL15
#85 IMR-4320
#86 H380
Page 219 of this book says that: "Many shooters loading for the m1a/m14 rifles find best results with IMR-4895 or IMR-4064. Shooters reloading military cases will need to remove the primer crimp in order to reprime cartridge cases. Shooters should also stay one to two grains below the listed maximum charges due to the smaller volume of GI brass."
I highly recommend this book. The LEE reloading manual is a bit painful to read, and more like an old man's rambling journal, mixed with potshots at other reloading vendors. There is still good information in it, I've read about 4 reloading manuals front to back and found this Lyman one to be my favourite. I do believe the LEE manual just farms reloading data from the manufacturers and reprints it, while the Lyman company does actual testing, but I'm not sure.
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