Anyone here in this forum have any experience they want to share with handloading specifically for the M305/M14. I am reading up on this and I am getting different and interesting perspectives online. From what I gathered, it all comes down to the right kind of brass, full sizing, smaller base size, OAL, 4895, 150 to 190 weight bullets, and headspace, headspace, headspace. I plan to shoot only handloads for target and hunting. Any wisdom on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Handloading for M305
- Thread starter ton45
- Start date
There's been some very lengthy threads in the past about handloading M14 cartridges in this forum. Pretty much what it boils down to is that every rifle is just slightly different and as so there's no magic numbers to follow when handloading rounds for your particular rifle.
Max Owner said:
It can be, depending on what you want to do.
I know Lazarus2000 used to make an M43 equivalent (120-to-130 grain bullet at 2300-2400fps) load for plinking/tac matches with his M14's. You can't buy that. After I get my adjustable gas system worked out I'll be looking to dupe that.
I've already started it. It's not exactly a new concept, it'll be adjusting the internal volume of the gas system. Right now it's so soft that factory 308W won't reliably cycle and my old silhouette load (45 gr 4064, 190gr BTSP) just barely locks the bolt back on the last shot.
I'll post pix and specs once I ge it worked out.
I'll post pix and specs once I ge it worked out.
I have reloading a fair bit for my M305. I prefer 165 grain bullets, but I also like the 168's. Prefered powder is H4895. Use a startin gload from your favorite reloading manual and work up safely from there.
I also recommend that you examine your brass after the first few reloads, as it will stretch a bit. My rifle headspaces 10 thousand over, so I realize I will have diminished case life.
One day I should collect brass from different multiple firing stages (i.e. 1 firing, 2 firings, 3 firings, etc.) and sectin them and measure the case walls above the head. Maybe I can detemine my average case life.
I also recommend you use a primer other than Federal. Federal makes a great primer, but it could be too soft for safety. I repfere the harder cups of the winchester primers.
I also recommend that you examine your brass after the first few reloads, as it will stretch a bit. My rifle headspaces 10 thousand over, so I realize I will have diminished case life.
One day I should collect brass from different multiple firing stages (i.e. 1 firing, 2 firings, 3 firings, etc.) and sectin them and measure the case walls above the head. Maybe I can detemine my average case life.
I also recommend you use a primer other than Federal. Federal makes a great primer, but it could be too soft for safety. I repfere the harder cups of the winchester primers.
schick said:
Have you tried regular CCI or better yet their military primer #34? Apparently the #34 primer from CCI has an extra thick cup especially made for military autoloaders.
Have you tried 150 FMJ-BTs from Hornady. A nearby supplier sells them for$16 per 100 bullets.
