Handloads for your m305
- Thread starter BCboy
- Start date
168gr SMK, 42.5gr Varget, Federal Brass, Winchester primers. I get velocities in around 2600 fps. Gets .5 to 1 moa in Springield M1A national match, 1 -2 MOA in stock m305.
A stock m305 is not exactly a match accurate rifle so you won't get the accuracy match ammo should deliver. Not worth shooting expensive ammo in a stock m305. Norinco surplus or Hirt do well for less money.
A stock m305 is not exactly a match accurate rifle so you won't get the accuracy match ammo should deliver. Not worth shooting expensive ammo in a stock m305. Norinco surplus or Hirt do well for less money.
I'm shooting similar in my M14 except I'm cheap and am using Hornady 168 HPBT. I'm still developing a load though and best I've seen from round one of testing is 1.5 moa and my rifle has a Krieger barrel, Blackfeather stock and pretty much everything else you can do to increase accuracy.
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
Hornady 168 Amax or HPBT seated to max mag length with a firm crimp
IVI cases FL sized & annealed
CCI large rifle primers
41-42gr H4895
Gives me 1MOA tested to 550 yards in a box stock M305 Norc put into an EBR chassis with a 1-4 optic....
IVI cases FL sized & annealed
CCI large rifle primers
41-42gr H4895
Gives me 1MOA tested to 550 yards in a box stock M305 Norc put into an EBR chassis with a 1-4 optic....
I've got 3 loads that have given me consistent 1.5 MOA accuracy (5 round groups) in my tweaked M14S bedded in an M14Doc mod stock.
155 gr Amax, 42.2 gr Benchmark, Federal cases, CCI 200 primer, mv: 2785 fps
168 gr Hrn HPBT, 40.3 gr Benchmark, same cases, same primers, mv: 2629 fps
168 gr Hrn HPBT, 40.8 gr IMR 4895, same cases, same primers, mv: 2626 fps
155 gr Amax, 42.2 gr Benchmark, Federal cases, CCI 200 primer, mv: 2785 fps
168 gr Hrn HPBT, 40.3 gr Benchmark, same cases, same primers, mv: 2629 fps
168 gr Hrn HPBT, 40.8 gr IMR 4895, same cases, same primers, mv: 2626 fps
m14medic.ca
Expried Business Member
- Location
- Regina SK Canada
It’s been well documented that Varget is not an “adviseable” powder to use in the platform..... it’s been known to bend op-rods.
41.5gr of H-4895 in a military case pushing a 168 SMK or Horn. BTHP is my “all-round” “any rifle” test bed. Depending on the rifle and barrel length average velocities run 2533 (18.5”) to 2655 (22”).
Here is a very good write up that every person thinking about handloading for the M1A/M14/M305 should read:
http://www.zediker.com/downloads/m14.html
John
PS: I have never actually seen a “true” Sub-MOA M-14..... by that I mean a rifle that will consistently, group after group put 10 rounds into an inch at 100y. I have seen many, many rifles put the odd 5-round group into “close to an inch” groups, and many many more shoot one or 2, 1.5” groups once in a while.
I tell my customers all the time, I can build a true 1.5” rifle, but I’ll need $6,000.
41.5gr of H-4895 in a military case pushing a 168 SMK or Horn. BTHP is my “all-round” “any rifle” test bed. Depending on the rifle and barrel length average velocities run 2533 (18.5”) to 2655 (22”).
Here is a very good write up that every person thinking about handloading for the M1A/M14/M305 should read:
http://www.zediker.com/downloads/m14.html
John
PS: I have never actually seen a “true” Sub-MOA M-14..... by that I mean a rifle that will consistently, group after group put 10 rounds into an inch at 100y. I have seen many, many rifles put the odd 5-round group into “close to an inch” groups, and many many more shoot one or 2, 1.5” groups once in a while.
I tell my customers all the time, I can build a true 1.5” rifle, but I’ll need $6,000.
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Show me 3, 5 round groups on a single piece of paper that achieves this else colour me sceptical. I've only seen a few M14 type rifles that could regularly shoot 1 MOA or thereabouts. I've never seen one that could shoot 1-0.5 MOA consistently.
OP, try 39.5 grains of IMR3031 under a Hornady 168 gn BTHP. Not the best velocities but I've had this load perform well in numerous M1As and M305s.
Jeez, come one, if you can't shoot moa with a factory M305 and surplus, you're just not trying hard enough
Hmmmm, I'll have to get more 4895. I thought the op rod problems were only in Garand rifles and that the M14 gas system was stronger and less finicky with powder. Guess I was misinformed.
Thanks for pointing that out.
I always have to bite my tongue when it seems that everyone claims they have a 1 moa or better load for their m14/M1A. I've owned 4 different chinese made rifles all of them of various levels of accurizing and I've never seen one of them make a 1 moa group no matter what ammo I buy or build.
I've gotten to 1.5moa with my newest one with the Krieger barrel with some loads but the other rifles were all a consistent 2 ish moa once I found a load they liked and more like 3 moa with cheap FMJ.
The guys claiming 1.5moa from a factory chinese barrel with Norc copper wash make me laugh.
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Groups circled in red are my M1A NM shooting my 168gr load at 100m a few weeks ago. Temp -8 C and windy. I was shooting other factory ammo as well, but the difference is striking.
Lol, cherry pickin' don't count.
Try again on a clean piece of paper, it's not like you're using expensive targets. Those look like the targets from the guys claiming their XCR shoots sub moa.
Maybe your rifle does shoot sub moa but if you want to show the rest of us then do it right and buy a real target with more than one target on the paper and 1 inch division lines (my personal favorite is the 9x9 targets available at most gun shops), then print 3-5 five round groups on the same page without 40 practice shots all over the place.
This is my rifle, 18.6" Krieger barrel, And a list as long as my arm of the work done to it and the best it's done so far is a 1.5 moa group, that was only a single 5 round group and I'll have to build more of that load to test if it can do it repeatedly. Unfortunately it sounds like I need to find some 4895 and start over though which sucks since I have about 15 pounds of Varget. Oh well, my Modern Hunter and a couple other rifles seem to like Varget.
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I use Varget and 150gr Hornady FMJ, IVI or Hirt brass, moderate loads not near max, accuracy is substantially better then surplus. Soon to be switched over to D4064 as it's way cheaper.
I don't know how Varget could bend an oprod, it's not all that slow. Also the gas system bleeds off excess gas out the bottom of the cylinder, unlike the Garand where pressure only drops when the bullet leaves the bore.
I don't know how Varget could bend an oprod, it's not all that slow. Also the gas system bleeds off excess gas out the bottom of the cylinder, unlike the Garand where pressure only drops when the bullet leaves the bore.
That's what I thought as well but I think I'd trust what m14medic says since he's well known for building these and working on them.
I've got some 4064 in the cabinet, I'll look at it as well. I'm heading to cabela's tomorrow, hopefully they have some H4895 in stock.
I'm tempted to try the Dominion powder as well, price is awesome
