M1 Garand Ammo

Maximcan

Maximcan

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North Vancouver BC
I bought a M1 Garand yesterday and a friend of mine said he heard that store bought ammo is hard on Garands. He wasn't sure if it was correct info so I thought I'd ask here.

Is it true that I should be hand loading my 30-06 ammo for my Garand?
Will store bought ammo hurt my rifle?

Thanks
 
It is the weight of the bullet and the burn rate of the powder that is important.
Use 150 gr, not 180 gr bullets.
The original load was a relatively fast burn rate. If you use a slow burning powder, there is still a lot of internal pressure in the barrel at the point the bullet passes the gas port, so the gas system gets over pressured.
 
The Milspec load for the .30 Ball M2, which was the standard WW2 cartridge, called for a 152-grain bullet ahead of a charge of IMR-4895 powder. Generally, they got the desired 2800 ft/sec with 48 to 50 grains of the stuff.

It should be noted that 4895 was developed specially for the .30-'06 cartridge and for the Garand rifle. This powder is STILL the military spec for all .30-'06 ammo in the US military.

Besides, it's a darned decent powder and it works just FINE in .303, 7.62x54R, 8x57, 7mm Mauser, 6.5 Jap, 7.7 Jap and a heap of others. It is very close to being the perfect all-round military rifle powder.

Hope this helps.
.
 
Maximcan said:
I bought a M1 Garand yesterday and a friend of mine said he heard that store bought ammo is hard on Garands. He wasn't sure if it was correct info so I thought I'd ask here.

Is it true that I should be hand loading my 30-06 ammo for my Garand?
Will store bought ammo hurt my rifle?

Thanks
Click to expand...

After reading a page of posts, the answer is clear. Ditch your uninformed friend, and move the internet. We are more knowledgible and will never bum $20 before payday.
 
I read a whole bunch on the Commercial ammo hype before taking the plunge on a garand. As pointed out on other sources the "Commercial is going to kill your Garand" talk is relitivly recent in Canada and there has been alot of garand shooters for YEARS here.

Just watch what you put in it (Dont go over 150gr) I feed mine Partisan 150gr FMJ and it groups real tight and ejects spent brass from 12-3 O'clock with out any hickups.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
After reading a page of posts, the answer is clear. Ditch your uninformed friend, and move the internet. We are more knowledgible and will never bum $20 before payday.
Click to expand...

what the $%#^ this would be his uninformed friend here. I don't know what posts you were reading, but it seems everyone agrees that Factory Ammo will hurt your Garand.

Learn how to spell and how to read, it will help you out in the future, :owned:
 
smellie said:
The Milspec load for the .30 Ball M2, which was the standard WW2 cartridge, called for a 152-grain bullet ahead of a charge of IMR-4895 powder. Generally, they got the desired 2800 ft/sec with 48 to 50 grains of the stuff.

It should be noted that 4895 was developed specially for the .30-'06 cartridge and for the Garand rifle. This powder is STILL the military spec for all .30-'06 ammo in the US military.

Besides, it's a darned decent powder and it works just FINE in .303, 7.62x54R, 8x57, 7mm Mauser, 6.5 Jap, 7.7 Jap and a heap of others. It is very close to being the perfect all-round military rifle powder.

Hope this helps.
.
Click to expand...

:cheers: cheers!

Thanks for the info man, Maximcan and I will throw together some 48 grain loads under some 152 grain bullets for sure. Maybe he'll even let me shoot it:sniper:

.... I will also try this powder in my .303's :)

thanks again
 
ChromeArty said:
I don't know what posts you were reading, but it seems everyone agrees that Factory Ammo will hurt your Garand.
Click to expand...

On the contrary... Everyone seems to agree 180gr rounds are the culprit to damaging the Garand, not "factory ammo" in general.

Now... Who was reading what???

:cool:
 
Thank you everyone!!, except Maple leaf eh(dumbass)

I talked to a trusted local gun guru and he shoots 150gr Federal or the cheapest available, through his Garand for more then 20years, but he said if I want accuracy to reload, so thats what ChromeArty are going to do (with a case of beer)

Thanks again!!!
 
I got a ammo can (3/4 full) of milsurp with the enblocs in the cloth bandoliers with a Springfield Garand I bought. I am torn whether of not to shoot it though as I think they will be worth money down the road.:D
 
"...should be hand loading..." Yep. Just on the principal of the thing. Factory ammo is expensive. Reloading lets you use ammo that is tailored for your rifle. Think 150 to 180 grain bullets with IMR4064, IMR or H 4895(close but not the same) or Varget.
"...and for the Garand rifle..." The M1 had nothing whatever to do with it. IMR4895 powder was used long before there was an M1 Rifle. .30-06 hasn't been used by the U.S. military since the mid 70's. And that was their National Guard only.
 
A few years back I tried Federal Premium ammo through my Garand, it chronoed at 3,200 fps, standard military FMJ ammo chronoed at 2,700 fps. Just my $0.02 worth
 
Maximcan said:
Thank you everyone!!, except Maple leaf eh(dumbass)

I talked to a trusted local gun guru and he shoots 150gr Federal or the cheapest available, through his Garand for more then 20years, but he said if I want accuracy to reload, so thats what ChromeArty are going to do (with a case of beer)

Thanks again!!!
Click to expand...

Watch out for federal "I had two slam fires out of 20rds :eek:" The primers are seated flush with the base of the cartridge and maybe too soft aswell. It might be bad luck but 2 out of 20, I was not going to chance it again.

I used winchester and they were fine
 
Federal Primers have the softest shell of any of the manufactured primers, I seen it happen to a friend 20 years ago. We had to remove a chunk of brass out of his forehead afterwards. Try CCI, very stiff primer case shell.
 
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