M1 Garand ammo ?

[catapult]

Hi,
anyone know where to get the ammo that fit the best for the M1 Garand ? I mean 150gr or so and around 2500fps. From what I read, the factory hunting ammos may be a bit too strong.
I guess, I'll have to start reloading lol

Thanks

 

[teenahlake]

standard was 150/2700, however slower powder may cause higher gas port pressure with faster action speed/wear

 

[purple]

Just do a search for "garand ammo" on this forum and you will find many threads with lots of info on this topic. Not much use in re-typing the info when it's already out there in abundance.

 

[crashcollins]

There is a Hornady load and a Federal load, pricey and hard to find in Canada. Best get into reloading. But I think one or two of the sponsors above might have some in stock, have to search around a bit.

 

[Rifleman1911]

Yes. I agree. If you shoot a garand, you should get into reloading. It has gotten me into all sorts of trouble , as now my wife loves to shoot even more.

 

[bigedp51]

Garand Gear website

Shooting Commercial Ammunition in your M1 Garand (everything you wanted to know)

http://www.garandgear.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106:shooting-commercial-ammunition-in-your-m1-garand&catid=39

 

[smellie]

IMR 4895 powder was and remains the standard powder for US military ammunition for the M-1 rifle.

48 grains with a 150-grain bullet.

Untold BILlions loaded with great success.

 

[mcpherson284]

IMR 4895 powder was and remains the standard powder for US military ammunition for the M-1 rifle.

48 grains with a 150-grain bullet.

Untold BILlions loaded with great success.

I had heard it was IMR 4064, but then again I have heard IMR 3031 and BLC-2 mentioned before. All 4 powders work just fine with reloading for Garand/M-14.

 

[purple]

IMR 4895 was the MILSPEC propellant for all of .30-06 M2 ball ammo with the 152gr bullet, 168gr AP ammo with a 168gr and 172 gr Match ammo. IMR 3031 and 4064 work very well in the Garand, but are too bulky for reliably throwing charges in a mass production set up. Actual charge weights could vary by a grain or 2 between various powder lots.

 

[HIGHRPM]

Garand Gear website

Shooting Commercial Ammunition in your M1 Garand (everything you wanted to know)

http://www.garandgear.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106:shooting-commercial-ammunition-in-your-m1-garand&catid=39

Best site I have ever seen on Garands, fully explaining the pressure waves. A must read for every Garand owner ! Thanks for putting it up !!

 

[sunray]

"...around 2500fps..." That'd be too slow. Think 2800 FPS with a 150 grain bullet. Reloading will give you better ammo and make the constant search for the best price go away.
There's a lot of nonsense flying around the Internet. I've been shooting an M1 since long before there was such a thing as the Internet. And long before anybody thought the ammo alone can damage a rifle. Any factory ammo with a 150 to 180 grain bullet except Hornady's 'Light Magnum" ammo will be fine. You don't need the daft 'adjustable gas plug' either. That's a marketing thing.
The worst are the sites that say you can't shoot anything but M2 Ball. There was no such thing as M2 ammo until well after the rifle was in production. The Rifle was designed to use and tested with .30 M1 ammo with its 174.5 grain bullet, not .30 M1 ammo.
"...heard it was IMR 4064..." IMR4895 was the powder used during W.W. II. IMR4064 is a reloader's powder for match grade ammo. More that it gives more consistent accuracy than IMR4895 with match grade bullets.

 

[Kukri blade]

Handload your ammo or use an adjustable gas plug. In my case I have a spare gas plug with a hole drilled through it so it functions as a single-shot.

 

[purple]

....There's a lot of nonsense flying around the Internet. I've been shooting an M1 since long before there was such a thing as the Internet. And long before anybody thought the ammo alone can damage a rifle. Any factory ammo with a 150 to 180 grain bullet except Hornady's 'Light Magnum" ammo will be fine....

This part of the post is bad advice. Factory ammo is loaded with slower burning propellants in order to generate higher velocity. These loads do not generate the correct gas port pressure pulse to cycle the rifle's action w/o risk of damaging the operating rod. Operating rods come in the $120-$150 price range nowadays when you can find them, and then it's a crap shoot as to whether or not they are serviceable. The only .30-06 factory ammo that is being produced specifically for the Garand at present are the American Eagle 150gr and Hornady 168gr loadings. Each of these are specifically labelled for the Garand. The best solution is still to reload with all of the caveats concerning reloading for the Garand.

 

[crashcollins]

"...around 2500fps..." That'd be too slow. Think 2800 FPS with a 150 grain bullet. Reloading will give you better ammo and make the constant search for the best price go away.
There's a lot of nonsense flying around the Internet. I've been shooting an M1 since long before there was such a thing as the Internet. And long before anybody thought the ammo alone can damage a rifle. Any factory ammo with a 150 to 180 grain bullet except Hornady's 'Light Magnum" ammo will be fine. You don't need the daft 'adjustable gas plug' either. That's a marketing thing.
The worst are the sites that say you can't shoot anything but M2 Ball. There was no such thing as M2 ammo until well after the rifle was in production. The Rifle was designed to use and tested with .30 M1 ammo with its 174.5 grain bullet, not .30 M1 ammo.
"...heard it was IMR 4064..." IMR4895 was the powder used during W.W. II. IMR4064 is a reloader's powder for match grade ammo. More that it gives more consistent accuracy than IMR4895 with match grade bullets.

Lots of dangerous opinion's floating around the internet too, take any advice like this with a grain of salt unless backed up by reputable sources.( like SAMMI or Expert's in the field) Just saying! I use Garand specific ammo and also mostly reload using 150's and IMR4895.