M1 Garand Reloading thread

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serbinator

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since there isnt a dedicated thread for reloading for the m1 garand i figured i'd fire one up. i have read about people using Hornady's "308 winchester service rifle" data as a reliable source for a 308 garand... here is what hornady says for the m1a/m14/m1 garand(?)

HORNADY #7 .308 Service Rifle Data - Winchester cases

W-748 155-gr - Start 39.5 / Max 45.2
W-748 168-gr - Start 38.0 / Max 43.1

H-4895 155-gr - Start 37.2 / Max 42.9
H-4895 168-gr - Start 34.8 / Max 41.9

IMR 4895 155-gr - Start 37.6 / Max 43.4
IMR 4895 168-gr - Start 36.0 / Max 41.4

Varget 155-gr - Start 37.6 / Max 43.2
Varget 168-gr - Start 35.5 / Max 42.7

IMR 4064 155-gr - Start 37.9 / Max 43.2
IMR 4064 168-gr - Start 36.1 / Max 41.6

RL-15 155-gr - Start 37.9 / Max 44.6
RL-15 168-gr - Start 37.5 / Max 42.0



all of my cases are once fired PPU, full length resized on a hornady press& die, trimmed to 2.005, chamfered and deburred and primed with CCI #250 large rifle magnum primers. For bullets i have 150gr hornady FMJBT and Frontier game ranger Spire point FB bullets. Both have connelures. A few garand gurus on here say they use 42-45 gr max of IMR4895 or H4895... i figured i would start at 42 grains and when i put the powder in the case it was almost at the bottom of the neck...

for powder i have H4895, IMR4064 and varget, i plan on picking up IMR4895 today as well.
Hornady book says 42.9 is max load... the guy who built my garand ( who i know for a fact is a very respected garand builder and he knows his sh1t!) says he uses between 42-45gr.. what do i follow?:confused::confused:

also what other loads are you guys using ??
 
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I'm using 49 gr. of IMR 4064 (which is max) under 180 GR. Sierra SPFB and get one hole groups at 50 yards and one inch at 100 yds.Never had any problems and cases look fine.I read the M-1 Garand owners manual by Scott Duff and he said to avoid slow powders like 4350,4831,WW760,RL19 and RL22.He recommended IMR 4895 AND IMR 4064 as excellent for the Garand.Mine went full auto with Federal primers once so I went back to Winchester (that are a tad thicker skinned)and it never happened again.
 
The published loads in the first post look a bit soft to me (comments??). Here's what I have in my load book and actually use:

150gr Speer BT: 45.5gr-45.8gr IMR4895, COAL 3.200"

I had one FTF out of 40 shots with 45.5, upped it to 45.8 and didn't have any further issues. Note that this rifle has an adjustable (vented) gas plug, with the second smallest hole. So maybe the published loads would be fine with non-vented stock gas plugs. BTW I've shot these loads out of a second Garand of mine without a vented/adjustable gas plug, and it shoots fine as well.

Lots of previous threads including the Garand build thread have loads listed, and I am sure that several Garand experts such as Smellie and purple will comment here.
 
If any of you fellows have cast bullet data for 160grainers I'd appreciate it as well. I worked up some cast loads for the m305, but of course they are too weak for the 7.62 Garand.



Also on another note please be precise whether you are presenting data for 7.62NATO or 30-06. I have a Garand in each and expect to be using 150gr plated/jacketed in both....and maybe some cast.
 
Lose the magnum primers unless it's really cold. No need for 'em otherwise.
Those max loads are at or very close to the start loads according to Hodgdon. Those start loads are way under minimum for a 155 or a 168.
That IMR4096 supposed to say IMR4064? IMR4064 is more consistently accurate than either 4895, but use Hodgdon's data.
 
i bought 2000 of those magnum primers because its the only stuff my LGS had.. and its the closest spec to cci #34 military primers.. i loaded 8 rounds with 42gr , 16 rd with 43gr and 8 rds with 44gr.. i will test them on monday to see how they perform with the cheap frontier 155gr bullets.. im hoping the 42gr cycle the action fine so i can always use that light load.
 
Good thread always good to bring up anything about the legendary m1 garand. Lol.

45.5 gr of imr 4895. FC brass. Rem 9.5 primers. 168 gr amax. = 1.2 " groups ( mostly lol ) at 100. And 2550 fps.

Playing with mag primers and col a little

My run out is huge with my Rcbs full sizer die. Like 12-15 thou. Have a redding that I forgot about I was gonna use for a bolt gun that's been away for a while. But gonna resize the brass again seat bullet and see if that helps and thus accuracy. So some finalizing on my load and equipment. But that's what mine likes. Not 45.4 or 45.6 either ..... Wish it like the more affordable 150 s fmjs butwhatchado.

This load / garand is the 30-06 spr cartridge !!!
 
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serbinator said:
308 or 30-06 garand?? ( let us know in advance so someone doesnt put a 30-06 charge in a 308 case :) )
Click to expand...

Oh ya. Good eye.

Says on his post Hornady 7 -308 service rifle so in guessing that's for the m1a. At any rate the numbers don't jive for the 06 ..... Can go to like 46/47 ish grains of powder for that rifle with a 168 ( 06 garand )

So I'd say def m1a/308 and or garand converted to 308.
 
Here are a few proven guidelines when reloading for a Garand in either .30-06 or .308/7.62;

- always FL resize your brass
- keep brass trimmed below max OAL
- don't try to get more than 4 or 5 firings out of a case. The rifles are hard on brass
- seat primers below flush with the casehead
- use bullets in the 150-173gr range
- stick to propellants which generate the correct gas port pressure to cycle the action properly. These include IMR4895, IMR4064, IMR3031 or H4895. In addition to operating the rifle safely and reliably, these propellants are capable of excellent accuracy in either the .30-06 or .308/7.62
- use a MILSPEC CCI No 34 primer if available due to the harder metal in the primer cup which is a precaution against out of battery detonations which might be caused by the floating firing pin impacting the primer before the bolt locks closed. That said, I've also used WLR, CCI LR, and Rem 91/2 primers subject to the caveat that primers are seated below flush with the casehead. Federal LR primers are reputed to have a softer cup so I avoid using them in either a Garand or M14.
- keep charges within parameters given in a reloading manual for the weight of bullet being used

For additional information google "Glen Zediker" for his excellent download on reloading for the M14 rifle.
 
went to the range last night to test my loads :)

PPU brass
CCI large rifle magnum primers
Hodgdon H4895
Frontier Plated Spire point flat base 155gr bullets ( not crimped)

all cases trimmed to 2.005 and OAL is at 2.800.

i had 2 clips (16 rounds) at 39gr of 4895, 2 clips at 40 gr , 2 clips at 42 gr. the 2 clips at 39gr i only had one misfeed ( bullet did not feed properly into the chamber). the 2 clips at 40gr and 42 gr performed flawlessly. i did not take any pictures of my grouping because it was 30 yards in an indoor range and i was standing off hand shooting. with the muzzle brake i was double plugging and it was still very loud ( time to get custom molded earplugs). i will load 4 clips at 39.5 gr and at 40 gr and see how it performs at a 100 yard outdoor range bench rest shooting. i am hoping to see some nice groups. other then that the gun felt very good with the smith muzzle brake and i giggled every time i heard that PING! :)
 
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