What are you feeding your M1 Garand?

joe n

joe n

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As the new owner of an M1 (which I admittedly know nothing about), can you tell me what grain you are using safely for the M1? I was told by the previous owner not to use greater than 150 grain on the 30.06. Does this sound right? Thanks all,
Joe :D
 
There was a thread just a short time ago about loads for M1 Garands and it had some good info there. One could probably use a wide variety of loads but I stick with the type of loads the rifle was originally designed for so as to not have any functioning/damage problems. The rifle was designed to fire bullets in the 150gr to 175gr range I believe(there was at least one ammo change regarding bullet weight during the garands issue life). The main thing you'll read regarding reloads is that rifle designed to use a certain powder burning rate so as not to cause damage or excessive wear to rifle. If memory serves me correctly, I think IMR4895 was the ideal for this rifle(though there are many other useful powders in this same burning rate). I use WIN 760 as its a clean burning powder and usually costs a few dollars less per pound. I think you want to stay away from the really slow burners and obviously, with a 30-06, your not using really fast powders either. A site called something like Fulton armory has a lot of info on Garands among others. Hope this helps. Nice guns that shoot good and when I take it out is the one that everybody else really wants to shot. :D
 
The rifle was designed to use .30M1 ammo with a 174.5 grain bullets at 2647fps. Later, the U.S. went to their M2 ammo with a 152 grain bullet at 2700fps, then the same bullet at 2800fps. The .30AP used a 168.5 grain bullet at 2775fps.
IMR4895 was the original powder, but IMR4064 seems to give better accuracy.
There is an internet myth that says any bullet greater than 180 grains will damage the op rod. I've never once, in 30 some years, seen nor heard of anybody damaging their rifle with ammo. The 220 grain Silvertips I used at one point, did nothing to mine. However, heavy bullets means an increase in the felt recoil. Not enough to worry about, but heavier felt recoil.
150 grain bullets will kill a deer. 165's will kill anything. 168 grain match grade bullets, while expensive, give outstanding accuracy once you've worked up the load with IMR4064.
Get a copy of Hatcher's Book of the Garand. About $30. More and better info than any internet site. Your local gun shop should have it or a gun show. Amazon lists it too, but used at much more money. Hatcher's Notebook is a good purchase too.
 
Or if you're lookling for a commercial source of ammo, PMC is the only producer of 150gr ammo that still used the same slow burning power that they were using way back when. The PMC stuff it pretty accurate too.
 
I'm using RP and Winchester brass, CCI and Winchester primers, and a variety of bullets in the 150gr to 168gr range and have been getting good results with Nosler 155gr HPBT Match bullets. For powder I am using either H4895 or IMR4895. Still working up the load however... I have to get myself into disciplined load development mode, however the rifle is too damn fun to shoot.
 
When I first bought mine, I nede to buy factory to get a supply of brass going. I bought that remington stuff in the yellow box. I think it was 150gr fmj. Worked very well and was a lot cheaper then hunting stuff. I think Federal makes something similar in their American Eagle.
 
As Bitterman said, the PMC ammo is the only current commercial ammo replicating the M2 load, which was the standard ball ammo for the M1 in US service. This comes in two flavours, both with 150-grain bullets: 3006A (soft point for hunting) and 3006C (FMJ). Both are loaded with the correct burning-rate powder for the Garand action. The Remington, Federal, and Winchester 150-grain FMJ use slower-burning powdersthat are not M2 spec. Lots of people will tell you that they have used regular hunting ammo and bigger bullets for decades and have never noticed a bent op rod or other problems; my own opinion is that good Garand parts and gunsmiths are few and far between in Canada, and I'm not willing to take a chance with a mint rifle merely to use different brands of ammo. P & D in Edmonton have lots of PMC 3006C ammo available right now; It isn't always available, so I stock up a bit and protect my rifle. Why take unnecessary chances with a great old weapon?
 
I know this isnt what you mean, but...

I feed my garand a steady diet of surplus 7.62 NATO ball ammo.

It cost a bundle for the new barrel but its paying for itself in el-cheapo ammo (not that FNM is really all that 'cheap')
 
The M1 isn't as powder sensitive as everyone thinks. I've used a half dozen different powders from Benchmark to RL15, function and accuracy were great. You really don't see the potential of these rifles with the cheap commercial 150g FMJ's. I tried the win/AE/UMC variety and they all shot lousy compared to my handloads.
 
As the new owner of an M1 (which I admittedly know nothing about), can you tell me what grain you are using safely for the M1? I was told by the previous owner not to use greater than 150 grain on the 30.06. Does this sound right? Thanks all,
Joe
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Joe, check out Springfield-Armory's site and in there is an e-mail address ... ask for Adam Almanza and get a manual for this rifle ... they usually send them for free ... I got one! It has everything about how to strip, clean, etc in there. Cheers and happy shooting ... I have 2 Garands and want more! :wink:

Otokiak ... 8)
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
 
Thank you Gentlemen very much! :D
Otokiak said:
As the new owner of an M1 (which I admittedly know nothing about), can you tell me what grain you are using safely for the M1? I was told by the previous owner not to use greater than 150 grain on the 30.06. Does this sound right? Thanks all,
Joe
Click to expand...

Joe, check out Springfield-Armory's site and in there is an e-mail address ... ask for Adam Almanza and get a manual for this rifle ... they usually send them for free ... I got one! It has everything about how to strip, clean, etc in there. Cheers and happy shooting ... I have 2 Garands and want more! :wink:

Otokiak ... 8)
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
Click to expand...
 
Go here for free downloadable TM and FM manuals in .pdf format. You'll need Acrobat Reader(that can be had for free too). There's 3. Four, if you count the M1C/D manual. Note the need for the provided UN and PW. http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/
SA Inc. is building copies with cast receivers and charging very high prices. And their manuals tell you not to use reloads in their rifles. Liability suit fears.
"...not M2 spec..." The M-1 was not, I say again, not designed for M2 ammo. It was designed for M1 ammo. The rifle was accepted for general issue in 1936. There was no M2 ammo until 1938. And the muzzle velocity was increased in 1940. M2 specs don't matter.
 
sunray said:
"...not M2 spec..." The M-1 was not, I say again, not designed for M2 ammo. It was designed for M1 ammo. The rifle was accepted for general issue in 1936. There was no M2 ammo until 1938. And the muzzle velocity was increased in 1940. M2 specs don't matter.
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sunray something to consider: When M1 the rifles was introduced in Jan. of 1936 they were all fitted with the "Gas Trap" system. In Oct. of 1939 the "Gas Port" system was adapted and began to appear on new production M1's as of Mar. 1940. As such it is reasonable to conclude that the gas system would have been calibrated for the then current service round , the M2.
Now to answer the original question: I have used several various years of USGI surplus as well as Rem. and PMC. I've also reloaded bullets ranging in weight from pulled 147gr surplus to 178gr Hornaday's with great success.
I'm no expert and as such this is just my 2 cents worth.
 
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