30 M1 carbine Loads

[Will]

What are your most accurate cast loads for 30M1 carbine?

[twotrees]

I have been shooting and loading this bullet cast from #2 alloy gas checked and lubed with Lyman graphite lube in both 30 carbine ( 4227and h110) and in the 30-06 4 groove Rem made Springfield. Best powders for the 06 have been Red Dot and green dot with dacron tuft filler. (all sized .309)

The carbine loads are full house from any load manual. The 06 loads run from 1400 to 1800 FPS from old Lyman manual (45?). With muffs on I can hear the firing pin spring go Boooooiiinnngggg in my ear LOL.


Good Shooting,

TwoTrees

BTW: That Bullet in title should read 311359U

[Larry Gibson]

What are your most accurate cast loads for 30M1 carbine?

Both are Lyman moulds with bullets cast of WWs, sized .309, Hornady GCs and Javelina lube. 311359 over 13.5 gr H110 which runs 1870 fps - this is a good plinking and target load and I used it quite successfully shooting silihouttes (50, 100, 150 1nd 200 yards) at Paul Bunyon Range. Lyman 313631 (105 gr SWCGC made for .32 H&R) over 14 gr H110 which runs 1940 fps - this has proven to be a very accurate load in my 3 M1 Carbines with 3-3 1/2" 15 shot groups - it also is a very deadly small game and varmint load for such as jack rabbits and coyotes.

311316 (118 gr GC 32-20 bullet) also is a very good cast bullet for small game and varmints over 13.5 gr of H110 but it has caused some feed problems in some M1 Carbines.

Larry Gibson

[Will]

I've used the Lee bullet that is identical to the 311316 and did have problems with jams until I sized it down to 308. I also found that polishing the nose with some steel wool to remove the sharp edge of the front driving band mad it feed very well. I got some of my best groups with it (3 shots in 3/8"@25yds) with 12gr herc2400.

[nighthunter]

I shoot the .30 Carbine in a Ruger Blackhawk. I have a 115 gr. MM FNGC mold that I size .309 and load with 11.7 gr. WC820(n). 2 inch groups at 50 yards are the norm. I'm talking 30 to 50 rounds in the group so I know the load and the bullet are consistant. It's a great cartridge. Busted a few groundhogs with it and none of them moved after the shot.
Nighthunter

PS .. I'm sure the load would work in a carbine

[NickSS]

I have fired thousands of 30 carbine rounds loaded with cst bullets. I have used Lyman 115 GC, 130 gr PB, and 115 gr 31108 flat point PB. Plus Lee 120 gr GC. Loading was with several powders including 2400, H110, W680 and AA1680. All loads I used were right out of a Lyman manual and the bullets were sized to 309. I mostly loaded full house loads minus one gr for all my loads. Never had a leading problem with any aloy I used and only had occational feeding problems with the Lyman 31108 bullet but it was a superior small game bullet. I even killed three deer with the carbine when I lived in New Hampshire. I found it easy to shoot and every load I tried would make groups of between 3 and 4 inches at 100 yards. A very unfussy cartridge to load.

[Newtire]

As long as you get the load to function and it's listed as safe, give it a try. My M-1 likes the Lyman 311359 pointed gascheck best and the Lee 120 gr. RN gascheck. I size them all to .309" and use either Liquid Alox or Felix-Lube. Won't function with the "book minimum" 2400 loads. Have had great luck with H4227 and BlueDot. I suspect that the slower burning might be easier on the operating rod but so far no problems with the BlueDot.

[greyling22]

has anyone tried the lee 93 grain 6 cavity mold bullets in an m1? 93 is pretty light to cycle correctly at a low enough velocity to not need a gas check, but I am forever curious.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=254640

[jcwit]

I use the 100 grain Lee #311-100-2R with no problem. I load with 14 grains of IMR 4227. Works for me.

[greyling22]

I ask because I have the 93 grn lee mold already and an m1 carbine in the mail. I am also looking at the 120 grn group buy mold, but molds are expensive and if I don't have to have another mold....

[jonk]

Given the modest top end velocity for carbine ammo, I use the same charges as with jacketed. Similar accuracy, which is to say, not stellar but as good as it gets with said gun.

[mto7464]

I got in on the first group buy with this mold. Makes lots of good boolits fast. I don't worry much about quality once the mold starts dropping good boolits and accuracy is fair to good. The best accuracy has been from a gas checked boolit but that adds more time and cost. So what do you want. Lots of plinkers or the best accuracy? Or if cost is a concern and speed of production is not get a Lee two cavity mold.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I too got on the first group buy of the 120 grain mold. My experience reflects mto7464. I shoot mine as cast and tumbled/dipped with Liquid Alox. In my particular rifle, this load using any of the standard M1 carbine powders has given me excellent accuracy out to 100 yards and at velocities faster than .357 mag velocities with no leading. Make note my carbine has a brand new barrel on it and shoots most things much better than most carbines, but this mold is it's best accuracy.

Comparing his experience to mine, I think the return on investment is very good for this very affordable custom mold.

Regards,

Dave

[Rodfac]

My experience with the M1 Carbine and cast boolits is over 10 years ago so things may have changed somewhat. Casting with WW sweetened with a little tin and using Lyman's 313249 @ 85 gr, I got 2.2" gps at 50 yds with 10.5 gr of 2400 (the Hercules variety) when seated to an overall length of 1.550" and using Winchester Small Rifle primers. This was in Winchester brass, not military, and I chrono'd them at 1789 fps for a ten shot group. By way of contrast, 9.8 gr of 2400 opened groups to 5" and chrono'd 1694. HTH's Rodfac PS: this was in an Underwood with original '43 barrel that has shot legitimate 1" to 1.25" gps at 50 yds with Hornady or Speer jacketed carbine bullets. Lately I've been experimenting with it again for use in CMP's Carbine matches. Bartlett's pulled carbine bullets and 13.0 gr of his 820 reclaimed powder seated to 1.675", LC-71 brass and Win Sm Rifle primers; chrono's 1900 fps and will do 2.5" at 100 yds from a supported sitting position. LC-71 military loads run over 3" generally. Rodfac