garand load

[wayne h]

seeking help for a load for the garand. i am using the following components:
1. wheel weight cast lyman 311291 sized .309 w/gas check.
2. between 32 and 36 grains imr3031 and h4895
3. cci 200 primers.
my problem is no load i have tried will group worth a hoot at 100 yards.
any suggestions are appreciated because this is driving me crazy.
wayne h

[Larry Gibson]

Add 2% tin to your COWWs.

Size at .311

Assuming a good lube and Hornady GC?

Drop back to 28 gr 4895 and use a 3/4 gr dacron filler. If functioning is not 100% then work up in 1/2 gr increments until it is. Best accuracy will come at 100% functioning with velocity between 1800 - 1950 fps.

If the throat is worn a 314299 may be needed for best accuracy.

Larry Gibson

[wayne h]

i am sort of new to this cast boolit shooting. my garand is a danish return w/var barrel that is stamped .309, i assume this is the groove diameter. i size at .309 because of this w/no leading problems. i guess my question is -- will sizing 1 or 2 thousands over groove diameter improve possible accuracy? thanks wayne h

[madsenshooter]

It could/should increase accuracy. The throat diameter will be larger than groove diameter of the barrel. Seating as large a bullet as the neck of the case will allow should help accuracy in two ways. First, there's a smaller space between bullet and case neck for gas to blow by at initial firing and perhaps cut the bullet a little. Maybe smaller than your .309 groove diameter. As tight as possible also gives the bullet less potential room to tip before starting into the rifling. Generally I size the bullet so there's only .001" neck expansion on firing.

[koehn,jim]

Sometimes the seating depth also effects accuracy. I seat my bullets just shy of the rifleing, you do not the boolits to touch, it can cause bad things, but if too deep it has to jump to the rifleing. Mine shot better with the bullet out a little. I would try what ever Larry Gibson has suggested, I learn a lot reading his posts.

[hydraulic]

I've never had any luck getting the medium burning rate powders; 4895, 3031, 4064, etc., to shoot accurately with a charge weight big enough to cycle the action. I stumbled across the famous Bob S load, here on Cast Bullets, and found that 41 grs. of 4831 under a 200 gr. bullet cast of ACWW,s shot accurately and cycled the action reliably. There is always some unburned powder in the action with this load, but it doesn't create a problem. Having run out of my supply of WWII 4831, I heeded the advice of Larry and others here, and am now shooting 43 grs of 872, with a kicker of 3 grs. of 3031, magnum primer and 1 gr. of dacron. Same results.

[Nobade]

I get great results with the Lee 200gr. boolit, cast from wheelweights and water quenched out of the mould. Gaschecked, lubed with 50/50, over 37gr. IMR 4895. Just enough to reliably cycle the action and as accurate as I can see/hold. Just doesn't track to the sights since it's only doing 2000 fps or so.