M1A or Garand???

[vzerone]

Very few are recommending the inserts from 30-06 to 308 now. They work but make for a very long "throat" as there is a big difference in the oal of the 2 cartridges. How true the insert goes in is another critical point. One that cocks or is off center has an affect on accuracy. Last is even locktited in place they have been known to pull out on extraction at times. Have seen it once during a rattle battle where the guy was shooting fast and good at 300 the kids picking up brass showed me some no neck 306s and one had the bushing on the neck shoulder. I have found brass at the local club that has that same no shoulder neck look.
My garand is in 308 7.62 nato. I used a short chambered douglas 1-10 twist. medium heavy barrel Timed it up and cut the chamber to headspace. It was incredibly accurate before 6000 rds went down range thru it over the years. It was a quick easy conversion in reality. The barrel fitting and timing went quick, the chambering wasn't a problem and it feed and functioned from the get go with out any modifications needed. There is a block that sets into the front of the action to take up space but mine didn't need it and most don't.

Why did you choose the 10 twist for the 308/7.62 NATO? Just incase you shot the throat out you chould chamber it to 30-06?

[Multigunner]

The 1:10 twist of the .30-06 was a holdover from the .30 of 1903 that used a 220 gr bullet. The British held over the 1:10 twist from the original .303 with 215 gr bullets also.
Both will stabilize bullets of over 200 grains and perhaps slightly over spin bullets of lighter weights.
The 174 gr bullet of the .303 MkVII worked very well with the 1:10 twist just as the 175 gr bullets of the .30-06 M1 cartridge worked great with that twist.
The guys with the slide rules decided the 148 gr projectile of the 7.62 M80 ball would benefit best from a slower twist of 1:12-1:14.
Some prefer a 1:10 twist for the .308 or 7.62 if using heavier bullets (175 and up) better suited for extreme range target shooting or heavy game.

[country gent]

I mostly 168 grn and 173 grn for 600+ and the 1-10 was a better choice for those at longer ranges. The newer VLDs were not avaialable when I built this rifle but the sierras 168 grn International and matchking and the surpluss 173s were and they were longer than the 147 and 150 grn. Hence the 1-10 twist. My one M1A/M14 wears a Krieger 1-12 barrel for the 155 palma. This barrels reamer was cut with a Dave Manson reamer ground with a throat that put this rifle touching the rifling at slightly under mag length.

[mac1911]

Thanks for all the input! Looks like I'll be looking for a garand.
I've got two ammo cans of 42 and 43 headstamped GI once fired brass and a can and half of 50's GI brass.
I use 4895 in my eddystone, so theres the powder..

Cost wise I'm already ahead on the Garand as far as reloading components are concerned.
Really did not want to tool up on brass and new dies for a new caliber, been shooting a 06 since I was a kid so its familiar to me.

Lots of great tips, input and coments!
Again thank you all!

for the cost of one basic M1a you can buy 2 service grade M1s from the cmp? or a 308 version for $1030 to your door. wont have to worry about mags either.
Reloading for the M1 is not hard theres about 8-10 known safe powders to choose from.
I run a 200 grain cast load that cycles with 37 grains of 4895. Then of course unless you plan to run at 600 plus yards there is really no reason to run the loads full throttle.
The US TM list M2 ball with 50 grains of imr 4895 for 2740fps 78' from the muzzle and the 173 grain M72 match same charge as M2 ball with 2640fps 78' from the muzzle. If your only shooting 100-200 yards theres just no need to run them that hot.

[Walks]

I've been shooting a Garand for 50yrs+, the one I have now came from the DCM in 1987. It's a June 1944 Winchester with a Walnut stock, unissued. I danced on air for at least 3 days after I opened the box. I've had a M1A for almost 30yrs. I use U.S. G.I. brass only. Either 4895 & decent USA primers; WIN or RP. 150-168gr bullets. I've had good luck with old LYMAN'S #311329 & #311413 cast of straight LINOTYPE, they feed easily. I shoot the M1A National Match with a 5rd mag.
If you are lucky enough to get a good Shooting Garand then it's only a matter of practice as to which rifle you will be able to shoot better/faster.

[Remmy4477]

Well, found me an M1 Garand! Happy!!!

It's a 1954 HRA, 1 on the muzzle and a 2 at the throat. Good stock and the rest is in very good condition, only 2 peices have been replaced, the safety and operating rod both are marked SA.

Found it at a vendors table at our monthly gun show last weekend. We had another vender who deals in Garands go over it to make sure it was a decent rifle, learned more about garands during its inspection than I could reading books all day!
It passed the inspection and I brought it home.

Going to try and get it out to the range before the end of the year and see how she does!

[alamogunr]

There are clips for the garand that are 2 round and 5 round but they are also one way use only. With practice you can load 2 rounds pretty easily, cross them in the clip push in and close the bolt. Not easy at first but can be learned. One nice thing is the enblock clips are inexpensive and can be modified at home for SLED, 2 rd and 5 rd. I can remember buying them .25 a piece. Troops were also taught to top off before advancing Hit the release button and the clip and rounds eject insert another. Its a fine rifle and does what it was meant to. It was built like a tank and heavy enough make the 30-06 easy to shoot.

These statements are a little confusing to me. I have a Garand but it has just sat in the safe. Too many other projects. But I would like to start shooting it. A little clarification might help the original poster as well as myself.

[mac1911]

These statements are a little confusing to me. I have a Garand but it has just sat in the safe. Too many other projects. But I would like to start shooting it. A little clarification might help the original poster as well as myself.

What do you need to know.

[alamogunr]

Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
There are clips for the garand that are 2 round and 5 round but they are also one way use only. With practice you can load 2 rounds pretty easily, cross them in the clip push in and close the bolt. Not easy at first but can be learned. One nice thing is the enblock clips are inexpensive and can be modified at home for SLED, 2 rd and 5 rd. I can remember buying them .25 a piece. Troops were also taught to top off before advancing Hit the release button and the clip and rounds eject insert another. Its a fine rifle and does what it was meant to. It was built like a tank and heavy enough make the 30-06 easy to shoot.

The statement in red. Does that mean that they can only be used once?

Green. Not sure what that means either.

Blue. Where do I find what SLED means and how to modify enbloc clips?

Sorry for the confusion.

[vzerone]

Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
There are clips for the garand that are 2 round and 5 round but they are also one way use only. With practice you can load 2 rounds pretty easily, cross them in the clip push in and close the bolt. Not easy at first but can be learned. One nice thing is the enblock clips are inexpensive and can be modified at home for SLED, 2 rd and 5 rd. I can remember buying them .25 a piece. Troops were also taught to top off before advancing Hit the release button and the clip and rounds eject insert another. Its a fine rifle and does what it was meant to. It was built like a tank and heavy enough make the 30-06 easy to shoot.

The statement in red. Does that mean that they can only be used once?

Green. Not sure what that means either.

Blue. Where do I find what SLED means and how to modify enbloc clips?

Sorry for the confusion.

SLED means single loading enhancementdevice. As duty noted they can be for more then just one round.

[mac1911]

Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
There are clips for the garand that are 2 round and 5 round but they are also one way use only. With practice you can load 2 rounds pretty easily, cross them in the clip push in and close the bolt. Not easy at first but can be learned. One nice thing is the enblock clips are inexpensive and can be modified at home for SLED, 2 rd and 5 rd. I can remember buying them .25 a piece. Troops were also taught to top off before advancing Hit the release button and the clip and rounds eject insert another. Its a fine rifle and does what it was meant to. It was built like a tank and heavy enough make the 30-06 easy to shoot.

The statement in red. Does that mean that they can only be used once?

Green. Not sure what that means either.

Blue. Where do I find what SLED means and how to modify enbloc clips?

Sorry for the confusion.

I will get back to you in a bit. I actually made some you tube videos on such things

CLIPS: lets start by saying unless you are hunting or competing DO NOT bother with anything but 8 round clips.
Now there are clips that are designed or modified for specific needs.
Clips that will only hold 2 or 5 rounds are basically for shooting matches.
The sinlge load devices are just that. They are a clip modified so they can be inserted into the rifle and lock in. Then the shooter can load one round at a time (required for slow fire prone and standing in matches) This SLED will allow the bolt to be held open on the last shot and the enbloc is not ejected.
There are also some modified clips that are designed not to eject and you load like a fixed magazine bolt gun. Intended for hunting.

There are instructions out on the internet for making the 2,5 and 1 shot clips. Honestly though unless you just like making stuff they are cheap enough to just buy.

[Discus420]

Go with an FAL.

or a cetme for fun with a 308 they cant be beat amazing low recoil

[Discus420]

oh yea a decent CETME will only go 5-600$ interchangeable with HK also

[Mr_Sheesh]

HK91's are a fun one, fired one. Not fired a CETME as such. I vastly prefer the folded metal German receivers over the cast Aluminum horror on those tho. The one I shot was an accurate beast.