Tried 16 gr of 2400 in M1 Garand for First Shooting

[MikeSSS]

I've been shooting an 03 A3 with cast boolits and it sure does hit well. It took me a couple clips of ammo to start hitting with the M1, but then it too did well.

The load is Lee .312" 155 gr, wheel weight lead, water quench, gas check, sized to .309". Charge is 16 gr 2400. The ammo was loaded on the Dillon 550B.

I didn't think this load would cycle the action, it didn't, but the M1 makes a great straight pull rifle.

The target below was shot offhand with the Garand web sling, arm wrapped. The two high hits were first so I dialed down a click and shot the others. The first two were from 40 yards, three of the others were from 43 yards and one was between 40 and 43.

So, the rifle has potential, eventually I'll shoot off a bench, but first there are lots of shotgun shells that have to take a hit.

Also, it seems to me the M1 sights are easier to use than an 03 A3's and the Garand is easier to hold too.

Like the A3, the Garand's rear sight has to be elevated for cast boolits. It was set on 800 yards for this group.


http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l57/MikeSSS_01/Offhand40to43yards.jpg

[OBXPilgrim]

Have any trace of lead in the gas port/piston-op rod area?

Any idea what kind of velocity that load my have?

Obviously, I'm a little interested in that load - might have another I need to work on.

[MikeSSS]

I haven't shot through a Chrono but think the velocity is supposed to be about 1,600 fps. I know the 16 gr Alliant 2400 shoots very well at a hundred yards in the other military rifles.

I haven't pulled the op rod to check yet.

I used to use a 22 lr conversion kit in the .45 auto. The kit was made by Colt and had a floating sub chamber to give it the recoil of a .45. That floating chamber leaded up a lot. I tried everything, grease, white grease, auto trans fluid with graphite, oil, WD-40, etc. Nothing helped until I tried CLP. The lead would not stick very well to the CLP coated steel.

I clean the barrels I shoot lead in with CLP and a bit of Chore Boy copper wrapped around an old brush, followed by patches wet with CLP. The CLP gets under the lead and removes it very well.

When I take the M1 apart I'll be sure to use CLP on the piston and gas cylinder area.

When I do check for leading I'll post the results.

I guess the next step is to load some cast bullet loads that will cycle the action. I don't think that 2400 will work for that. But I do want to use a powder that will meter OK in the Dillon.

[MikeSSS]

OK, about lead.

I cleaned yesterday after over a hundred lead boolit rounds.

16 used 35 gr of BLC2 and 16 used 36 gr of 4895, the others were the 16 gr of 2400 loads.

After shooting the 32 rds of hotter loads it took a clip of the light ammo for the rifle to settle down, but then it shot accurately.

When I cleaned it there was some lead in the barrel but it came out by brushing with Chore Boy brass followed by CLP patches.

The Op Rod had no leading at the piston and a bit of gray on the already gray rod. This gray came right off when rubbed with a paper towell having a little CLP on it.

So, leading should not be a problem.

Mike S

[BruceB]

During the first half of 2005, I fired over 600 consecutive cast-bullet rounds through my Garand, and they were ALL of sufficient pressure to operate the rifle in the semi-automatic fashion. Naturally, this means that the gasport, piston/op-rod and gas cylinder were exposed to the gases for every single round.

The rifle was still functioning perfectly when I decided to strip it for a check of the internals.

There was NO lead buildup anywhere in the gas system, and cleaning was easily accomplished in the same manner I use for jacketed-bullet ammunition. Keep the alloy reasonably hard, use decent lube, have the sizing diameter at about .310-.311", and the Garand will run just fine with cast loads. About 36 grains of 4895 with a boolit of 180 or more grains gives reliable function in several different Garands I've used or learned about.

The jacketed-bullet rule of "not over 180 grains" does not apply to cast loads, nor does the injunction about "avoiding anything slower than IMR 4064". We here even use powders as slow as H4831, and this is designed to get the gas-port pressure HIGH enough to function the rifle at low chamber pressures, whereas the prohibition against such slow powders in jacketed loads is to PREVENT the port pressure from being so high as to damage the operating rod or receiver by "over-driving" the op-rod.

The Garand operates just fine with cast boolits. I much prefer to use heavier boolits of 180 to 220 grains, because it's easy to get correct function at lower velocities. This in turn minimizes the chances of leading, which could become a factor with a lighter boolit (like your Lee 155) at higher speed. I have that mould here, and I guess maybe I'll give it a run in the Garand or M1A out of curiosity.

For initial experimenting, I'd recommend the smallest charge of 4895 that gives proper function. To find that load with the Lee 155, I'd start at 34 grains, and stair-step the test loads in one-grain increments up to perhaps 39 or 40 grains. I'd expect my M1 rifle to start working correctly at around the 37/38-grain mark and stop right there. Note that these loads are fully TEN GRAINS or more lighter than normal M1 loads with the 150 jacketed bullet, so we are on very safe ground in this area.

I use dacron filler for most such loads, but I'd try it both with and without the filler once I achieved proper function (defined as reliable feeding of all rounds, proper clip ejection, and locking open after the last round).

Use the "search" function in the toolbar atop each page here. Search for "Garand", "M1", and "BobS" (who happens to be the guru on the 4831 loads).

Have fun!