Pet loads for Garand

[attrapereves]

Do you guys have any pet loads for the Garand using 150gr and 165gr jacketed bullets with IMR4064 and H4895?

[ShooterAZ]

46.5 IMR4064 with either the Hornady or Sierra 168 BTHP Match. CCI34 primer & LC Brass. My pet load for the M1 Garand (30-06).

[attrapereves]

46.5 IMR4064 with either the Hornady or Sierra 168 BTHP Match. CCI34 primer & LC Brass. My pet load for the M1 Garand (30-06).

Any idea what velocity you are getting with that load? I have a friend using 48.5gr.

[Stonecrusher]

46.5 IMR4064 with either the Hornady or Sierra 168 BTHP Match. CCI34 primer & LC Brass. My pet load for the M1 Garand (30-06).

Good load. My old International Harvester that has enough cleaning rod wear to bury an M2 ball to the brass at the muzzle will stay under 1 7/8" at 100 yards using 168 grn Sierra Match. I usually use IMR 4895 or surplus powder though. Never used the H-4895.

[Scharfschuetze]

To duplicate the old M72 match load any of the 168 grain match bullets, Government M118 173 grain bullets or perhaps the newer 175 grain Sierra MK bullets will work well. I once bought several thousand factory second 165 grain Nozler Ballistic Tip bullets and they worked very well for accuracy in the M1 so a true match bullet is not always necessary.

It'll be rifle and component dependent, but on average, 46 grains of the various 4895 powders will give you about 2600 FPS. Work up to 46 grains (as usual) using brass and primers of your choice. My usual choices are LC brass and both CCI 200s and Remington 9 1/2 primers have worked well for me. IMR 4064 (always a good choice) may take a grain or two more of powder to get there, but it is also a good choice for your project. I load to an overal length of 3.3." Your OAL will be dependent on your throat, but 3.34" is about as long as you can go due to the magazine length of the M1.

My match conditioned M1 used to be a 1 1/2 MOA rifle through 600 yards with this load, but as the throat moves forward (about 5,000 rounds on this barrel) from wear, it's more like a 2 MOA rifle.

Just loaded 100 rounds to this recipe last night for a match this coming Saturday.

[dale2242]

I just tried 48gr 4064 with a 150 gr Sierra flat base.
The load shot well. The load is listed as a ball equivalent load....dale

[ShooterAZ]

Any idea what velocity you are getting with that load? I have a friend using 48.5gr.
It gives @2600fps. It's a very accurate load, easy on the brass too.

[Jupiter7]

The classics from the NRA

http://masterpostemple.bravepages.com/M1load.htm

[zomby woof]

47 grains Varget with 168 match bullet

[woodbutcher]

:bigsmyl2: The only load that I ever used in my bolt gun was 58grns H4831(at $1.00 a pound in paper sacks) 150grn Sierra spitzer loaded in 1966 LC match cases loaded to the oal of the 1966 LC match round.CCI std primers.Appx 2800 fps.
My bolt gun(Sears mod 53)K4 Weaver duplex Xhairs.Acraglass bedded stock would deliver 3 shots into 3/8th inch all day,and put 10 into 9/16 to 5/8ts inch all day off of a bag.Friend asked for some to try in his Garand and came back with a grin that Ajax and Brillo would`nt wipe off.He used that load to at least 6 first place trophys in his cabinet.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[dale2242]

I hear 4831 is NOT recommended for the Garand because of the pressure curve.
They say it could bend the op-rod....dale

[Scharfschuetze]

Dale is correct.

The long op rod on the M1, an apparent holdover from its original gas trap design, can be damaged by too high a port pressure.

The seventh edition of the Hornaday reloading manual has an M1 specific section that lists only mid range powders such as 4895, 4064, RL 15 and Varget. Safe velocities for the M1 are generally about 200 fps slower for most bullet weights than for the cartridge in a bolt rifle.

The 50th Anniversary edition of the Sierra loading manual says this: "When loading for a Garand, powders in the medium range must be used. Due to its system of operation, the Garand can be damaged by improper powder selection, even if the loads themselves are perfectly safe."

I believe several ammunition manufacturers also market ammo advertised as safe in the M1.

The M1 action is strong, its the gas system that has to be pampered.

[Larry Gibson]

As measured with an Oehler M43 (strain gauge) with a 24" barreled bolt action test rifle;

LC67 M72 Match; 2617 fps at 57,000 psi(M43)

LC69 M2 Ball; (44.6 gr 4895/150 M2 bullet) 2629 fps at 45,700 psi(M43)

LC69 cases, arsenal primer, M2 150 gr bullet, same 4895 as above (was from this lot of ammo) at 48.5 gr, seated to same OAL of 3.325" and crimped with Lee FCD; 2814 fps at 54,600 psi(M43)

I use 46 gr of H4895 in LC cases with WLR primer and the M2 bullet to duplicate the supposed 2700 fps of the M1906 cartridge in my M1903A1.

My match 30-06 load for my M1903A1 National Match Type II is the 175 gr MK in LC M72 match cases over 49 gr of Varget for 2640 fps but it is a bit stiff for the M1. I also suggest Scharfshuetzer's load with 168 or 175 MKs over 46 gr 4895. That will run 2550 - 2600 fps depending on powder, lot, and other components from a 24" barreled M1.

Larry Gibson

[supersniper]

50.0 IMR-4064 using 150 FMJ - runs around 2750 - 2800fps.

[frnkeore]

An old High Power, 200 yard, target load is 48.0 gr 4064 with a 168 gr match bullet. I believe I got that from Ken Waters.

In my Rem 7600, I was able to 100 yard,5 shot, 5/8 groups, with that load.

Frank

[woodbutcher]

:| Yep on the op rod problems.Warned him of the potential problem.He said OK.I told him he better take some spares along.He did.Never used any of them.
All rounds fed,extracted and fired perfectly.IIRC he went through appx 600 rds for the six matches in witch he took first place.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo