first time out with Garand

[LUCKYDAWG13]

first time out with my Garand load was 44.6 g of H4895 under a 150 g FMJ B/T
I think i like this Rifle 174763 this is at 100 yards

[roverboy]

Thats doing pretty good. I need to get mine out sometime.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

it was a blast i need to practice loading the En bloc's first one was a FTF next time i will load them up at home first
now i want to save up for a A303 next

[Mauser48]

it was a blast i need to practice loading the En bloc's first one was a FTF next time i will load them up at home first
now i want to save up for a A303 next

Do it! I love my 03a3. It's my favorite surplus rifle. Its nice because it is a surplus rifle that has a lot of history, but still shoots like a modern rifle. The sights are the best sights out there for a surplus rifle.

[Scharfschuetze]

Congrats on the M1. They are great rifles and fun to load for. Your choice bullets and 4895 for the old war horse is spot on. When possible, give the Sierra Match Kings in either 150, 168 or 175 grains a try.

As an aside:

The M1 enjoys some of the best iron sights ever put on a military rifle and they are useful way past what most riflemen would suspect.

Given that, the best targets for sight definition against the aiming point at 100 yards are the reduced National Match bullseye targets. At 100 yards, they represent in MOA values what the full size targets represent at 200, 300 and 600 yards. I buy them in packs and glue one (Elmer's works well) onto a cardboard backing and then glue one over the other as they get pasted up and wear out. These are the same targets use by the CMP for their reduced course National Match shooting matches and practice events.

They're relatively inexpensive and will tighten up your shot groups as they will provide you with a much better aiming point than the scope friendly target that you used for your first outing.

Here's a link:

http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=CategoryBody&c=RATAHP

Order 3/4" white and black pasters at the same time you order the targets. By pasting up each bullet hole when checking your target, each target will last a long time. It's economy at its best.

Link: http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=CategoryBody&c=RATATA

Another trick to use those M1 sights well is to make sure that they are as flat black as possible. There are spray on sight black formulations as well as carbide smokers. Either work well. The carbide smokers provide the blackest sight, while the spray on formulas work best on a rainy day.

Here are a few links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZcdk1oEVc

My favorite, the Rayvin:

http://www.sbsdistributing.com/

You can also use the old Army trick of lighting an MRE plastic spoon on fire and using the smoke from same to blacken the sights.

With well blackened sights and good targets, you'll enjoy that M1 all the more.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Scharfschuetze (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?23645-Scharfschuetze) thank you for the links I will pick some up

[rondog]

44.6 is a pretty light load IMO. I believe M2 Ball equates to 47.5 of IMR4895. That's how I roll 'em anyway. Need to take my M1 out again, it's been too long.

Last time I had the 03A3 out I was pleased with the results. I think this is pretty good considering my nearsighted 60 y.o. eyes, Coke bottle glasses, and open sights with that paper-thin front blade. 100 yards.

I think I could keep their heads down anyway.....

[Scharfschuetze]

Scharfschuetze (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?23645-Scharfschuetze) thank you for the links I will pick some up

I added a few more links to my first post and a few more observations regarding the sights. I've had a lot of fun with M1s over the years and I hope that you do to.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

44.6 is a pretty light load IMO. I believe M2 Ball equates to 47.5 of IMR4895. That's how I roll 'em anyway.



I was going to ask this same question myself. I use 48.0 gr. of IMR 4895 and a 150 gr. bullet. I do realize that you said you used H4895, and the two powders are very similar, but not exact. I have several M1s, and all of them start to malfunction when I get below 46 gr. Did you experience any failures to extract or feed? If not, that's great, and it's o.k. as long as you're using the loads you're using; but it makes me think that you might want to go to a new recoil spring if you decide to use more powerful loads.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I only had one FTF but it was because i did not load the En bloc correct this was my first time loading for and shooting a Garand
so you think i need to switch to IMR 4895 or just bump up my load of H 4895 or dont rock the boat and keep my load of 44.6 g of H4895

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Your call. Like I said, the powders are similar although not exact. If your rifle is working with the load as is I'd leave it alone. Next time you visit the range if there are no problems you're good to go for your particular rifle. Most paper targets don't fire back, but if you ever had to switch to the kind that do you might want to up the charge a bit for reliability's sake.

[OptimusPanda]

My favorite part of the m1 is after 5 or 8 shots everyone on the line knows what you're shooting. The bad part is chasing the ejected clips. Or worse, having them hit your head on the way down.

[Scharfschuetze]

Every Garand will handle pressure a little differently. This is due to differences in the diameters of both the piston head and the gas cylinder as well as gas port wear. There are armorer gauges to gauge these parts and the M1 Garand TM should also have the Go-No Go specifications.

If you are getting good accuracy and reliability with your current load, I'd stick with it. The first thing that you'll note if your load is not providing adequate pressure at the gas port is that the bolt will fail to lock in the open position on the last shot. Of course lack of lubrication, fouling and parts wear may be the culprits too.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

My favorite part of the m1 is after 5 or 8 shots everyone on the line knows what you're shooting. The bad part is chasing the ejected clips. Or worse, having them hit your head on the way down.

the clips land right next to me but the brass has a mind of it's own from 12 O'clock to 3 O'clock not like my AR witch makes a nice little pile

[Bat Guano]

My favorite rifle! Can't hack the iron sights anymore, but lots of fond memories. Got to know them pretty well what with tinkering, rebarrelling, and bedding. Had the most fun with the "minus wood" ones from the CMP @ $265 or so.

Hatcher's "Book of the Garand" is a little dated, but darned useful. Walk Kulek's book is pretty good, too.

It's ARs and optics now. No more "ping!" (Sniff, sniff)

[smokeywolf]

I still haven't taken my Garand out. Had it for about a year and a half. OP rod spring is actually two springs; long and a short. Need to wind a couple of new short springs for it and snug the gas port up to the barrel another two or three thousandths.

[BUCKEYE BANDIT]

Gotta love a rifle with a DEEP voice :awesome:.
My favorite part of the m1 is after 5 or 8 shots everyone on the line knows what you're shooting. The bad part is chasing the ejected clips. Or worse, having them hit your head on the way down.

[Lead Fred]

44.6 is a pretty light load IMO. I believe M2 Ball equates to 47.5 of IMR4895.

Correct. Ive always used 48, now I use 50gr. Dials in right at 2680fps.

The 147-155gr projectiles are the ONLY ones you should fire though your M1 Garand.
Heavier bullets bent op rods, and I like my national match op rod.
Those gas tuners dont work all the time, and a few over powered rounds, and oops, new op rod
I use 147gr M80 ball, 150gr HPBT, and 152 Israeli alpha papa, & 155gr A-Max
Nothing bigger

[Ithaca Gunner]

Quite a few powders suitable for the Garand. If you have a good stock of 4895 by all means use it, I've found with 147-150gr bullets 48gr. of IMR 4064 is hard to beat.

[KA0811]

You can fire heavier bullets... You just need correct powder and charge to match.... The US match load was 172grns for quite awhile if I'm not mistaken. I prefer heaver cast anyways though. With 150s I'm with Ithaca. Imr4064 is hard to beat in my three garand.

[gnoahhh]

I shot tons of 168 Sierra Match Kings out of my Garands. Never bent an op rod, and they always shot better than 150's, for me anyway.

One thing I found was I would get stringing like the OP's target shows if my loads were too light. Just a grain or two more powder might cure that. The rifle will take it, no sweat. Could be varying sling tension, too, if that's how you were shooting it, which would be indicative of forend/handguard fit issues. All in all, not bad for the first time out! Nothing beats a Garand.

[rondog]

the clips land right next to me but the brass has a mind of it's own from 12 O'clock to 3 O'clock not like my AR witch makes a nice little pile

Garands are known for throwing brass in a fan pattern.

[Scharfschuetze]

Garands are known for throwing brass in a fan pattern.

Quite true.

On the other hand, good match armorers could set the Garand up to pile the brass up pretty uniformly by adjusting the ejector spring that resides within the bolt body. It was also done on the M14 NM rifles.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

thank you all