M1 range report

[Ekalb2000]

A little wet today but oh well.
Loaded three types to try out.
Two cast, one j-bullet.
The cast load was forty C309-200-1R, half GC the other half non-GC. Loaded 20 GC'd with 38gr and 39gr of IMR4831 with 2/4gr dacron fill (stolen from an old stuffed animal that the wife was gong to toss, well that is what i keep telling myself). Both of thes loads cycled the action very well, good recoil. Was nailing the 200yrd gong every single time.
The next 20 non-GC was load the same, 38gr and 39 gr 4831, filler. These were all over the place at 200 yrds. At 100yrds I would not be afraide to take game with this load. But not much past that. Has definatly made a believer out of me for a GC in a rifle.
All of the cast loads were seated to the crimp groove. No lead in the barrel.

The j-bullets(150gr Rem core-lokt) were loaded up with 47gr of IMR 4895, seated to 3.340. These hit every thing I aimed at. Even at 300 yrds.

All in all I am very happy with thes loads and my new (to me)Garand....pics soon as I find the camera in my daughters room, God help me.

Thank you all and this site for the BobS and Larry Gibson loads.
I wish I would have loaded up some cast with 4895, but I was saving that powder for my AR. Funny thing I sold it last week. So now I can try the 4895 load.

[jonk]

It's been my experience that the 4895 load for 150 gr jacketed is both what the military used and about as good as you'll get until you use match grade bullets. I rarely load cast in my M1 just because I have so much Greek and Lake City surplus on hand but when I have, my favorite has been the Lyman 314299 sized to .311. This chambers fine in my gun but might be tight in yours. For the velocity we're talking about gas checks are a must, or paper patching. With no gas check you'll want to limit speeds to 1400 fps or less (in theory, I find that is so only if it is a non gas check design). For shooting a gas check design naked, I'd stay even lower, around 1200 fps or less. And at that speed you'll be hard pressed to find a load that cycles the action.

[GBertolet]

Have either of you two had experience with leading in your M1's? I have been told you have to tear down the rifle periodically to clean out the lead deposits from the gas cylinder. If you have a tight fitted or tuned rifle this is claimed to be detrimental to match accuracy. I have a H&R M1 that I would love to use cast bullets in. I have heat treated 311291 and 311284 bullets with gas checks availible, and plenty of H4895 and Varget availible also. Any suggested loads that will function the action and shoot good enough for the DCM match at 100 yds. I would like to start competing in the near future. I had been shooting 46 gr H4895 with CCI 7.62 primers and the Hornady 150 gr FMJBT in Lake City brass previously with fair accuracy. It's pretty gentile on the operating rod.