M1 carbine loads

[fiatmom]

Does any one have a good load and mould for a M1 carbine?
How does the gas system react to lead and faster powders?
FM

[NuJudge]

The Search function is your friend:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=61236&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=31420&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=59727&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=46058&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=42819&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=8133&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=41559&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=17001&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=30553&highlight=.30+Carbine
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=30202&highlight=.30+Carbine

That should keep you busy for awhile. There's lots more where that came from.

From my own experience, I like gas checked and I like slower powders such as 2400.

[2muchstuf]

I'm pretty well settled with 11.5 of 2400 under a 311359 GC.
Comes up to 118gr. w/gc and lube.
Works good for me.
2

[zomby woof]

Lee 120 gc
10.5 al-8
11 2400
12.5 296

[scb]

From long ago.
311465 w/ imr4227 (don't remember the weight)
Better accuracy than any jacketed I had fired.

[oldhickory]

I have a good supply of IMR 4227 on hand and use this powder in the Carbine because it works, and I have a lot of it.

Here's some of my loads;

LEE 311-100-2R (p-b)....14gr.

LEE 309-120-R (g-c)...13gr

Lyman 311410, 130gr. (p-b) G.I. ball profile...12.5gr.

Good accuracy and function out of my Underwood Carbine using ww.

[fiatmom]

Wow I did a search and these did not come up. I must have done it wrong.
Thanks for the info.
FM

[Le Loup Solitaire]

RCBS 115-120 grain round nose GC sized .309 or .310 and 13.5-14.0 grains of IMR 4227. Works action, feeds reliably and is an accurate load. LLS

[Will]

My best load is with the old Lee 309-130r GC using 11.5gr 2400. Ive gotten one ragged hole groups at 25yds with it. I'm going to try it at 100yds when I can get to the range. Lymans 130gr 311410 opens up when I get above 10.5gr and doesn't give as tight a group at that load. both loads never fail to cycle the action.

[Larry Gibson]

I started loading for the .30 Carbine when stationed at Fort Campbell, KY in ’67 with a Lee Loader. Started with cast bullets in ’68 with some 311316s (118 gr Gc’d 32-20 bullet sized .309) loaded with H4227. They worked fine. Then I got a non GC’d 311410 and tried it every which way from Sunday. Never could get it to shoot any better than 4-6 moa over 1600 fps. The GC’d 311316s would shoot into 2-3 moa at 1800-1900 fps. Since I preferred full power .30 Carbine performance the 311410 experience was quite frustrating. I didn’t have a forum around then so’s everyone could “advise” me. Subsequently got a 311359 GC’d mould and a 311316 GC’d mould and sold the 311410. The 311359 and 311316 both performed extremely well in several M1 Carbines with H4227, 2400 and H110. I finally settled on H110 as it is the .30 Carbine powder and gave a little bit better velocity along with the same excellent accuracy as either H4227 or 2400.

I got my first Oehler chronograph in ’75 and my assumptions as to velocities were pretty close with the .30 carbine. With the 311359 13.5 gr of H4227 or 12.5 gr of 2400 gave 1800-1825 fps. With 13.5 gr of H110 the 311359 ran 1890 fps and was dead on with the sight graduations to 300 yards. Over the years I’ve also worked with the RCBS30-115-SP and the LeeC309-120-R and over the same 13.5 gr charge of H110 they also produced right at 1900 fps with excellent accuracy. The Lee C309-113-F would be my choice if self defense or small game shooting was probable. Sometime in the mid ‘80s I picked up a Lyman 313631 GC’d mould. This design is a SWC made for the .32 H&R Magnum. Mine casts out in WWs and fully dressed at 105 gr. I size them to .309 and load them over 14 gr of H110. These run at 1950 fps with 2-3 moa (15 shots at 100 yards) and are very deadly on small game, varmints and the smaller deer. They also, when HP’d to ½ the depth of the nose with a 1/8” Forster tool, expand ferociously when cast softer.

Properly smoothing up the feed ramp allows the softer cast and FP/SWCs to feed. They feed without fail in many M1 Carbines anyway but the correct OAL is necessary and unique to each style/type of cast bullet. Also of note is the general “inaccuracy" of many M1 Carbines. Most of them are very poorly bedded from years of abuse and assembly/disassembly. If the action and barrel underneath the barrel band are correctly bedded then I’ve not found any M1 Carbine with a good barrel that was not capable of 2-3 moa accuracy. I also will weld up the front sight post and reshape and then file down to obtain a 150 yards zero with the rear sight set on 1/1.5. I currently have 3 M1 Carbines and find them to be delightful little carbines to shoot cast bullets at j bullet velocity/accuracy with. They also are excellent for personal/home defense with appropriate ammunition. They are not any where nearly as "offensive" as a black rifle. I also like to use mine on coyote calls. It’s easy to sling one with a 15 round mag and use it for the close in fast and furious shooting. A bolt action 22-250 varmint rifle is also carried and sets along side of me on a bipod if I get a ‘yote that wants to stop and just look at a distance. I’ve killed many a ‘yote with that combination.

Larry Gibson

[kawalekm]

I've gotten excellent results with Lyman's 130 grain 311410. Can get less than 1" groups at 25 yards with the peep sight using between 10.0 and 11.5 grains of H110. I cast this bullet in Lyman #2 alloy. Ten grains of H110 is a minumum load, but it cycles my M1's action just fine.