Need Garand Help! (Please?)

[obssd1958]

I decided to take my M1 to Nevada this year, but I am having a problem with getting an accurate load together. Not only is the current load pretty sad as far as accuracy goes, but the boolits are going through the target a bit tilted.
I cast 2 different boolits to try - a Saeco 311 175 FN and a Lachmiller 311 175 FN. Both are gas checked, lubed with White label 2700, and sized to .310 ( the bore on the M1 slugs at .308, and seems to be uniform - no tight or loose spots). I am seating the boolits out as far as the chamber will allow, but that still leaves the gas check considerably past the bottom of the neck (if that makes any difference), and the cases were loaded with 36 to 39 grains of H380 in 1 grain increments.
This rifle will shoot 8 into 2 1/2 inches at 100 yards with the HXP surplus.

All ideas and input will be much appreciated!




Don

[mac1911]

by far no expert here but, M1 Garand reloading is a bit tricky from what I have been reading.
There is a threshhold around the burn rate of powder to opperate the garands gas system with out damage. The hodgdon online load data list 175g bullet with 49.5 grains of H380 powder.
I have not purchased any load data books in sometime. I plan to start reloading for my garand soon. I will be only useing Garand specific load data.
A few of the older shooters @ the CMP shoots @ our club use IMR 4895 powder with 150g bullets of several types boat tail style seems to be the favorite. Most do not shoot beyound 100y so the heavier bullets are not used. CMP forum

http://garandshooter.com/default.aspx I also been reading a bit on here.

[Frosty Boolit]

IMR 4064, IMR 4895 or Varget for me. All were quite accurate with 168 A-Max and I'll bet that they are just as accurate with cast.

[BruceB]

For the umpteenth time, CAST BULLETS in the Garand are a different breed of cat. "Rules" for burning rates which have been handed down for decades are correct only for jacketed bullets.

Do a search for "Garand" and "BobS load" to see some of the experience with slow-burning powders and cast bullets.

[mac1911]

hmm, good to know bruce. Thank you for the tip for the search.

I have been reading up on reloading for the garand(jacket ammo) I was lead to believe that the burn rate of powder was important for the function of the gas system, regardless of the bullet style.....I did not think much about the preasure differences between types of bullets. I was on the track of thinking (bullet)Grains only and powder type and charge . This is why I read a ton before I do anything.

more to come

[sqlbullet]

I don't want to offend BruceB, because he is a treasure of knowledge. But, increasingly all you find in a search for Garand and BobS load is threads of BruceB telling people to search for Garand and BobS Load:-)

Here is a link (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=312730&postcount=15). I have been reasonably happy with this load in my two Garands. I have a little bit of unburned powder from time to time and gas checks are getting expensive. But the load is accurate.

I am going to have a lee 200 grain mold altered to a plain base, and then work up some loads against that mold to see if I can find a keeper without the gas check.

[BruceB]

Sheesh...I dunno about being a treasure. I'm just another guy who really enjoys the Garand and its follow-on descendants.

The funny thing is, I personally almost never do that search, and didn't realize that I was directing people to me directing other people to the same place.

I think there's a sticky for that particular load (not wanting to use its name to avoid even more people finding THIS post). It may be on the CB Loads/Military Rifle forum.

Sorry for the snake-eating-its-tail runaround!

[mac1911]

My curiousity got me to look a bit deeper into the "cast boolit" for 30-06 Garand reloads. Up till now I have only looked into reloading jacketed ammo for my garand. Still not there yet with equipment and material for reloading rifle yet.

I shoot more shotgun than anything @ this point. I am "renewed" in casting and smelting. As a young kid I helped my dad and his friends do their, 00buck and salt water weights and jigs. My main job was gofor. About the only thing I retained was the safety issues.

any hows, I found a write up that give me a bit more clearity of what bruce mentioned http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/castfiller/index.asp