Garand Recipes

[J.P.]

I'd like to hear what loads people have cooked up for their M1's. I'm using 46.5 grains of IMR 4895 with 155 Matchkings and A-max. I've been trying to find a gentle load thats still accurate, 42-46 grains shoots ok, but accuracy improves a little past 46. Anybody else?

[Stevo]

What sort of accuracy are you getting with those loads? I've got a buddy who's looking for some good load info.

[J.P.]

Stevo, 46.5grns IMR 4895 and 155 SMK's is giving me consistent 2.5" 100 yd benched groups in my Breda with the best barrel. Thats an 8 shot group though, and typically 5 of 8 are in a nice 1.5" group. My nice IHC does about the same, my sewer pipe IHC prints groups that can't be measured with my calipers....but it shoots 4 inch groups with rem umc. I think a little more velocity would help accuracy, but I'm trying to find a nice light load. Just bought some hornady 168 HPBT will try 42- 44 grns of IMR 4895. As an aside, I also used H4895 for some of the loads I tested and results were identical to IMR.

[muzzle flash]

Your 46.5 gr. load is exactly my load although I use the 168 gr. bullet with the same results.

[Claven2]

I'd like to hear what loads people have cooked up for their M1's. I'm using 46.5 grains of IMR 4895 with 155 Matchkings and A-max. I've been trying to find a gentle load thats still accurate, 42-46 grains shoots ok, but accuracy improves a little past 46. Anybody else?

I always had luck with 48.5gr of H4895 over pulled surplus 147gr FMJ projectiles, or 150gr Hornady bulk .308 bullets in Lake City 1960's GI brass. CCI No.34 military primers.

[Brewster]

I use 45.5g IMR4064 with 168g FMJHPBT Hornandy or
43g WC735 with 165 g sp Hornady.

I get good results with either.

[Oddbawl]

Mine eats a steady diet of 48 gr IMR4895 behind 150gr bullets, I worked it up from 46gr, never any jams or problems, no indications of over pressure or stress on the action that I could see.

[J.P.]

Thanks, everyone. It has been a concern of mine to find a light load that will minimize wear in my 6 Garands. Reloading data for the M1 is all over the map. Just concidering a 150 grain bullet and IMR 4895, max loads published in reputable sources (with listings specifically for Garand loads) range from 46 to 51 grains. For "M2 ball duplicate" type loads I've read anywhere from 47 to 50 grains of IMR 4895. I'm happy with what I've come up with, it was good to hear what others are using. Thanks, Jeff

[Claven2]

JP: The original USGI loading was IMR4895 pushing a 147gr FMJ boat tail bullet with a non-serrated canelure. The reason the original powder load is all over the map is that the gov't bought their powder by the ton. Each ton was tested for ballistics at Lake City and the load adjusted accordingly to give a consistent muzzle velocity in a test rifle.

If you pull bullets from different batches, you'll find it's as much as +/- 4 grains difference.

Modern powder is produced more consistently, probably within +/- 1gr consistency. Either H4895 or IMR4895 can be used to very closely approximate the original GI loads. The "closest to GI" bullet out there is the Hornady 150rg FMJBT.

If you have a chrono, just decide what velicty you want and work up from 46gr of either 4895 powder until you hit your target bullet velocity. Should work like a charm, and is what most of us (myself included) did to develop their M1 loadings :)

4895 is THE powder for the Garand as it is what the rifle was designed to use.

I trust that helps a bit?

[buster]

good info,i'm currently trying to reload with the 155gr amax as well.i just tried a reload this weekend of 46gr imr4895,cci#34 with rp cases.they shot very well at 100m but really started to open up at 200m.i was a little leary to load up as my manual does not give garand specific loads.the rifle cycled well without hard recoil so i was happy with that.i'll have to try 46.5gr now.as far as velocity goes i'm guessing that 2700fps is about what the garand likes?would this be close to matching the sight elavation incraments?i've zeroed it for 200m as my local range is incramented in metres.

[Claven2]

If I recall, the Hornady manual gives garand specific loads. I've not seen it in person (I don;t have the complete hornady manual - just the sections on some calibers), but someone here who has it might be able to confirm.

I do know that anything over 49gr of 4895 would be what I consider "too hot" for prolonged use in a Garand. I tended to stay between 47gr and 48.5gr - the 48.5gr being the most accurate load I tested in my rifles using the hodgdon 4895 formulation.

Your mileage may vary though as each rifle will hit peak accuracy with a slightly different loading, depending mostly on bore dimensions and condition.

[J.P.]

Thanks Claven, that Hornady manual you mentioned is a tricky bugger to find. I think it's edition no. 5 that has the Garand section, but I can't find it at any retailers. Anybody got it and care to pass along some info? I don't really need more load data, if anything I have too much, but I like to compare. I am trying to find a less than max load that is reasonably accurate in all six of my Garands. One rifle has an uncut oprod. I only make holes in paper and want to minimize gas cylinder/piston wear, barrel wear, op rod track wear etc. So far I am happy with 46.5gr IMR 4895 with 150;s or 155's, what can someone suggest as an appropriately light load with 168's an IMR or H4895? Jeff

[(((Echo)))]

Hornady 5th Edition
M1 Garand Section

150-155 grain bullets
H 4895
43.2 gr - 46.4 gr (2400-2600 fps)

168 grain bullets
IMR 4895
39.6 gr - 47.1 gr (2300-2600 fps)
H 4895
39.8 gr - 46.4 gr (2300-2600 fps)
Anything else in particular that someone's looking for?

(E) :cool:

Woohoo, 1st post!

[Claven2]

Well there you have it! :) I doubt you'll get better M1 load data than the M1 specific data from Hornady ;)

[J.P.]

Thank you Echo. Much appreciated. Jeff

[c9er]

Sad but true, I don't have reloading gear. What do I shoot out of my Garand?

A while back I bought a crate of Greek 'Olympic' ammo, let me know if you guys think its okay?

The box is all metric so here's the Google conversions:
"Propelling charge" NCD Powder 47.84gr (3.1 grams)
Bullet "Tombac jacket - Lead antimony" 147.84gr (9.58 grams)
Now this is confusing... "cartridge charge" 199.07gr! (12.9 grams) They must mean the weight of the brass, right? :eek:
Velocity: 2,739.50 fps (835 + or - 9.1 M/s)
Pressure:49,893 PSI (3,440 P max mean Bar) Knowing next to nothing about reloading the pressure sounds high.
They also indicate: "Standard MIL-C-1313F

Another reason I am seeking the board members opinions is that I can see that the bullets are seated inconsistently. I see a bit of cannelure on some and absolutely none on others.
What is the danger of a bullet that is not seated far enough. I think I know the danger of a bullet that is seated too far? But tell me anyways :ugh:

As always, your advice is greatly appreciated in advance.
C9er

[Claven2]

My spidey senses (actually gun forum lore) is that the Greek is reliable but mediocre ammo that is a great source of brass for reloads ;) Should be great fodder but don;t expect match performance.

[J.P.]

The US forums talk about the Greek surplus 06 as being dirty to shoot (as in fouling) and not very accurate, although perfectly safe for an M1, as that is what it was loaded for. 50,000 PSI is appropriate. Current pressure max in modern boltguns for 30-06 is almost 60k, and 50 is about right for a Garand, the PSI figures do look high compared to CUP (copper units pressure) figures. Shoot it and enjoy. For commercial ammo, I have been told that Remington UMC and Winchester USA are safe in M1's. If you can find it Black hills 168 Match is supposed to be excellent, and was developed for Garands. Jeff

[762nato]

Original load right from the manual is 50.0 Gr. IMR 4895 with a 152 Gr. Flat base bullet. I can email the manual for all US small bore to people if they would like it.

Andy

[Garand]

I've had my best luck with 47.5 grains of IMR 4895 pushing 168 grain Hornady BTHP. Great bullet.

[russian_babushka]

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/reloads/0507/

Enjoy!

[sdh1911]

It's sad to say I don't have too much time for re-loading, But have had very good luck shooting L.C. match ammo found at some gun show, even the L.C. 150 gr. is a light shooter that preforms very well and has minimum recoil, shot out of my own builds get the results you are looking for-HTH, SDH

[BsChoy]

Hi all, I have just found a sweet load, 48.0 grains of Varget under a Hornady 150 grain SST. Shoots real nice.

[Badger]

I saved this as I always thought it was simple and to the point.... :D

QUESTION: Dear Rabbi Mermelstein:

The M1 Garand's gas port is only an inch or so from the muzzle. How can enough pressure build up behind the bullet before it leaves the barrel an inch later to function the action? I know it works but I can't see how; since the M-14 and M-16 have gas ports in the middle of the barrel and the pressure has more time to act before it is released out the barrel as the bullet departs.

Anonymous
16 Dec 1999

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ANSWER: Dear Sir,

Much has been written about the propellants suitable for the M1 Garand, due to the design of its gas operated action. If the propellant used is either too fast or too slow, damage to the operating rod will result. The ideal powder for the .30-06 cartridge in the Garand rifle is in the burning rate range of IMR 4895. The propellant is progressively consumed while pushing the projectile through the bore. Peak pressure is arrived at just prior to the projectile exiting the muzzle and the drop in gas pressure. Your question has validity only if a propellant with a fast burning rate, unsuitable to the Garand, is used. It would be totally consumed before the gases reached the port. Handloaders for Garand rifles either learn this before assembling ammo or after they've bent the operating rod.