Cast Bullets and the Garand

Trying to figure out what I can use for a good cast bullet for the Garand. This is what I've tried so far. I've been making the RCBS 308-165 SIL and have fired it from my Savage 111. Found out the powder used, W852 (with a W760 burn equivalent) reached a point of no return at around 43.5 grains and then wouldn't do a complete burn. Sorry, don't have magnum primers and right now just finding primers, let alone at a reasonable price, is a hard thing. Did get fairly good accuracy at 44.5 grains (2.5" group at 100-125 yds) and 1920 FPS avg vel with LOW pressure. Sized the bullets to .308 and .309 and didn't have a really appreciable difference in the accuracy.

I'm gonna try to use IMR 4895 and W846 (W748 equivalent burn rate) from 42-44.5 grains and see how that goes. I know the wheel has been invented here before, so any thoughts on the matter will be appreciated. Thanks Bruce.

By the way, the bullets do have a gas check and rifle was fired from a bench rest. Bruce.

Bacarnal

"I'm gonna try to use IMR 4895 and W846 (W748 equivalent burn rate) from 42-44.5 grains and see how that goes"

That won't go too good as that is going to be way to fast for that cast bullet to give any accuracy. As with your Savage with it's 10" twist the M1 with it's 10" twist will give best accuracy in the 1800-1950 fps range. You may do alright with that 165 gr bullet but more than likely not. Based on many years of expeireince with the '06 using cast bullets including the M1 let me suggest; use a 311299 (314299 if the barrel is worn or the bore is over .30). Use the 4895 starting at 26 gr and work up in 1/2 gr increments to 32 gr. Use a 1/2 to 3/4 gr dacron filler. Chronograph the load tests. What you are looking for is accuracy with functional reliability. You will find this in the 1800 to 1950 fps range with an ES for a 5 shot group around 50 fps or less.

Larry Gibson

Thanks for the advice Larry. I had a bunch made up before I read your post, so I'll maybe try your loads next. Here's what happened with that batch. Tested the bullets today with a .30-06 Savage 111 mounting a Simmons 3x9 scope at 100yds. Used between 42-44.5gr of both IMR 4895 and W846. Could not seem to hold a group at all except for 44.0gr W846, which was about a 3" group. Then tried them in my friends' M1903A4 with a Lyman Alaskan 2.5 power "A" serial and they were at about a consistent 4" group with 43.5gr both powders. So I think that the Simmons scope is having troubles again. It dropped the reticle when I first bought it and they supposedly fixed it then. Function tested the rounds in my Garand with the same 43.5gr both powders and functioned perfect, slinging the brass to 1 o'clock. Also had my friend fire them at a 2' steel circle 1/4" thick at the same 100yds with the same loads through the M1903A4 and it punched right through it. Since it seems that the Simmons scope has invalidated this test, I've got to go out and get a good scope and try it all over again. Either that, or try it again using my own '03A4 and see what they do. Thanks again for the advice, Larry.

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Originally Posted by bacarnal

Trying to figure out what I can use for a good cast bullet for the Garand. This is what I've tried so far. I've been making the RCBS 308-165 SIL and have fired it from my Savage 111. Found out the powder used, W852 (with a W760 burn equivalent) reached a point of no return at around 43.5 grains and then wouldn't do a complete burn. Sorry, don't have magnum primers and right now just finding primers, let alone at a reasonable price, is a hard thing. Did get fairly good accuracy at 44.5 grains (2.5" group at 100-125 yds) and 1920 FPS avg vel with LOW pressure. Sized the bullets to .308 and .309 and didn't have a really appreciable difference in the accuracy.

I'm gonna try to use IMR 4895 and W846 (W748 equivalent burn rate) from 42-44.5 grains and see how that goes. I know the wheel has been invented here before, so any thoughts on the matter will be appreciated. Thanks Bruce.

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Bruce I'm using 46.5 grains of either IMR or Hogdon 4895 pushing a flat nose hard cast bullet that is weighing in about 147 and getting 3-4" groups at 100. Varget is right about the same. I haven't tried that load at 200 yet. In 308 I'm pushing the same pill using 41.6 grainsof the same powders. Good Luck

Oh and I use 44.5 grains in the low number 03