Adjustable gas plug

[Anvils]

I have started shooting my Garand at our local DCM matches and I would like to reload my own ammunition. Will these adjustable gas plugs allow me to use slower burning powders?

Norm

Information

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[Tom Bowers]

No expert here, but I have reloaded some for the garand. There are appropriately designed powders, such IMR 4895, 4064 etc. which are good for use in the garand without the adjustable gas plug. I have used the adj. gas plug myself, but always with surplus in my garands, hoping to improve accuracy, not avoid damage to the op rod. HTH

[AKA Hugh Uno]

at least the one I have used. There isn't much "range" in the settings anyway between WEAK/NO EXTRACTION and TOO VIGOUROUS EXTRACTION (like 2-3 clicks).

I have one on my .308 match gun and like it OK, but I have a CLint Fowler(ized) 30.06 match riflle without one and would't trouble with adding one to that.

Agree, throw in some 4895/Varget/4064 (and Reloader 12 if you can find it anywhere!) are ideal for 30.06 and you won't need the thing.

[Anvils]

Thank you! I found a small amount of 4895 today so I will use that with my regular cylinder plug. I can't find the CCI #34 primers but I do have CCI and Winchester large rifle primers. Can I use them and be reasonably safe? Some info I have read warns of slam fires but several Garand shooters at the range are using regular large rifle primers ???????
I have reloaded for years for my bolt and lever rifles and didn't realize the Garand ammunition was so specialized. Never too old to learn!

Norm

[AKA Hugh Uno]

there is ZERO advantage and no need for CCI primers. In 25+ years of reloading 30-06 I have never had, been around, etc. a slam fire EXCEPT with a LAKE CITY M2 BALL USGI round (once)!!

to top this off, I SINGLE-LOAD at least 50% of the time I shoot Garands and easily 98% of the ammo I have made in 30-06 has been with FEDERAL 210 primers (allegedly the most "sensitve" primers around).

Guess what primer was used by the LAKE CITY factory in the 60's for several years for LC Match M72 ammo? ooops, Federals!!

I wouldn't use CCI LR's for making up match ammo if you GAVE em to me.

point the muzzle downrange and don't worry about it.

[John Kepler]

Thank you! I found a small amount of 4895 today so I will use that with my regular cylinder plug.

There are a large number of powders that produce decent to superior loads for the Garand. 4064, Vihtavuori N140, Varget, H4895 just to name a few....if you can't find one, you'll certainly be able to find one of the others.

I can't find the CCI #34 primers but I do have CCI and Winchester large rifle primers. Can I use them and be reasonably safe? Some info I have read warns of slam fires but several Garand shooters at the range are using regular large rifle primers ???????

The "hard primer" issue is largely over-blown hype. No competition shooter loaded with anything but Federal 210M and Winchester WLR primers back when .30 cals ruled the roost.....the "Gold Standard" of Garand ammo, Federal Gold Medal Match is loaded with Federal's "too soft" 210M primer.....and in over 20 year of competition shooting around millions of rounds loaded with supposedly "too soft" primers, I have NEVER witnessed or even been in the neighborhood of a gen-u-wine ammo-induced slam-fire! In fact, the ONLY gen-u-wine slam-fires I have ever seen were with factory-loaded ammo, specifically US Gub'mint loaded Lake City LC72 M2 Ball (fired in DCM/CMP Clinic rifles).....NEVER seen one with handloads!

FWIW, I load my .30-06 Garand loads with Winchester WLR primers! CCI primers, particularly the #34 are the ONLY primers I have ever tested that produce statistically significant velocity variations all by themselves. The largest issue isn't the primers, but how they're seated. If you've got a high-primer in a gas-gun load no matter WHO makes it....you're asking for problems. Therefore, make sure your primer pockets are clean and that your primed cases have the primers recessed slightly (0.003-0.004")....I built a little "straight-edge" testing fixture to make sure I don't have a high-primer.

I have reloaded for years for my bolt and lever rifles and didn't realize the Garand ammunition was so specialized. Never too old to learn!

Norm

Actually, the "specialization" applies to ANY gas-gun, not just a Garand! You have to be just as careful with .308's loaded for an M14/M1-A or .223's loaded for an AR

[USSR]

Guess what primer was used by the LAKE CITY factory in the 60's for several years for LC Match M72 ammo? ooops, Federals!!

Guess again. Remington operated Lake City until 1985, when Olin (Winchester) took over the operations. ATK (Federal) didn't start operating Lake City until 1999 or 2000, so the idea that Remington was using Federal primers in the 60's to assemble M72 Match ammo is just not right.

Don

[John Kepler]

Actually....he IS right! Federal was making the M72 match ammo.....I was b!tching at the DCM about it (LC 77 M72) in 1988 and he admitted that Federal made it all through the 1960's and 70's.....LC made the brass and Federal had the contract to load it along with at least some of the M852/M118. At the time, LC had bigger fish to fry than small-runs of specialized competition ammo!

[AKA Hugh Uno]

I have the article from last year in Precision Shooting Magazine that goes into significant detail about the production of LC Match ammo confirming this information. I had a digital picture of the paragraphs in question somewhere (and can find it again if absolutely necessary).

I would also add that the CCI-34 is a MAGNUM primer (if I recall correctly). Who wants/needs that in an M1 load (except in Antartica~!).

[JBS]

One of the primary causes of a Garand slam fire is failure to inspect the firing pin leg and the safety notch in the belly band that runs under the rear of the bolt when in battery, most often it is not a soft or high primer. Years ago I had a Garand come into the shop that would at random slam fire. I installed a new firing pin as the original had a very badly worn leg. The safety notch was also worn. I sent a paper photo to Clint Fowler for his opinion to see if it need to be re-welded and the receiver then re-tempered. He seconded my opinion that the notch was still serviceable. The new firing pin solved the problem. Special primers are not needed just inspect your firing pin leg and keep a new spare handy.