Military Ammo Data Sheets

[2A-Jay]

In case anyone is interested in replicating Military Ammo for your Milsurp Guns here is a link to an official Army Publication with the data sheets


http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/MIL...april_1994.pdf

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[oldfoneguy]

Outstanding info, thank you for it. I can now see I've been loading my "M2" rounds light by over a grain. - Bill

[Sunray]

"...light by over a grain..." Depends on the powder lot used. .30 M2 ammo used a 152 grain bullet at 2800 FPS after 1940. Not 2740 FPS. The numbers in the TM 43-0001-27 appear to be about .30 M1906 ammo. The stuff used until .30 AP and .30 M2 velocities were ordered to be the same to match ballistics.
And Machine Guns, Caliber .30, M37, M1919A4 and M1919A6; and Rifle, Caliber .30, M1 were declared obsolete long before 1994.

[USGI]

" .30 M2 ammo used a 152 grain bullet at 2800 FPS after 1940. Not 2740 FPS.

I've got literature that shows 2800 FPS, but doesn't mention whether it's measured at the muzzle. Another reference shows 2740 FPS (+/- 30) @ 78 ft. from the muzzle. Other powders were listed, too. M2 Ball is listed on page 5-9 of the 1994 PDF and shows 50g of IMR 4895 - sounds correct to me for that powder. - Bob

[TDH]

The Lyman book (both 46 and 49th edition) shows 51 grains of 4895 as max load and 46 grains for start load. Speer #14 gives a max load of 50.5 grains of 4895. The little yellow Loadbook has 4895 at 44.4 for starting and 50.4 max. Personally I use a 47 grain charge and it works well in all my M1's and my 03A3.

[browningautorifle]

.30 M2 ammo used a 152 grain bullet at 2800 FPS after 1940. Not 2740 FPS.

Cartridges of the world has a compartment at the back with military loads. Shows 2740+-30fps at 78 ft.

M2 Ball is listed on page 5-9 of the 1994 PDF and shows 50g of IMR 4895 - sounds correct to me for that powder. - Bob

Same in Cartridges of the World back pages, info source is disclosed there. We just reduce out of practise.

[42rocker]

Thanks for that Great info share.

Later 42rocker

[pocketshaver]

You can only take the actual charge weight with a generalized grain of salt. When the government had 30 car trains filled with bulk powder coming into the ammo plant and leaving as loaded ammo a few days later...

Powder variation happens and the onsite testing facility was critical.

[Bruce McAskill]

Out of all the WW2 M2 ball ammo I shot over my Crony from my M1, not one round make it close to 2800 fps. Very uniform velocity at the 2715 fps mark. None lower then 2700 fps on the nose and none higher then 2722 fps. 1943 St. Louis production ammo.