Posted on Jul 30, 2018
Reloading buddies: Who has a good reloading recipe for the M-1 Garand?
10.8K
33
18
7
7
0
I am trying to duplicate the military load for the .30-'06 as used during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I have Lake City (LC) from '66, '68, '72 and '74. I have disassembled one of each and examed the powder for weight and type (64.1 gr of ball powder) bullet (150 gr FMJ pointed nose) and popped the primers which were red in some and green the other two. The brass case weighed about the same in all four rounds. The most often found result for me has been IMR 4895 (NOT H4895) over CCI Large Rifle Primer pushing out a 150 gr bullet. The bullets I will be using initially is the Xtreme 150 gr FP. General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised." The rifle I am loading for is one that was produced in 1954 and is NOT Lend/Lease return nor is it refurbished. Since this was a CMP purchase and rated as Correct Grade with all the expected cartouches I am interested in continuing to fire this gun with the best possible ammo I can. Since this rifle is 64 years old and has a pristine barrell and easily goes on the GO-NO GO gage, throat and muzzel are well within specs. Stock is beautiful walnut.
Reloading
Rifle Shooting
Military History
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
4
4
0
I mostly use 4064 for the .30-06, but I don't have an M1 Garand and I know that gas pressures can be an issue with them.
(4)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SSG Tom Pike Thanks Tom. It is exactly that, pressures, that are of concern. I really do not understand why since this rifle is built like a Howitzer. I know there are many good .30-06 recipes available from most reloading data sources.
(0)
(0)
(3)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SSG Tom Pike Thank you Sergeant Tom. Gas pressure is the concern. I did a lot of reading trying to get a handle on loads from the early 1940's through current times. While the M-1 is a tank of a rifle it was, after all, created under different physics that today's powder. I have learned that keeping the velocity at or below 2400 FPS. I do not recall the pressure max, my book is downstairs in my gun room.
(0)
(0)
3
3
0
Here is an excellent article on reloading for the M1 from the March 1986 American Rifleman. Worth the read and has excellent information. I have a copy printed out on my reloading bench.
https://www.scribd.com/document/40852596/Reloading-for-the-M1-Rifle-J-Clarke
https://www.scribd.com/document/40852596/Reloading-for-the-M1-Rifle-J-Clarke
Reloading for the M1 Rifle -J. Clarke
Reloading for the M1
(3)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SSG David Phetteplace David thank you for this info. I am certainly going to go have a look see. Good Idea. I have a few things down in my gun room like that and actually a 3 ring binder full.
(1)
(0)
3
3
0
For what it’s worth, the Hornady reloading manual has a specific section in it just for the M1 Garand.
(3)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SSG David Phetteplace Yes I have #9 and have nearly worn out the M-1 Garand .30-06 data. Thanks.
(0)
(0)
2
2
0
I have a correct grade also. I shoot competition with it. A close approximation of M2 ball in Military brass I use is with Hornady 150gr FMJBT (#3037), Winchester large rifle primers, 48.5gr of IMR4895 and a COL of 3.258”. The bullets are not seated to the cannelure, they are about 1/16” out.
Zoom in on the photo for my competition loads. They are loaded with down a bit and run out at 2600fps out of my rifle.
Oh, and this is Korean brass. KA73 headstamp. Pretty marginal but OK for competition out to 200 yds.
Zoom in on the photo for my competition loads. They are loaded with down a bit and run out at 2600fps out of my rifle.
Oh, and this is Korean brass. KA73 headstamp. Pretty marginal but OK for competition out to 200 yds.
(2)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SSG David Phetteplace Very Nice, Like your display. Well Done! My current recipe is a little different: IMR 4895 (44.2 gr) yield of 2320 FPS {my calculation} without a Chrony, WLR Primer, LC Brass separated by year, using LC72 now, COL 3.10 because the FP jacketed bullet is about a 1/2" shorter than a pointed bullet of the same weight. I figure the seating depth by pulling 3 LC rounds apart and measuring the seating depth of each bullet and found them to each be set into the brass just under 1/2" and reverse engineered it from that point. I will be going out Monday with 50 new rounds to try out.
As to competition, I did a little at one time but have not in a few years, perhaps I need to start again. The gun club to which I belong hold CMP/NRA Open Sight military rifle competition (I think there is one class for M-1 Garand only - not sure.)
As to competition, I did a little at one time but have not in a few years, perhaps I need to start again. The gun club to which I belong hold CMP/NRA Open Sight military rifle competition (I think there is one class for M-1 Garand only - not sure.)
(1)
(0)
SSG David Phetteplace
The important part in seating depth is the ogive of the bullet, or the curvature of it. The seating depth is dependent on shape of the bullets' curvature and that determines how far off the lands it sits when it it seated. Using different bullets usually changes the seating depth because of the shape of the point. Ideally you want the spot where the bullet starts to curve towards a point just off the lands with not too much space so it goes straight down the throat of the chamber when it is fired. Too much space can allow the bullet to start to misalign or wobble slightly before it contacts the lands giving sub-par accuracy since it does not enter the chamber straight. If you can match the bullets up with a load book you should be able to get a good seating depth that will provide you with the accuracy you need.
(0)
(0)
2
2
0
I use a load from my Hornady reloading books (two volume set from the mid 90’s). I could not find a good match for the bullet used in the LC produced rounds so I used a Hornady FMJ-BTHP. It comes to a point but it is not closed. The “hollow” in the point is really small. I’ll need to go to my workshop to get the particulars of the load and the bullet weight. I’ll try to remember before I get a reminder from RP.
(2)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SPC Henry Francis I don't have that big Hornady set which I think is the same as the single volume version but easier to use. In the Hornady manuals over the past few editions they have dedicated a small section to the M-1 Garand with a few pages of data specifically aimed (no pun) at a load appropriate for use in the M-1 Garand with an eye toward recreating the military round. My biggest problem has been, once charge has been establish, determining seating depth. I have been limited in that no book I have found lists data for use with a 150 gr FN which is a significantly shorter projectile. My solution was to pull apart several rounds (as I mentioned earlier) and measured the depth the bullet was seated and will use that measurement to determine my COL which I calculated to be 3.10" (very near the data in one of my books correlated to a somewhat shorter projectile.)
(1)
(0)
SPC Henry Francis
I am no expert. I thought the case length was the critical factor for properly seating a round in the chamber and the ogive of the bullet can prevent proper seating if it is too far forward or affect accuracy if it is too far from the start of the rifling (whatever that’s called). My interest in reloading started with Bill Clinton’s and the Dumbocrats threatening to tax ammo and outlaw lead bullets. I wanted to ensure that I would still have ammo for my guns.
(1)
(0)
SPC Henry Francis
P.S. I even saved lots of old copper pennies in case I ever need to press my own bullet jackets (but mostly because the copper is worth much more than those pennies).
(1)
(0)
SPC Mark Brown
SPC Henry Francis Thank you. I agree with your statement regarding bullet seating. The difference, as close as I can tell, is small enough to allow the bullet to properly engage the rifling. Too long has never been a concern as I am very strict in measuring completed rounds in all calibers that I load (about 6 or 7 so far.) Too short was my concern with the stubby little FN bullets I purchased from Xtreme. Like I said above, I will be trying out my new loads on Monday. If you don't hear from my by Tuesday you can assume something went wrong. (JK - I don't expect any issues.)
(1)
(0)
2
2
0
Mine are out in my reloading building. I'll try to remember and post one very soon.
(2)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google