M1 handloads
- Thread starter Khornet
- Start date
David Wile
New member
Hey Khornet,
You do not need to shoot hot loads in your M1 Garand to appreciate it. In fact, the upper end loads just beat the heck out of the mechanism. I like the slow burning powders, especially the military surplus powders like WC852. You can start with some really low powered loads and work your way up to a load that functions your rifle perfectly and does not beat the crap out of it. Before you shoot your M1, however, the action pieces should be properly lubricated to reduce wear. Then you can start shooting for fun. If you were to use WC852, for example, you can safely substitute the reloading data for IMR-4350. I would suggest starting five grains less than the starting point for 4350 and load two cartridges at that weight. Then I would load two more at one grain implements until I got about halfway or a little more toward the top end of the 4350 data. You will most likely find your low end loadings will not function the action. That's OK, do it by hand. At some point, you will reach a load that will begin to make the action function. Listen to the sound of the action functioning as you shoot your test loads. As you go all the way to the top end loadings, you will hear the sound of the action changing as the rounds get hotter. At some point in the upper loadings, the sound of the action gets to be a really hard slam bang sound, and, if you inspect the fired cases as you go along, I think you will find higher pressure signs when you hear that slam bang sound. I would then make a series of test loads in the middle area of the functioning rounds you first tested. At some point in there, you will find an accurate load, and the sound the action makes will sound sweet.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile
You do not need to shoot hot loads in your M1 Garand to appreciate it. In fact, the upper end loads just beat the heck out of the mechanism. I like the slow burning powders, especially the military surplus powders like WC852. You can start with some really low powered loads and work your way up to a load that functions your rifle perfectly and does not beat the crap out of it. Before you shoot your M1, however, the action pieces should be properly lubricated to reduce wear. Then you can start shooting for fun. If you were to use WC852, for example, you can safely substitute the reloading data for IMR-4350. I would suggest starting five grains less than the starting point for 4350 and load two cartridges at that weight. Then I would load two more at one grain implements until I got about halfway or a little more toward the top end of the 4350 data. You will most likely find your low end loadings will not function the action. That's OK, do it by hand. At some point, you will reach a load that will begin to make the action function. Listen to the sound of the action functioning as you shoot your test loads. As you go all the way to the top end loadings, you will hear the sound of the action changing as the rounds get hotter. At some point in the upper loadings, the sound of the action gets to be a really hard slam bang sound, and, if you inspect the fired cases as you go along, I think you will find higher pressure signs when you hear that slam bang sound. I would then make a series of test loads in the middle area of the functioning rounds you first tested. At some point in there, you will find an accurate load, and the sound the action makes will sound sweet.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile
Before you load ANYTHING for your Garand, I strongly suggest that you contact the NRA for a copy of their book, "The M1 Rifle". It has a wealth of information in it including load data for the rifle. Generally, you should use bullets between 147/150 and 168 grains. Also, a good list of propellants are there. You will see some old favorites--BL(C)-2, IMR 3031 and H332--along with newer ones. The best two I have tried are Varget and IMR 4895. In fact, IMR 4895 is the recommended match powder for the Garand. BE CAREFUL!! Upper end loads for the '06 WILL wreck your Garand in short order.
Starting recipies...
Khornet -
This info is from a reprint published by the NRA.
If you're reloading using military brass, subtract a few grs. to allow for the thicker brass.
Like David mentions, always start low and work up.
Cliff
------
Reloads for the M1 Rifle
I want to reload ammunition for my M1 Rifle. Other shooters tell me to be careful in my
selection of components for the incorrect ones can damage the rifle. What should I choose? What
should I avoid? Why?
Answer: The warnings you have been given are good ones. Though it is a rugged, piece of
equipment, the M1 Rifle has an "Achilles heel"; its long, slender operating rod. Operating rods can
be bent to the point of uselessness if continually subjected to propellent gas pressures that are
too high. Such too high pressures are usually the result of either too-heavy bullets or too-slow
burning powder, or both. In military service, over the several decades that the M1 was either our
primary or an important secondary arm, this potential fragility of the operating rod was not a
problem. Ammunition for the rifle was developed and loaded that did not cause overly high pressure
to be exerted against the operating rod, and so did not damage it. Handloaders, however, can choose
combinations of components that will cause damage. For best results, use powders faster than IMR
4320, and bullets of 180 grains weight, or lighter. Suggested loading data for .30-'06 ammunition
in M1 Rifles follows:
147/150-gr. bullets - either FMJ or HPBT
IMR 3031 48.0 grs.
IMR 4895 49.0 grs.
IMR 4064 50.0 grs.
Win 748 Ball 48.0 grs.
Acc AA2460 49.0 grs.
Acc AA2520 51.0 grs.
Acc 2495BR 50.5 grs.
Hod H-4895 49.0 grs.
Hod BL-C2 49.0 grs.
Hod H-335 49.0 grs.
Herc Re-12 48.0 grs.
165/168-gr. bullets - either SP, HP or FMJ
IMR 4895 47.0 grs.
IMR 4064 48.0 grs.
Acc AA2520 47.5 grs.
Acc 2495BR 47.0 grs.
Hod H-4895 47.5 grs.
Hod BL-C2 49.0 grs.
Hod H-335 47.0 grs.
Herc Re-12 44.5 grs.
173/175-gr. bullets - M72 or M118
IMR 4895 46.0 grs.
IMR 4064 47.0 grs.
Acc AA2460 46.0 grs.
Acc 2495BR 46.0 grs.
Hod H-4895 47.0 grs.
Hod BL-C2 48.0 grs.
180-gr. Bullets - either SP, HP or FMJ
IMR 4895 43.0 grs.
Acc AA2460 46.5 grs.
Acc 2495BR 45.5 grs.
Hod H-4895 44.0 grs.
Hod BL-C2 47.5 grs.
Herc Re-12 41.5 grs.
The charges listed are meant to approximate the performance of military ammunition using commercial
reloading components, including cases. In no circumstances should any charge weight be increased.
If military surplus cases are used, charges should be reduced by 1.5 grs. to start. Loads using
tubular-grained powders such as IMR propellants do well if primed with conventional large rifle
primers (Federal, CCI or Remington). Loads using powders such as BL-C2, AA2460 or AA2520 and Win.
"Ball" are best primed with Winchester's WLR primer or possibly a "magnum" primer from another
component manufacture."
Khornet -
This info is from a reprint published by the NRA.
If you're reloading using military brass, subtract a few grs. to allow for the thicker brass.
Like David mentions, always start low and work up.
Cliff
------
Reloads for the M1 Rifle
I want to reload ammunition for my M1 Rifle. Other shooters tell me to be careful in my
selection of components for the incorrect ones can damage the rifle. What should I choose? What
should I avoid? Why?
Answer: The warnings you have been given are good ones. Though it is a rugged, piece of
equipment, the M1 Rifle has an "Achilles heel"; its long, slender operating rod. Operating rods can
be bent to the point of uselessness if continually subjected to propellent gas pressures that are
too high. Such too high pressures are usually the result of either too-heavy bullets or too-slow
burning powder, or both. In military service, over the several decades that the M1 was either our
primary or an important secondary arm, this potential fragility of the operating rod was not a
problem. Ammunition for the rifle was developed and loaded that did not cause overly high pressure
to be exerted against the operating rod, and so did not damage it. Handloaders, however, can choose
combinations of components that will cause damage. For best results, use powders faster than IMR
4320, and bullets of 180 grains weight, or lighter. Suggested loading data for .30-'06 ammunition
in M1 Rifles follows:
147/150-gr. bullets - either FMJ or HPBT
IMR 3031 48.0 grs.
IMR 4895 49.0 grs.
IMR 4064 50.0 grs.
Win 748 Ball 48.0 grs.
Acc AA2460 49.0 grs.
Acc AA2520 51.0 grs.
Acc 2495BR 50.5 grs.
Hod H-4895 49.0 grs.
Hod BL-C2 49.0 grs.
Hod H-335 49.0 grs.
Herc Re-12 48.0 grs.
165/168-gr. bullets - either SP, HP or FMJ
IMR 4895 47.0 grs.
IMR 4064 48.0 grs.
Acc AA2520 47.5 grs.
Acc 2495BR 47.0 grs.
Hod H-4895 47.5 grs.
Hod BL-C2 49.0 grs.
Hod H-335 47.0 grs.
Herc Re-12 44.5 grs.
173/175-gr. bullets - M72 or M118
IMR 4895 46.0 grs.
IMR 4064 47.0 grs.
Acc AA2460 46.0 grs.
Acc 2495BR 46.0 grs.
Hod H-4895 47.0 grs.
Hod BL-C2 48.0 grs.
180-gr. Bullets - either SP, HP or FMJ
IMR 4895 43.0 grs.
Acc AA2460 46.5 grs.
Acc 2495BR 45.5 grs.
Hod H-4895 44.0 grs.
Hod BL-C2 47.5 grs.
Herc Re-12 41.5 grs.
The charges listed are meant to approximate the performance of military ammunition using commercial
reloading components, including cases. In no circumstances should any charge weight be increased.
If military surplus cases are used, charges should be reduced by 1.5 grs. to start. Loads using
tubular-grained powders such as IMR propellants do well if primed with conventional large rifle
primers (Federal, CCI or Remington). Loads using powders such as BL-C2, AA2460 or AA2520 and Win.
"Ball" are best primed with Winchester's WLR primer or possibly a "magnum" primer from another
component manufacture."
