M1 Garand 30-06 load
- Thread starter coolhand
- Start date
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,278
- 2,989
Alaska
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2006
- 943
- 379
IMR 4064----old target load
47.0 with 180gr in 30-06 will work good in Garand
The military switched to IMR 4064 due to cleaner burning late 1940's early 1950's
Folks handloading for the 30 caliber M1 didn't have much success with bullets
heavier than 180 grains. That was because the diameter of the gas port was
`tuned' for powders in the 4895-4064 burning range. Using 47 or so grains of
IMR4064 with Sierra's 180-gr. match bullets was an excellent load; still is.
Use Rem. 9-1/2 or RWS5341 primers, then tune the powder charge for what gives
the best accuracy. Bullets heavier than 180 grains need a powder slower than
IMR4320 to get decent, and uniform, velocity from a 24-inch .30-06 barrel.
Those powders cause too high a port pressure; enough to bend the operating
rod and/or crack the reciever's hump at the back.
47.0 with 180gr in 30-06 will work good in Garand
The military switched to IMR 4064 due to cleaner burning late 1940's early 1950's
Folks handloading for the 30 caliber M1 didn't have much success with bullets
heavier than 180 grains. That was because the diameter of the gas port was
`tuned' for powders in the 4895-4064 burning range. Using 47 or so grains of
IMR4064 with Sierra's 180-gr. match bullets was an excellent load; still is.
Use Rem. 9-1/2 or RWS5341 primers, then tune the powder charge for what gives
the best accuracy. Bullets heavier than 180 grains need a powder slower than
IMR4320 to get decent, and uniform, velocity from a 24-inch .30-06 barrel.
Those powders cause too high a port pressure; enough to bend the operating
rod and/or crack the reciever's hump at the back.
cool, you're choice of powder is sound indeed. using this powder along with Viht N150 is I believe perfect for the Garand. These 2 powders give optimum performance as well as low port pressure aka. muzzle pressure per QuickLoad.
The Garand is more a muzzle pressure concern than what you would compare with the likes of a bolt gun.
I first take a fire-06 brass with the fired primer still in the pocket and weigh empty and then full with H20 and subtract. Plug them numbers into QL with a 24"bbl along with COAL and find bullet and powder. In your case with the 165 BT using H4895 your optimum accuracies should be between with a 24"bbl 46.0 grains to 48.5 grains. These are quite safe ranges for your Garand and op-rod without having to go and use the McCann Industries port plugs.
Your muzzle pressures within these 2 powder ranges will vary between 7581psi to 7895psi-quite mild. You are not going to get the velocities with what you wanted as the accuracies are what you should be trying t o acheive instead. Again work up from the suggested starting load in increments of .3 grains and once you find the "sweet spot" then try up and down from there in increments of .1 grain-------
as usual just my .02
note: these measurements are based on my "fired-case" of 70 grns of H20 in a W-W case trimmed to 2.385"
The Garand is more a muzzle pressure concern than what you would compare with the likes of a bolt gun.
I first take a fire-06 brass with the fired primer still in the pocket and weigh empty and then full with H20 and subtract. Plug them numbers into QL with a 24"bbl along with COAL and find bullet and powder. In your case with the 165 BT using H4895 your optimum accuracies should be between with a 24"bbl 46.0 grains to 48.5 grains. These are quite safe ranges for your Garand and op-rod without having to go and use the McCann Industries port plugs.
Your muzzle pressures within these 2 powder ranges will vary between 7581psi to 7895psi-quite mild. You are not going to get the velocities with what you wanted as the accuracies are what you should be trying t o acheive instead. Again work up from the suggested starting load in increments of .3 grains and once you find the "sweet spot" then try up and down from there in increments of .1 grain-------
as usual just my .02
note: these measurements are based on my "fired-case" of 70 grns of H20 in a W-W case trimmed to 2.385"
RogueRiver
Handloader
- Mar 13, 2005
- 430
- 1
The Hornady manual has a section just for the M1 garand, remember unless you have an adustable gas plug, you have to stay with certain powders or you can damage the rifle. I like Varget in my CMP garands, I use it with 150 and 168 grn bullets. Check out this websight and go to the ammo forum you will get lots of advice on reloading the m1 garand.
www.odcmp.com
www.odcmp.com
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks guys. I've decided to go with the IMR4064 instead of the 4895. I've conversed with alot of match shooters and they like 4064 a little better. My only issue is: I've settled on 48 grns of the 4064, this load was given to me by a High Power shooter. It should be around 2600 with the 168 matchking or the 165 ballistic tip for hunting. Only issue is... i'm going to use the Nosler custom brass. I've heard it may be thicker and i'm not sure how to adjust my load. I emailed Nosler with this question, but got no answer. Any of you guys use the Nosler brass and how did you adjust? Thanks
Alaska
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2006
- 943
- 379
Accuracy tests with M1 rifles in the 1960s proved the gas port should
be in the groove if accuracy is the first objective. When the port is
on a land, the flash caused by drilling the hole tends to scrape off
bullet jacket material thereby further unbalancing the bullet.
Bullets ride the lands, or bore diameter. Top-quality barrel makers
have known this for many years. The lands need to be very uniform in
both shape, bore diameter (top of one land across the bore to the top
of the opposite land, or that same plane in 3 or 5 groove barrels) for
minimum bullet deformation or unbalance. Groove diameter is a tad less
important, but still needs to be very uniform. When a tiny flaw, such
as the near microscopic flash from drilling a gas port, is in the groove,
the amount of bullet jacket tear is virtually zero. The bullet is not
unbalanced enough to be detected.
If the gas port is drilled in such a way in the groove that its inside
edge is too rough, then enough bullet jacket material will be scraped
off and the bullet will not shoot accurately. This tends to be the cause
of inaccuracy in many rebarreled gas-operated service rifles; both M1s
and M14/1As.
Properly set up on a relief-grooved mandrel, the barrel is held in a
drill press or vertical mill aligning the groove to the drill bit. After
the initial hole is drilled, it is reamed or redrilled to the required
diameter. With tood tooling, no additional smoothing of the hole in the
land need be done.
IMR4064 was the favorite powder when the M1 was extensively reloaded
for to compete in highpower matches. About 47 or so grains with a
Sierra 168-gr. bullet was used to win a lot of matches. Although 4895
was used for both ball and match ammo as loaded by military arsenals,
4064 produced much better accuracy and longer barrel life. In addition,
4895 is a fairly dirty powder and often requires barrel cleaning more
often than when 4064 is used. 4895 was (and is) used in military
ammo because it meters more uniformly in automatic powder measures than
4064; for handloading and weighed powder charges, 4064 produces better
accuracy.
be in the groove if accuracy is the first objective. When the port is
on a land, the flash caused by drilling the hole tends to scrape off
bullet jacket material thereby further unbalancing the bullet.
Bullets ride the lands, or bore diameter. Top-quality barrel makers
have known this for many years. The lands need to be very uniform in
both shape, bore diameter (top of one land across the bore to the top
of the opposite land, or that same plane in 3 or 5 groove barrels) for
minimum bullet deformation or unbalance. Groove diameter is a tad less
important, but still needs to be very uniform. When a tiny flaw, such
as the near microscopic flash from drilling a gas port, is in the groove,
the amount of bullet jacket tear is virtually zero. The bullet is not
unbalanced enough to be detected.
If the gas port is drilled in such a way in the groove that its inside
edge is too rough, then enough bullet jacket material will be scraped
off and the bullet will not shoot accurately. This tends to be the cause
of inaccuracy in many rebarreled gas-operated service rifles; both M1s
and M14/1As.
Properly set up on a relief-grooved mandrel, the barrel is held in a
drill press or vertical mill aligning the groove to the drill bit. After
the initial hole is drilled, it is reamed or redrilled to the required
diameter. With tood tooling, no additional smoothing of the hole in the
land need be done.
IMR4064 was the favorite powder when the M1 was extensively reloaded
for to compete in highpower matches. About 47 or so grains with a
Sierra 168-gr. bullet was used to win a lot of matches. Although 4895
was used for both ball and match ammo as loaded by military arsenals,
4064 produced much better accuracy and longer barrel life. In addition,
4895 is a fairly dirty powder and often requires barrel cleaning more
often than when 4064 is used. 4895 was (and is) used in military
ammo because it meters more uniformly in automatic powder measures than
4064; for handloading and weighed powder charges, 4064 produces better
accuracy.
I use Den 42 & 43 Brass and commercial,Rem or Fed Mag rifle primers instead of match didn't have any,47.5gr IMR 4895, I don't load comp bullets 168gr so I used the Nosler 165gr Ballistic Tip.Group was 1.5 inch to 2 inch article said 1,2, or 3 min of angle.I used this load to kill a Mule Deer in CO on a cold Nov hunt got it thru the neck, to see the rack had to use my 10x40 IF Leupold Binocs est 300 yards. BTW I have that copy of the Am Rifleman and have made copies to send to shooting friends all over the USA.I was in charge of DCM M1 Garand Qual Matches for our Shooting Club from 1980 thru 1985,I told every shooter to get and keep this article and the reloaders did.One man I qualified told me he hunted in CO and used this data in his Garand to kill a Muley so I decided to do the same .If you want a copy PM me with your name and address & I'll make a copy.Load data is for 150,168,180,190 & 200 gr Sierra International & Match King Bullets.Powders:IMR:3031,4895,4064,4320,H4895 & Win 748 used Win LR Primers.
Jeff Olsen
Handloader
- Nov 10, 2006
- 294
- 2
One thing, be VERY careful to seat your primers deeply in the pockets. If you want to be extra careful, CCI makes a "hard" primer. It's not impossible to get a slamfire with a "normal" primer that is not seated fluch or better in the case. A slamfire in a Garand or M1a can be Heap Bad Juju, setting off the rounds in the magazine, etc.
I've been very tempted to take my M1a hunting. Now, you've gone and got me tempted again!
-jeff
I've been very tempted to take my M1a hunting. Now, you've gone and got me tempted again!
-jeff
