[dmrodco]

whats your favorite recipe for the M1A .308 / 7.62 NATO ...go

[ArchAngelCD]

A friend loads his 7.62 NATO ammo with a 168 gr FMJ bullet and 43 gr of IMR4895. He uses 45 gr of IMR4895 when pushing a 150 gr bullet.

He told me lately he has been using Hodgdon BL-C(2). He said he thinks it's more accurate but who knows?? For a 168 gr bullet 46.5 gr powder, for 150 gr bullet 48.1 gr powder.

REMEMBER, these are his loads that he tested and worked up to. Start low and work your way up to see what works best for you. I can only tell you what he uses but you should always research loading data anyone gives you before using those numbers. I don't load for rifle rounds yet so I can't tell you how good or bad those loads will shoot.

[Ian Sean]

Not M1A...but here is my current recipe for my FAL's, Cetme and belt fed 1919.

150 grain FMJBT...and 44.5 grains of Varget, Federal primers...everthing cycles fine, accuracy has been decent...then again the FAL is no M1A in the accuracy dept.

This is mainly my plinking ammo recipe and since the surplus 7.62 NATO is all but non-existant I have been trying to make a decent plinking replacement.

Just got some 168's and going start making up a load with it as well...going to try the Varget first since I have several pounds of it on hand.

Good luck...:)

[USSR]

Load data without specifying the brass used is meaningless. Also, a load developed in Winchester brass can be downright dangerous in mil spec brass. Here is a load that I ran thru my chrony last weekend. It runs about 70fps slower than Hirtenberger M80 ball.

LC brass
144gr FMJBT bullet
Winchester WLR primer
43.0gr surplus IMR4895
2.80" OAL

Don

[30Cal]

125gr Speer TNT
41.0gr IMR4895
WLR or Rem 9 1/2
LC case
2.75"

Low recoil, stunning accuracy.

http://webpages.charter.net/tyoberg/upload/125tnt%20prone100yds.jpg

[cheygriz]

I load mostly LC and WCC MilSurp brass, Remington 9 1/2 MilSpec primers, H-335, and 148 gr ball bullets. For "accuracy" loads, I switch to the Sierra 155 Gr BTHP Matchking bullets.

[Hunter0924]

39.5gr of IMR 4895, Sierra 168gr HPBT MatchKing, Winchester brass and primers.

[Zeke Menuar]

Ishapore 2A here

45gr RL-15 and 165gr Hornady BT Interlock. The old Ishy shoots bugholes with this load.

ZM

[Bad Flynch]

The old standbys for a 168 grain bullet are IMR/H4895 because they give good accuracy in a large number of rifles and are easily metered. IMR4064 can give better accuracy, but is difficult to meter. Another, more recent candidate, is RL-15 and Varget has its followers.

When I loaded for an NM M1-A, mine liked W-W748 for that bullet, though. Maybe that was just a fluke, I don't know.

You must take care to use light to medium weight bullets because of the back pressure on the operating rod that heavy bullets give. Probably 175 grain bullets should be maximum. Loads should be loaded to standard, maximum over all length and no longer, otherwise they will have trouble feeding from the magazine. Powders should be kept in the middle of the range, like those above, because of the same reason. However, the M1-A is less fussy about this than was the Garand.

[10X]

41 grains of 4064 in USGI NM brass, 168 Sierra match, Winchester primers.
The M1A will shoot 1/2" groups regularily with this load.

The traditional powder with the 308 is 4895. I find that 4064 gives better accuracy, but heats up the rifle more and meters with more difficulty than 4895. I go for the accuracy.

[threefeathers]

41 grains also of 4064 drives my Sierra 175 grain bthp. Lake City Brass.
For practice and trigger time (but not a bad load) 43 grains of TAC driving the Golden West 168 grain cannalured round. I use any brass I can get for this as I shot lots of it.

I'm going to load up the former load with Lapua as I got 400 pieces of it.

[dmrodco]

thanks guys great input I do appreciate it !