Loading for M1A

[Joemidd]

Anyone got a recipe? I have on hand Varget and H380. For primers I have CCI large rifle standard and Magnum, Federal Gold metal large rifle standard and Magnum. Are the CCI #34's better for this rifle? Bullets I think 150-168 grain would work. I have Nosler BT's ,Sierria Gamekings and a bunch of hornday GMX's I got form Midsouth Shooters supply Blem bullet sale. Anyone have a good supplier of brass or FMJ bullets? I understand these rifles are hard on brass, once fired brass will do.

 

[SpringfieldM1A]

Handloading for competition section 9, zediker publishing

 

[right winger]

I have a M1A supermatch and I use the old standby match load of 41.5 gr IMR 4895 SMK 168 gr 2.775 oal to fit in the mag. I have been able to shot 5 shot grps that can be covered with a dime occassionally and nickle almost every time if I do my part. This load works in every M1A that I have ever shot and have seen others shoot at the range. IMR 4895 was developed for the gas system and this is why the M1Garand and M1A ammo was loaded with it. In regards to primers I have shot Win LR for years but also have started to use CCI-34 and have noticed my groups opened up a little bit.
I also have shot a load I worked up with WW748 which I worked up to 44.0 gr and it shot 1/2 inch 5 shot grps also but I try not to use ball powders since they are a little harder on the gun what what I have heard.

 

[hancjamk]

http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf

 

[broham]

The Zediker article posted above an excellent read. I have used IMR 4895 at 41 and 41.3. This is with Fed brass and CCI 34 primers. OAL of 2.805. Hornady 7th edition has a section on load data specific to this platform. The 4895 powders work well. I hear 4064 works well. These are with 168 Nosler CC.

 

[W.E.G.]

41.5 grains IMR 4895 with Sierra 168

Very accurate.

Fast enough.

Won't beat your gun apart.

 

[right winger]

Sorry I forgot to answer your question on brass. I use only LC match or IMI brass. My M1A supermatch is easy on extraction and I get about 7 loads to a piece before I scrap it.

 

[Spotty-Shottie]

It's been several months since I tried the Large Primers VS Small Primers .45 ACP. It's been even longer since I've looked at this post. I did not feel any difference but still wary about the whole thing, I still prefer what I've learned .45ACP=LARGE PRIMERS!!!! lol

 

[MEHavey]

- Go w/ Winchester brass. Best value
- Stay w/ CCI primers (not Federal). I use standard LR for stick (Varget) powders, LRMag for ball (H380)

- MY loads are:

        175SMK/IMR4895/42.1gr/CCI-BR2/WWcase/2.800" OAL
        2,550fps(measured)/49,388psi (QL)

        175SMK/H380/43.5gr/CCI-250/WWcase/2.800" OAL
        2,400fps(measured)/49,933psi (QL)
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        168SMK/IMR4895/42.5gr/CCI-BR2/WWcase/2.800" OAL
        2,500fps(measured)/48,000psi (QL)

        168SMK/H380/44.0gr/CCI-250/WWcase/2.800" OAL
        2,460fps(measured)/47,000psi (QL)

As always, powder lots vary.
So work these up for your purposes safely.

 

[P-32]

I try not to use ball powders since they are a little harder on the gun what what I have heard.

One should shoot both ball and stick powders. Stick powder is hard on the throat of the barrel. Ball powder is hard on the barrel mid bore. By using both you might be able to extend barrel life a little longer.

Edited to Add: The gun plummer who built the 308 M-1 I have strongly recommended reloading a GI case 3 times and dispose of it. The reason he said this was case head seperation. I have followed this almost to a T. I did reload one lot 4 times with no problem. The reason for low brass life is the M-14/M-1A is pretty hard on brass. More so than a M-1 perhaps. I'm not sure how of how many times on should reload Winchester brass as it's not as robust as GI brass. (a good thing for my bolt gun.)

 

[MEHavey]

I'm not sure how of how many times on should reload Winchester brass as it's not as robust as GI brass.

Not necessarily....
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4483536&postcount=12

I all depends on how hot you load things, how "full" you full-length resize things, ... and what fired that "GI brass" first. (If a machine gun, it probably ate half the brass's life right off the belt.)

That said, brass truly is cheap compared to the possible alternaties (to quote Harry Turtledove)

 

[DLEJones]

I got this load from the guys at Accurate Powder. By the way, the 2520 powder is nick named the Camp Perry load.

I have just loaded this week to shoot up some on New Years Day, 500 of 165 gr, 400 of 173 gr, and 500 of 175 gr all with 44.1 grains of 2520. The Accurate Edition 3.4 manual has the load on 168 gr at 40.5 to 45.0 and on the 175 gr at 40.0 to 44.5. The 165 gr I shoot in a Springfield M1A and the other two in a custom bolt gun - Remington with a Douglas 1 in 11 twist, 26" barrel.

Buy the way, I purchase fully processed brass from APEX Brass and use CCI or Magtech primers.

168 gr at max is 2,712 fps
175 gr at max is 2,650 fps

 

[Cherokee]

My accuracy load for my old standard M1A is 46.4 H380, 168 Hornady BTHP Match, LC93 Match brass, CCI LR standard primer, with OAL of 2.79". This gave 2436 fps when I put it on the Chron and is a compressed powder load in my brass. Start lower and work up for your gun.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

46.0gr of BLC-2 and a 150gr FMJBT bullet = M80 Ball