220 grain bullets in M1 Garand

[Michael R.]

Hello,
My dad's friend has an M1 Garand that was made in 1943. When we were all shooting at a target, he takes a shot with the M1. The case doesn't eject and it is swollen as well. A few minutes later I ask his son what grain bullet he is shooting. He replies, "220 grain." IIRC, you are only supposed to shoot 150 to 173 grain bullets in an M1. It also seems strange that his M1 has been jamming on him for 3 times now. If anyone could shed some outside info on this, it would be great.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[rcmodel]

Yep!
Not good!

He is going to bend the op rod, if he hasn't already.

rc

 

[jpwilly]

The M1 rifles gas system is designed for medium speed powders so that the gas pressure at the gas port is within a certain psi range. Usually heavy bullets loads use slower powders that make much more pressure at the gas port that can lead to damage of the op rod etc. If you pull the gas plug out you can shoot whatever you like because the rifle would be a straight pull bolt gun at that point venting the gas port pressure to atmosphere. If you install and "adjustable gas plug" you've added an adjustable valve to the gas system so you can tune it to cycle the loads you prefer to shoot.

 

[Michael R.]

Ok. So now I know that he is doing something wrong. The only problem is is that he has a ton of this 30-06 ammo and the clips are pre packed. Could he just take the clips apart and shoot them in a bolt 30-06?
Thanks

 

[rcmodel]

Yes.

Are these somebodys reloads or what??

rc

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Yeah... A fella doesn't generally want to shoot a 220 out of a Garand and certainly not some U/I reloads if that is in fact what these are. At this point I would absolutely check the op-rod and commence to de-clipping that ammo before someone else comes across it.

 

[foghornl]

220-Gr out of an "Armory Stock" M1?

in one word:

NO!

Without an adjustable gas-plug, or no plug installed, you WILL bend the op-rod, among other assorted nastiness. The swollen fired case is also a clue that something is at least half a bubble off-level.

I can't find it right now, but somewhere I have info I copied from Hodgdon's website about the correct bullet/powder combos for an un-modified M1.

 

[NG VI]

Probably be easier to just get an adjustable gas plug than to declip and then work up a whole new load.

If he's been shooting a lot of it though, he probably already caused some mischief in the rifle.

 

[Michael R.]

rc,
These are not reloads. I don't know why he bought that grain of bullet and bought a lot of it or why he didn't do some research on what grain of bullet to use in an M1.

 

[paintballdude902]

if they were reloads and he used a powder that gave a very safe pressure curve he would be fine. but factory ammo in an armory spec weapon will result in damage

 

[Michael R.]

You know, the more I think about it, the more it makes me cringe. He doesn't realize he is SLOWLY DESTROYING a piece of American history. I will contact him soon and tell him what he is doing wrong. Once he finds out hopefully he won't make the same mistake again.

 

[husker]

The ammo came packaged like this from a manufacturer ?

 

[rondog]

Sounds to me like he has store-bought hunting ammo and just put them into a bunch of enbloc clips. Bad ju-ju for the rifle. The back end of the receiver should also be inspected for damage on the inside from the oprod slamming back into it.

 

[Michael R.]

husker,
I am pretty sure the ammunition was pre-packed in en-bloc clips.
rondog,
read above.

 

[jerkface11]

If it came in the clips I doubt it's 220gr.

 

[Slamfire]

Bent operating rods can be replaced, receivers are a different matter.

That bolt rebounds off the receiver heel. Given enough impacts, Garands and M14's will develop cracks behind the rear sight. Heavy loads, loads that send that bolt and operating rod at smoking hot speeds at unlock, well expect fatique fracture to happen a lot earlier.

This receiver cracked with HXP 69 ball.






This receiver was for sale on Gun Broker with no explaination for the cracks.









This is the heaviest load that should be fired in a Garand. Military match loads were never "hot", were loaded at lower pressures and velocities than commercially available loads.

 

[Michael R.]

jerkface11,
I asked him about it more while we were shooting and he said the clips were prepacked. I highly doubt that 220 grain comes in pre pecked clips, but that's the answer I got when I asked him, so I guess I'm going to have to go by that.

 

[claiborne]

my load

I use 47 grains of IMR 4895, CCI 200 and 150 gr hornady FMJBT for my Garand. Shoots 8 rounds inside 4 inches at 100 yards.