Deer hunting with an M1 Garand.

[Art Eatman]

Generally, when I see "168-grain", I figure it's a match target bullet, not a hunting bullet. Hunting bullets are typically 165-grain instead of 168.

I've had great success with the Sierra 150-grain, both flat-base and boat-tail.

Yeah, the Garand is a tad heavy, but I've done many and many a dozen-mile walking hunt in these old desert mountains with the same weight of Weatherby on my shoulder.

 

[T.R.]

My Dad was a WWII Veteran and Veteran of Battle of the Bulge (Ardenne Offensive). He often told about a guy in his unit that shot a big red stag in Germany. Naturally, it was a Garand with issue'd ball ammo. The guys ate well while it lasted.

TR

 

[highorder]

They make two round and I believe five round en bloc clips. I have several of the two round clips from when I shot service rifle competition.

The clip I have is a 2 or 5 round clip, depending on which end you load.

 

[41magsnub]

I have a adjustable gas plug in mine and run 150gr core lokts through it for hunting. It has about the same accuracy as the FMJ Greek HXP ammo out of my gun, it just shoots quite a bit higher so I have to adjust the sights for it.

I am planning to take up reloading when I get my tax refund (the reloading kit will be easy, components will be a bit harder). This will open up more options and I can load for the gun and stop using the adjustable gas plug. If I do it right the point of impact should be close enough to the same as the HXP ammo I have stockpiled so that I don't have to screw with the sights.

 

[gspdave45]

I might suggest either a Nosler Ballistic Tip hunting or Sierra HPBT GameKing, both in 165 grains. Both work well in my Garand with IMR 4064, very accurate and plenty stout for deer.

 

[hamourkiller]

Dang it gspdave45 you beat me to the Sierra 165 gr Gameking HPBT!

It began life when Sierra answered their customers request for a big game bullet HPBT. People had been using the 168gr Matchking target bullets but wanted more controlled expansion on animals. So Sierra brought this baby out and it has been killing animals very well since the late 60's or early 70's.

My favorite load, which is Garand safe and Remington 742 safe is:

Winchester Brass
CCI LR primers
48grs IMR-4064
165gr Sierra HPBT (Game King)

This gives good speed and is accurate for me in any semi auto 30-06 I have used it in.

 

[gspdave45]

Yup, that's the load, hamourkiller. Shoots a legitimate hunting bullet into one inch at 100 yards with my accurized M1. By accurized I mean its bedded, splines peened, trigger slicked up, National Match peep sight. Just home smithed, nothing special. Still wears the GI barrel.

 

[wombat13]

I took my Garand hunting one year and I hope to take it again, but there are a few things to keep in mind. I learned these the hard way.

1. Make sure that your Garand feeds reliably from the 5-round clip. The first time I squeezed the trigger while looking at a deer, all I heard was "click." The bolt rode over the top of the cartridge when I loaded the rifle after climbing into my treestand.

2. Don't ride the bolt. The second time I squeezed the trigger while looking at a deer, all I heard was "click." I had been so careful making sure that the bolt stripped the round from the clip that I rode the bolt and it didn't go into battery. Thankfully, the rifle did not fire.

3. The rear peep site tends to get plugged if you are sitting the snow or rain. Periodically make sure that it is clear.

Btw, get to your treestand early because allowing the bolt to slam home (as you should if you want to avoid #2, above) is extremely loud in the pre-dawn quiet of the forest.

After hearing about my misfortunes, my wife bought me a proper hunting rifle - a Ruger Hawkeye stainless/laminate. I need to get a few deer with that rifle (got one this year) and then I'll take the Garand out again.