Looking for loads in all the wrong places.

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

longrifleman

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
849
Location
western Missouri
Does anyone have a source for mil issue duplicate loads for most calibers? Supposedly Handloader magazine put together such a list several years ago, but I can't find it.

Sometimes my google-fu is weak, but trying to find it all in one place hasn't been easy. Published velocities for most are on surplusrifle, so eventually I could work up loads but with the price of powder that blasting isn't as much fun as it used to be.

I'd like to be able to use issue sights without the usual 200 yd is really 100 yd, 400 yd is close to 250 yd deal. I realise a lot of surplus ammo that was supposed to be calibrated to the sights really wasn't, so this might be a fools' errand anyway.

An oddity: the curent Hornady manual has a section specifically for the Garand but doesn't list a load for 150 gr bullets with IMR 4895 powder. I'd always thought that that was THE powder for duplicating M2 ball.
 
M2 ball used 150gr bullet @ 2740fps and a pressure of 50,000psi and used IMR4895 as the propellant. This is out of a 22" barrel.
This info is from this site.
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/30_ammo.html


At the Hodgdon site, the minimum load listed is 49gr of IMR4895 @ 2856fps and producing 49,400 psi. That is with a 150gr Nosler BT bullet.

Maybe Hodgdon's higher velocity at that pressure was the result of a longer barrel in the testing. Or the different bullet? They do not show a barrel length.

I hope this gives some insight.

NCsmitty
 
the problem with millitary loads are,powder changes from time to time,and most military loads are developed on a pressure basis.they don't say this is 42.5grs of powder.they say this scoop full gives us 48,000 psi/cups what ever,use this scoop.and if the powder changes they change scoops. jwr
 
MILSPEC LOADS FROM 1-1-87 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN

CAL. BULLET POWDER CHARGE
.223 REM. 55 gr. FMJBT
748 27.5
335 25.5

.308 WIN. 150 gr. FMJBT
748 45.5
3031 39.0
4895 42.0
4064 44.0

168 gr. HPBT
748 43.0
3031 39.0
4895 40.5
4064 41.5

173 gr. M118
748 42.5
4895 39.0
4064 41.0

30-06 150 gr. FMJBT
3031 48.0
4895 49.0
4064 50.0
3031 45.5
4895 47.0

.30 CAR 110 gr.
296 15.0
680 16.0
4227 15.0

.45 ACP 230 gr. FMJ
Bullseye 4.6
Win. 231 5.6
Unique 6.5

I don't know if the stick-type powders are IMR or Hodgdon.
These may not be in keeping with most published load data today, so use whatever degree of caution you feel comfortable with.

rc
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top