M1 Garand...again

[kestak]

Greetings,

I am taking the dive and I have some lingering questions:

1 - The ammo that is sold at CMP, is it berdan or boxer primed?

2 - I have been researching to handload for M1 Garand. They all talk about I4895 and I4064. Some talk about Varget, H4895 and H380. What about Ramshot Big Game? This powder is the cheapest. And what about H4895, it is the second cheapest? I was wondering how would be the accuracy.

3 - If I go with I4895, here is my little conundrum: I have 9500 large rifle magnum primers. Would they work fine with that powder? what about accuracy degradation? I ask that because with Ramshot Big Game, I use those in my Savage 110 30-06 and it is more precise by 1/2" than using normal large rifle primers...

Thank you

 

[Nikdfish]

CMP's HXP ammo is boxer primed.

As I understand it, burn speed is a big issue in powder selection for the Garand. Slow(er) powders move the pressure curve out time wise & can be problematic for the op rod. If you want more flexibility with powder selection, consider adding an adjustable gas plug, like the schuster, to tailor the amount of pressure the op rod has to handle.

Nick

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

What about M2 BALL .30-06 BELTED AMMO?

My plan is to go to the store and buy 1 bos of HXP for the clips and some M2 BALL .30-06 BELTED AMMO. I plan to reload both of those and I want them to be boxer primed.

Thank you

 

[USSR]

1 - The ammo that is sold at CMP, is it berdan or boxer primed?

The Greek HXP ammo currently being sold by the CMP is boxer primed.

2 - I have been researching to handload for M1 Garand. They all talk about I4895 and I4064. Some talk about Varget, H4895 and H380. What about Ramshot Big Game? This powder is the cheapest. And what about H4895, it is the second cheapest? I was wondering how would be the accuracy.

H4895 is fine for the M1 Garand. Don't know about Ramshot Big Game, but if it falls between IMR3031 and IMR4320 on a burn rate chart, then it is fine also.

3 - If I go with I4895, here is my little conundrum: I have 9500 large rifle magnum primers. Would they work fine with that powder? what about accuracy degradation? I ask that because with Ramshot Big Game, I use those in my Savage 110 30-06 and it is more precise by 1/2" than using normal large rifle primers...

Magnum large rifle primers are fine. It is unlikely that you will see any accuracy degradation, since 2 - 3MOA is about as best as you can expect from an as issued M1 Garand.

Don

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

Per that table it does not....

http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html

it is at position 128 and 4320 is at position 123.....

Thank you

 

[mineralman55]

I have experimented extensively with powders and bullets in my Garand. From my experience, my M1 is very tolerant to most powders. I've used H380, H414, H450, H870, AA2520, Win 760, and WC852. I've gotten consistent 2" groups at 100 yds with 165-168 grain bullets with the AA2520, H414, H450 and WC852. The best results are with AA2520 and 180 Sierra BT Spitzer... 5 shot 1/2" groups at 100 yds. So yes, you can shoot <MOA with an off-the-rack Garand!

 

[Slamfire]

There are three powders that should be considered “first choice” for Garands/M1a’s. These are IMR 4895/H4895/AA2495.

AA2495 is Accurate Arms copy of IMR 4895 but stupidly they call it 2495 and confuse everyone. I used kegs of Chinese made AA2495, it shot well enough to earn my Distinguished with an M1a, and I could not see any real differences charge weight to velocity from IMR 4895. Buy by price.

H4895 is great stuff, even though loading manuals show different pressures and velocities from IMR 4895, I believe this is just due to lot to lot variance. My loads with H4895 are within a half a grain of my IMR 4895 loads which tells me as long as I am not loading maximum loads, I can substitute my H4895 loads with IMR 4895.

The best results are with AA2520 and 180 Sierra BT Spitzer... 5 shot 1/2" groups at 100 yds. So yes, you can shoot <MOA with an off-the-rack Garand!

The number of people who claim to have sub MOA rack Grade Garands just keeps on getting larger every day. Why are not these guys winning the Garand Match at Perry with their rifles? This is a target from the best rack grade I own. It will barely hold the ten ring (two MOA) at 200 yards. My other rack grades, will barely hold the black and always fling shots into the eight ring.

The day I shot this, my local Garand match prone score tied with another shooter on the line who placed at the Camp Perry Garand Match Nationals at second and in the upper ten with his rack Grade. So I figure, this is about as good as it gets without Kreiger barrels, specially fitted stocks, etc, that really puts the top rifles into a custom category, not rack grade.

 

[mineralman55]

I didn't say every day. I said it was the best I ever got. All things came together those days, including preceding weeks of lots of practice. Why don't I compete at Camp Perry? Because I've got a life, with lots of kids and a job. To those who can go, best of luck.

 

[Cosmoline]

I actually did see an MOA shooting Garand last weekend, and watched him get the groups in person. It was one of the newly manufactured Springfields. Very shiny. Most of them I've seen are shooting group variations on a pieplate, though.

 

[1KPerDay]

Greetings,

What about M2 BALL .30-06 BELTED AMMO?

My plan is to go to the store and buy 1 bos of HXP for the clips and some M2 BALL .30-06 BELTED AMMO. I plan to reload both of those and I want them to be boxer primed.

Thank you

M2 Ball, .30-06, belted in 250 rd Ammo web belts, in .30 cal cans. Manufactured by KYNOCH WORKS (British). Corrosive primers. Manufactured 50-53.

I wouldn't shoot this through my Garands, personally. Too much stuff to clean/wash out. I'd shoot corrosive stuff in bolt actions; easier to flush out with windex.

Dunno about whether they're berdan or boxer; I'd wager the latter. But it's sold out anyway.

Spend your dough on HXP; it's good stuff.

 

[WNTFW]

Kestak,
I haven't loaded for the Garand yet, but have been looking at whatever I can.

I like Ramshot powders in spite of the fact load data is not that plentiful. Take a look at TAC, it is right between H4895 & H335. I couldn't access Ramshot load data when I was looking the other night.

I have seen posts on the net of RL15, H380, H414 as well as some other powders on the wrong side of IMR4320 having worked for the guys posting them.

Finding Garand safe load data can be a can of worms.

 

[Slamfire]

I didn't say every day. I said it was the best I ever got. All things came together those days, including preceding weeks of lots of practice. Why don't I compete at Camp Perry? Because I've got a life, with lots of kids and a job. To those who can go, best of luck.

Well if you are not using it, I would like to borrow it.