Primers for Garand and Carbine loads

[BNAllen]

I intend to load for a Garand and a Carbine. While I've loaded .30-06 for hunting (Winchester Model 70 and Remington Model 700's), I've not loaded for the Garand. Additionally, the .30 Carbine is an altogether new experience for me.

I will follow the Sierra manual and load the Garand rounds with a 150 grain bullet and 4064 ... thats what I have and what I am familiar with ... and Sierra states that it is okay for the Garand. In similar fashion, I will load the Carbine with Sierra endorsed 110 grain bullets with H110 powder. I don't hunt with either of these rifles ... I load for accuracy and the joy of shooting these rifles.

My question, the Sierra manual leads me to believe that I can use a large rifle primer (Federal 210) for the Garand loads and a small rifle primer (Remington 6 1/2) for the Carbine loads. Yet, I've read that I should restrict primers for both rifles to a harder (military) primer to prevent slam fires. Is this necessary, or can I use what I believe is the Sierra recommendation.

For what it is worth, I also own and shoot an AR15, an SKS, and a MAK90. I installed a new firing pin (with spring) in the SKS to prevent slam fires. I shoot just about any decent US made .223 round in the AR and Wolf 7.62x39 in the MAK and the SKS.

Thanks for the help!

 

[jpwilly]

Be cautious when loading for the Garand and AR's. A high primer is just as bad as a soft primer. I use standard CCI primers but the Miltary primers are preferred. I wouldn't use Federal Primers for the Garand I'm pretty sure the cups are on the thin side.

 

[USSR]

BAllen,

Some advice regarding reloading for a Garand. First, get yourself a primer pocket uniformer and use it to make sure your primers are able to be seated at full depth. Second, use a handheld primer tool to seat your primers, and check every one to make sure they are seated below flush. Third, do not use Federal primers. There are those that say to only use CCI #34 primers, but I use and have had no problems with Winchester WLR primers. Lastly, make sure all your brass is FL resized to proper specs so as to feed into the chamber easily.

Don

 

[BNAllen]

Thanks. Additional research is confirming the opinions expressed here. Use a primer pocket tool and make certain the primer is seated below flush ... and, dont use Federal primers. I'll use my normal primers which include CCI and Wimchester (not military) and see how things go. Thanks again for the help.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like said above, you are probably best off using a CCI #34 primer for your Garand ammo. I can't get any right now so I have been using regular CCI Large Rifle primers without a problem. I've been told Remington primers are hard and can be used in place of a military primer too. (but I don't have any Remington LR primers left either) Luckily I do have several Thousand CCI LR primers and hopefully they will continue to perform well.

 

[rcmodel]

The Remington 6 1/2 is a softer primer cup and designed for use in the .22 Hornet class cartridges.
Might be risky business in a Carbine.

I'd use any other brand Standard Sm Rifle primer, or Remington 7 1/2.

rc