Reloading recipe for the M1 Garand

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Anyone here who is up on load for the 30-06 Garand? I have a '43 Springfield that I like to shoot but ammo is getting pricey! Just paid $15 for 20 rds of Federal American Eagle 150gr Ball today. I would like to start reloading for it on my Lee Classic Turret.

My Hornady manual lists rounds specifically for the M1 as follows:

150 Gr BT-FMJ

H335 - 46.4 gr max

COL: 3.185"

Primer: WLR

Brass: HNDY/Frontier

Just want to make sure I don't load something that can damage the op rod.

Thanks
 
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Just paid $15 for 2 rds

I'll sell you some for 1/2 that price!!


I would change powder to 44 gr of IMR4895. - but that load should work.
 
My Garand will NOT function properly with H335 and the Sierra 168 Matchking. It gives short-but-perceptible hangfires on EVERY ROUND, sorta like "cli-BANG".

The last time I tried this load, I took the remaining unfired rounds home and pulled the bullets. With no other changes except substituting H4895 for the H335, I then found the rounds to function perfectly, with no hangfires . That's enough of a hint for me, and I will NOT load H335 in the M1 again. It does work well in the M1A/7.62 NATO, however, with either jacketed or cast bullets.

The hangfiring rounds used CCI #34 primers, which are classed as a "magnum" type primer. Ignition should not be much of an issue, but it certainly was with H335 in my rifle.
 
47gr H335 with a 150 gr bullet may be a bit light

There is lots of Military Surplus around. The Civilian Marksmanship Program has it for sale here:
http://www.odcmp.com/ammo.htm

The .30-'06 is tollerant of a wide range of powder burning rates, but the Garand rifle is less so. It needs something in the 3031-4895-4064 burning rate range. I'm not sure that H335 in the .30-'06 is in that range in the .30-'06, but the burning rate charts say it may be. Powders outside of the appropriate burning rate run the risk of bending op rods, as the pressure in the barrel as the bullet passes the gas port will be wrong.

When looking for data to load a cartridge, powder burning rate charts are useful (relative positions on the chart can change depending on factors such as cartridge case shape, so be careful):
http://home.hiwaay.net/~stargate/powder/powder.htm

Different powders were used in the .30-'06 at different times. Most of the .30-'06 I have shot was match ammo, and it used only IMR-4895. In the late 1960's through the mid-1970's, Ball/Spherical/Globular powders were used, particularly WCC-852.

Looking at Hodgdon data, that load of H335 looks light for the .30-'06.
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
 
When I first started shooting the M1 Garand, I had a LOT of W748 onhand.

I contacted the NRA for some High Power Load data.

They wrote back (this was when everyone used USPS for mail) and one of their recommended loads consisted of 47.7 gr. of W748 and the Sierra 168 gr BTHP MatchKing bullet.

I've used this load with good results in several M1 Garands.

Please note. . . this recipe is for .30-'06 M1 Garands, not .308/7.2x51mm NATO.
 
I recent;y found 47.0 grains of IMR 4064 and a 150grain SST was really nice as a combo. Can't wait to try on the local whitetails. Oh I used a Lee FCD and crimped into the cannelure
 
LC cases for general work. IMI cases for precision or match.
Varget 47 grains
165gr SST
CCI34 primers.

I am using this load in both Garands and bolt guns to simplify things for me here (all 30-06 ammo works in all of my 30-06 rifles and I don't have to worry about matching loads to specific rifles). The load works well in both with subMOA@100yds if I do my part with the bolt guns. I tried to leave them long and used an initial COL of 3.34" but found that this was actually much less accurate in the M1. I now seat them to the cannalure which is significantly shorter at ~3.265" with good results. The manual gives a COL for 3.230 (Hornady 6E).
I use this load because I was able to buy several thousand of these bullets as blems a few years ago and the 165grSST has performed so well for us against PA deer and other animals. I now use this loading as a standard load for all working uses around the property and it is our preferred hunting load.

Regards,

Bob
 
My favorite is 48 grains of 4064 powering a 168 BTHP in 30-06. This load is about mid point between min and max. I fired thousands of these in competition. It is extremly accuracy. It shoots softly in the M1.

For 150 grain bullets is use 52 grains of 4064. These have a sharper recoil/operating rod action than the above load, but slightly less than USGI ball. So it won't damage the M1.
 
52.0 of 4064 seems high to me....like it would damage something. Have you chorno'd that load to check speed?
 
My M1 loves 48 gr of 3031 under a Nosler BT 150 gr BT. Is W748 a spherical powder? I love to shoot 3031 but I hate to load it and I would like to try a spherical powder that will meter better than the extruded powders.
 
My favorite is 47.5 grains of IMR4064 or IMR4895 under 150 Hornady's in 30-06. This load is like the standard ball. I've fired thousands of these in competition. It is extremly accuracy. It shoots great in the M1. I've also used Rem 9 1/2 primers or CCI std. rifle primers.
 
I was gonna tell the OP to do a search, but after searching Garand loads myself, this is, by far, the best thread on it. Lots of powders mentioned besides the usual IMR4 895. I'd be reloading on a Lee using the Autodisk so ball powders are preferred, such as 748.
 
748

is ball or spherical powder and works great in M1. Besides 4895 and 4064 I've also been getting some promising results with Accurate 2520.
 
From Handloader Magazine, 02/2006, #239 by Mike Venturino -
"The M1 Garand was designed for a narrow range of bullet weights, & most manuals consulted say it's best to restrict their use to bullets weighing between 150 & 168 grns." Also that the rifle was designed for powders in the medium burn range like many of those mentioned here: IMR4895, IMR4064 with no powder recommended slower than IMR4320. Anything other than that recommended can damage the rifle.
Sounds like to me those loads listed above are pretty good.

Good luck!
 
To BsChoy, Sorry for the delayed reply, gone for a day or two.
Don't own a chrono, so I have never chrono'd the load.
My Lyman reloading manual says for 4064 and a 168 bullet the min is 45 grains and the max is 50 grains. For a 150 bullet the min is 48 grains and the max is 53 grains. I worked up the 52 grain/150 grain bullet load for accuracy and rifle function.
 
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Hello all,
BsChoy wrote:52.0 of 4064 seems high to me....like it would damage something. Have you chorno'd that load to check speed?

BsChoy I chrono'd that load and it went about 2950 fps out of both my M1 Garand and my Rem 700 30 06's
 
Scott5, thanks for the update and info. As I increase my powder charge past 47.0 the groups start opening up on me. Gotta go out with my new chrony and check the speed. I gotta guess it'd be around 2700-2750? But only one way to find out.
 
47grs IMR 4895, 165 Hornaday BTSP or 168 Matchkings shoot the best in my stock DCM 30.06 Garand. I get about 3" groups @ 100 yards
 
I Use 49.0 Of Aa# 2520 With 150 Gr M2 Or 147 Gr Fmj.......works Excellant In My 1956 Nm...
 
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