What is your fav 7.62 nato loads for M1As

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Float Pilot

Float Pilot

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Kachemak Bay Alaska
I load and shoot a lot of other rounds and also hand-load for a bolt gun in 308... But I have an M-1A that seems to not like anything I have tried yet. It has a standard military twist barrel and it does not seem to like the longer , heavier bullets.

Anyone have a M-1A pet load for target work ???
 
In my opinion, which is based on trying to help a close friend find a good load for his M1A, is that these rifles are more of a sprayer than a bug hole shooter. I believe that is why you never see one with a scope, just iron sights.
 
----

I feed mine 150gr M80 clone loads exclusively, usually ahead of H4895 although I had good success with Reloader 15 as well.
Mine does just have irons but groups as well as I can see.
Many people get MOA accuracy out of their M1As with a scope.
 
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Right now I using 42.0gr of H4895 in a LC case with a 147gr pull down bullet and CCI #34 primer. Works great in mine (18" Scout Squad).
 
Gunpoor;

You are SADLY out-of-touch.

Go to:

www.m14forum.com

to see hundreds of M1A/M14 rifles WITH scopes.

In addition, there's a vast amount of experience out there which reflects the TRUE accuracy capability of the M1A rifle.

Because "you and your buddy" could not make ONE rifle shoot well, you are prepared to condemn the hundreds of thousands of rifles that yield excellent results for OTHER people. Doesn't make much sense to this ol' rifleman....

Someone else could very likely get good accuracy from the rifle with which you fellers had no luck.

My own M1A, bought new in 2005, shoots like a house afire ...WITHOUT a blasted scope (which I consider to be an abortion on this rifle type). The rifle groups 168 Matchkings right around the "magic inch" at 100 yards....and will do the same with CAST BULLETS. We don't need glass sights....IF, repeat IF, the shooter knows how to use the iron sights.

This rifle is now past the 6,000-round mark, and just keeps getting better. It is surely one of my favorite rifles.
 
+1 BruceB
My NM M1A (from about 1987) has great accuracy, seems like the best diet is the Sierra 168 gr Match King bullet on top of IMR 4895. Unfortunately, now the rifle is capable of much greater accuracy that I can provide (iron sights are tough with older eyes).
 
Gunpoor said:
In my opinion, which is based on trying to help a close friend find a good load for his M1A, is that these rifles are more of a sprayer than a bug hole shooter. I believe that is why you never see one with a scope, just iron sights.
Click to expand...

The M14/M1A were the rifle of choice for Service Rifle competition for about 30 years until they figured out how to make the M16/AR-15 accurate.

M1As can be plenty accurate, mine is.
 
I've owned an M1A for over 30 years and mine shoots easily 1 MOA but unfortunately my eyes aren't what they used to be so nowdays I just shoot for fun, which is engaging a kneeling silhouette at 500 yards. I went out just this past weekend and sent about 200 rounds downrange with that rifle and it's still just as much fun as ever. And still just as accurate as ever.
 
150 gr Spire with flat base, 43 grs H4895

165 BTHP, 41grs H4895

not for an M1 per se- but they've gotten used in one fairly quickly- and they worked great.
 
I really like Varget with 155 grain Sierra MatchKings or Nosler Custom Competition bullets.
I'm intentionally not providing a charge weight because in my experience, Varget has some of the biggest lot to lot variations in burn rate of any rifle powder I've ever used.
I would strongly caution you against the use of any powder slower burning than RL-15.
I usually use CCI #34 NATO primers due to their alleged resistance to slamfires although many people seem to use other brands with no problems.
 
Swampman said:
I really like Varget with 155 grain Sierra MatchKings or Nosler Custom Competition bullets.
I'm intentionally not providing a charge weight because in my experience, Varget has some of the biggest lot to lot variations in burn rate of any rifle powder I've ever used.
I would strongly caution you against the use of any powder slower burning than RL-15.
I usually use CCI #34 NATO primers due to their alleged resistance to slamfires although many people seem to use other brands with no problems.
Click to expand...
According to some of the articles I've read even Varget is too slow a powder for use in the M14. I have never tried it because I like 4895 and 4064 even more.
 
Made a range trip with the shorty M-1A

21.25 inch sight radius, 16.5 inch barrel

100 yards, Heavy falling snow, fading light.... iron sights

8 inch bull, 6 o'clock hold

Federal plain box 147gr FMJ = 1.25 inch group
Federal Gold match 168gr HPBT = 4.0 inch group
Privi, 165 grain soft point BT. = 4.0 inch group

I pulled some tracer ammo and used the LC brass for the following...
308 brass is now impossible to find...

Sierra 150gr HPBT, 41.5gr H-4895, LC brass, CCI-BR-2, 2.800 COL = 2.0 inch group
Speer 168gr HPBT, 41.5gr H-4895, LC brass, CCI-BR-2, 2.800 COL = 2.0 inch group
 
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Tried some IMR - 4064 today in the shorty...

42.5 grains IMR 4064
150 grain SMK and some 150 grain Hornady Sptizers.
Federal brass. CCI- BR-2

This load (POWDER) would not reliably cycle the action and had crummy groups
 
Tried some more loads in the shorty M-1A 16.5 inch bbl.

Blowing snow, 25F,
Chronograph at 10 feet from Muzzle.
Target, 8 inch NRA bull at 100 yards.

Bullet: 135gr Sierra Match King
45.0gr BENCHMARK
LC-82 brass, CCI BR-2
2.804 col roll crimp
Vel= 2,960 fps average
Main Group : 0.75 inch ( first and last round from magazine flyers to 1.5in)

135gr SMK
45.0gr H-335
LC-82, CCI BR-2
2.804 col, roll crimp
Vel= 2,842 fps average
Main Group= 3.0 inches

135gr SMK
41.7gr IMR-3031
LC-82, CCI BR-2
2.804 col, roll crimp
Vel= 2,691 fps average
Main Group: 1.20 inch, first and last round from mag flyers out to 2.0 inch
THIS LOAD FAILED TO CYCLE THE ACTION 30%
 
Gunpoor said:
In my opinion, which is based on trying to help a close friend find a good load for his M1A, is that these rifles are more of a sprayer than a bug hole shooter. I believe that is why you never see one with a scope, just iron sights.
Click to expand...

Say WHAT????????:eek:
 
Last night I removed the Scout Scope Mount... It came off easy enough to make me believe it might have been causing harmonics problems...


I had some interesting results this week using CCI -35 military primers against the CCI- BR-2 match primers. I am going to re-verify that today and post again in a few hours...
 
@ Float Pilot
Did you mean CCI #34 NATO primers?
The #35s would probably be a little hot in the 7.62x51 case, even with hard to ignite ball powder and extra low Alaska temperatures.
Not to mention the depleted uranium swaging button you'd need to expand the primer pockets to fit 'em... :)

With my old M1a standard with iron sights I really can't tell much difference in accuracy with the primers I've tried, Federal Standard & Match, CCI BR-2s and 34s, WLRs and Tula Boxer and Berdan NATO primers all seem to give OK results.

When I'm loading for my Remington 700, it seems to have a preference for Federal Match or regular Tula LRPs.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of my .308 shooting has been with single base powders, aside from subsonic loads the only double base powders I've used much are TAC and RL-15.

I'd also hazard a guess that you MIGHT have a bit more experience loading for cold temperatures... ;)
 
Small keyboard on the new computer, I am lucky to get anywhere near the key I am aiming at....

Temp 25 degrees F. ( we have been experiencing a very warm winter this year )

135gr SMK
45gr Benchmark
LC-82 brass, CCI-34
2.804 COL light crimp.
= 4.0 inch group

135gr SMK
45gr Benchmark
LC-82 brass, CCI-BR-2
2.804 COL light crimp.
= 1.75 inch group
 
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