I just picked the M1 up Friday I'm trying to learn the does an donts before i take it out. Dont want to mess it up everything is date correct except the barrel it's an LMR 53 I thinkIsn’t surplus ball still cheaper ?
Thanks been after one for a long time finally got one.Federal and Prvi make m1 specific ammo.
I handload personally. I use 4895 or 4064 and keep it at around 2700 to 2750 fps with 150gr hornady fmjs. No issues.
There is a video on youtube showing all sorts if different ammo in use and speed effects on the oprod compared to m2...full30 maybe?
Enjoy your m1..and take care of it..fine piece if gear!
OR just about anything behind the counter at walmart...."Federal and Prvi make m1 specific ammo."
Here's what to look for, it's available at Cabelas, Gander and usually at most gun shows.
Federal American Eagle Ammunition 30-06 Springfield (M1 Garand) 150 Grain Full Metal Jacket
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/9...ngfield-m1-garand-150-grain-full-metal-jacket
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For the record...there is no need to get an aftermarket gas screw...milsurp and commercial ammo have similar oprod speed and the dangers of "bent oprods" are WAAAAAAYYY overblown...
properly grease your rifle....ensure the oprod spring is in spec and shoot what you want...
I just picked the M1 up Friday I'm trying to learn the does an donts before i take it out. Dont want to mess it up everything is date correct except the barrel it's an LMR 53 I think
I'll post them soon!And there IS a milsurp picture thread in this subforum, you know. For posting pictures of newly acquired milsurps and such...
For the record and all....I am just quoting this for truth. Back in the day, I did buy a ported plug (not the adjustable one) from Creedmoor Sports just for "insurance" purposes, but what I have seen from folks that test these things is that most damage comes from improper lubrication and maintenance. If the rifle is properly lubed and maintained, and everything is in spec, then you should be able to shoot most any normal ammo without issues. If you are not going to check the springs periodically or be diligent with proper lubrication, then you should definitely buy the ported plug.
As for choosing ammo, the PPU is excellent and can be bought pretty reasonably online in bulk. That said, if you can find some Greek HXP surplus or Lake City surplus, it is generally excellent ammo. Ethiopian surplus is also pretty decent and cheap if you can find it. Danish surplus is okay, but it is berdan primed and not easily reloadable. Korean surplus can be hit or miss, depending on lot numbers. Iranian stuff is junk and should probably be avoided altogether or pulled down for components.
We know the powder in commercial ammo isn't slow as it must also work in semiautos. And since it has similar bolt speed to some milsurp ammo it within reason to believe the port pressures are the same.Well, I will put my spin on this from my exciting experience. I have shot a Garand since I was about 15. I am 68 now. I have handloaded for a little longer than that, and most of the rounds through my several Garands have been handloads. I already had plenty of 30/06 military ball ammo in addition to my reloads when I bought the M1 ($65) because I had bought a 1903 Springfield several years before and shot it quite a bit. I also read a lot of Jack O'Connor and found that one of his favorite loads for 30/06 did quite nicely in my 1903. It was a load using IMR 4350 powder. The charge was below the max listed in the Hornady manual. I usually used IMR 4064 in 30/06 but did load up some with the IMR 4350 O'Connor load for deer hunting. That O'Connor load stripped the op rod off when I fire one. The replacement op rods were inexpensive back then, so I got a new one as well as a new bolt. I have never shot rounds with slow powder in any of my Garands since that day and have had no problems after thousands of my rounds that contained IMR 4064.
My problem with shooting commercial hunting ammo out of my Garands comes from the fact that I do not know what powders they use in those rounds. There is really no need to shoot anything but ammo that is specifically designed for an M1. M1-specific ammo is readily available from several makers, and it is just as easy to put a fast burning rifle powder in a reload as it is to put in a slow burning powder.
What was your powder charge of 4350?Interesting...,I've medalled the last 2 years at Butner in the cmp games matches with....155gr palma bullets and....... IMR4350.
It's a purpose built JCG match rifle, legal in all aspects, and I keep it well greased. I also replace the recoil spring every year.
Knock on wood, lol, but it's never shucked or bent an op rod.
I doubt if you could put enough IMR 4350 in the case to build enough pressure to do damage with such a light bullet as the 155 grainer, using a 200 grainer with that powder at normal pressures will cause problems. Stay with 4895 and 3031 for a happy Garand.What was your powder charge of 4350?
Actually...56.0 of 4350 behind a M2 bullet generated some of the fastest oprod velocity with a MV of @2830fps. So yes...a charge of 4350 and a 150grn bullet CAN generate higher bolt speed than similar velocity using different powders.I doubt if you could put enough IMR 4350 in the case to build enough pressure to do damage with such a light bullet as the 155 grainer, using a 200 grainer with that powder at normal pressures will cause problems. Stay with 4895 and 3031 for a happy Garand.
Next test I run I may try that to see the difference in bolt speed between 2.0 grn of powder.(This is my load, I take no responsibility for anyone else who tries it)
Garand gets 54gr w/155 Sierra Palma in LC Match case. I'm careful not to get them mixed with the 58gr 4350 under a 168 SMK I shoot in my Vintage Sniper M1903. I wouldn't want to try that in an M1
For the record and all....
Ideally the bolt isn't striking the receiver and without putting a gauge back there we don't know if it is or isn't.Using commercial ammo, what is the speed of the bolt at the moment it strikes the rear of the receiver? Also, what initial acceleration does the op-rod experience under the same conditions?
My bad, I checked Hodgdon's data and you can get some pretty high pressures with that bullet and powder. My pick is still IMR 4895 and 3031 for a happy Garand.Actually...56.0 of 4350 behind a M2 bullet generated some of the fastest oprod velocity with a MV of @2830fps. So yes...a charge of 4350 and a 150grn bullet CAN generate higher bolt speed than similar velocity using different powders.
This for me^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Federal American Eagle Ammunition 30-06 Springfield (M1 Garand) 150 Grain Full Metal Jacket
Yeah..no kidding..I've decided this year my foreign military rifle with be a 7.35mm M/38 Carcano. Last year it was an M1895 Dutch 6.5x53r long rifle.it is time for me to get off my ass and start prepping for Butner...
Oh you can use the SVT...you just compete as "modern" and you go against brand new AR15s....with optics....which is funny as the SVTis listed a "vintage" sniper rifle...but "modern military" when used with iron sights.Nice! I like seeing the non-traditional rifles on the line. And I would love to see them allow SVT's to compete as vintage.
No reason to waste money on that.get an adjustable gas plug for your Garand. tune it to the ammo you want.