Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mule Deer's M1 garand article

Hello Mule Deer

I read your article on the M1 Garand in the latest HandLoader with great interest. I had hoped you might have been able t o try some of the other new medium powders like IMR 4166. I realize that time and availability affect how much you can do. I am sure you know but would like to point to others who may want to reload for the their M1 that CCI makes a primer specifically for the M1 it is CCI #34. I did enjoy the article and my current load is 48 grains of H4895 with CCI 34 primers topped with either 150 Hornady SST and or Speer 150 grain soft point. Brass is Federal, Remington and Winchester. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in print and on this forum.

358win

I searched high and low until I found one within 100,000 of the serial number my dad carried in the Battle of the Bulge. She was a safe queen, all correct, and gets taken out, rain or shine, each Veteran's Day for her annual deer hunt. She will shoot inch and a half groups at 100 yards with Sierra 168's and 47 grains of 4064.

Can't wait to read his article.

I load 47 grains oh H 4895. They are fun to shoot. Mine’s an H&R

The only one I have left is one of the last made by H&R in the late 50s. I haven't loaded for it yet as I picked up quite a batch of British M1 surplus ammo for it. I did put an adjustable gas cylinder on it to attenuate the pressures somewhat, when using M2 ball I have to decrease the chamber area one click from the M1 ball setting for reliable cycling. One click up and factory 150 gr ammo works well. I don't shoot the latter much, just once to see if the settings would take into account the factory pressures.

I plan to take a deer with mine this year
Will shoot Speer 150 sp, over 4895
Can't wait!

My Garand is a 'plan B' option rifle.

In respect to the OP rod I have used the Garand Gear gas plug for maybe ten years.

http://www.garandgear.com/ported-gas-plug.html

This allows me to use normal commercial hunting cartridges with 180 grain bullets.
Mine is a CMP HRA, (2011?) looks new and shoots very well.
Good hunting.

358win,

Sorry I couldn't include every medium-rate powder in the tests, but as pointed out during my discussion of Vihatvouri N150, the pressure curve of double-based powders (especially newer ones) can be VERY different than the single-based IMR4895 the Garand was designed around. This can result in different pressures on the operating rod, even though the powder APPEARS to be about the same burn-rate as IMR4895. And IMR4166 is a new double-based powder, without much info on how it might affect Garands. If you want to experiment with IMR4166, feel free, but I was not about to risk damaging the op-rod on my friend's rifle by freelancing in that direction.

For those who haven't read the article, aftermarket gas-ports were explained and discussed. But the article was about loading for original Garands without them.

JB, I’m looking forward to seeing the article as I have several Garands I bought from CMP. I haven’t gotten my copy yet so I’ll be waiting.

Thanks. You might be disappointed that I didn't put a scope on it, to compensate for my aging eyes.

You get a pass for a Garand😊. That’s how I have to shoot mine too.

I, too, needed a scope for my Garand. So, I bought an M1A. Close enough and much easier to put a scope on.

Dammit! Yet another reason to visit the bookstore/news stand. Having owned four M1's in my life and swearing after disposing of each one that it was the last one, I feel the urge coming over me again. I swear I'll keep this one...

Just curious, but what characteristic was it that made you sell them?

I've had several, also, but the one that started it all is still here, I just thought it'd be neat to have two or three, then decided that one was enough....

Nothing so much as the old adage "I can't own them all, but I can own them all one at a time", causing an horrific turnover in guns over the last 40-50 years. Now I'm to the point of recognizing the stars of my previous lives and wanting to re-acquire some of them again.

It’s hard not to keep buying rifles, I like them.

I have suffered the same affliction, more so with handguns, though.

I have to quit buying .243s, it seems every one of them ends up as a highly accessorized .308 Winchester...

Mule Deer and others thank you for sharing pictures and thoughts on the M1. I did not realize that 4166 was a double base powder so I will stay with 4895.

My M1 is a Springfield Armory barrel dated 1955. I was a able to take a deer a few years ago with the 150 grain Speer soft point and 48 grain h4895. The deer was about 50-75 yards broadside. I shot deer through the lungs with complete pass through not sure how the deer ran considering the terrain but was not more than 80yds.

Since we are talking M1 I would like to thank all those who have served are serving and have family that have or are now serving.

358win

U.S. Navy Honorably discharged.

I find that loads suitable for M1's suit me just fine in all my .30-06's across the board.

For those that don't reload, a couple of years ago I boughtI some Privi Partizan ammo that was specifically for the M1 Garand. It shot as well as various loads I've loaded for mine It was in 20 round boxes labeled:

30-06 Springfield
for rifle M1 Garand
FMJ 9.7 g (150 gr)
Lot PPU 1407

As I recall it was reasonably priced for commercial ammo and had good reloadable brass.

What about Federal blue box 150 gr. loads from Wally World at about $12 per box? Would that be suitable in a Garand? Looks like my grandson and I may be about to "partner up" on one.