M1 Garand accuracy test and improvements.

[mac1911]

I'm not worried about barrel wear. If I shoot 100 rounds a year through this gun that will be alot.
As for the 110s there's no need to push them faster than accuracy and function allows.
If I'm not to tired to night I may work up a few test rounds just to see where my 110s fail to function.
Keep in mind also 90% of my reloads are focused on 200 yards or less. So there's really no need to push any load to max. My own testing has proven to me non of my garands gain any accuracy much beyound middle of the published charge weights.

 

[Mountain]

H4895 starting load is 3155 fps. Varget over 3500! Neither would be allowed at Granby- too hot for plates. Something reduced a bit?

 

[mac1911]

H4895 starting load is 3155 fps. Varget over 3500! Neither would be allowed at Granby- too hot for plates. Something reduced a bit?

Try. H 4895 reduced loads... Max 110 grain load X.6. Will give you starting charge weight

HODGDONS H4895 reduced Load formula is simple.
If you have published data for H4895 take the max charge weight of H 4895 for the cartridge and bullet weight. Then Multiply the max weight X .6
This is now your Starting load for your reduced load.
So for 110 grain bullet for 30-06 your looking around 35 grains of H4895 for starting load.
Now for the Garand this might not cycle the action.
I will find out next week what charge will cycle the garand...I was told by a better shooter than I that 49 grains of just about any M1 safe powder will be just fine for 110-125 anything more your defeating the purpose of light loads.

I will be running a few test loads on the "Accuracy" project and on the cast load project.
I am personally looking for the lightest powder charge that will still give me good accuracy out to 200 yards.
I do this for a few reasons
1. the less recoil the better I can shoot. back on target quicker, less recoil energy going to me and I save powder.

 

[mac1911]

I have my test loads ready and finally found a use for the 5 round clips I have kicking around.
I will be testing these at 100 yards on a SR 1 target. Most likely sling supported on a bench.
I will shoot at 3 different targets round robin style. I have not touched the sight settings and will not for the testing. 45.5 grains of varget for each load 110,155,168 all noslers
The best group out of the 3 gets a little fine tuning and testing with powder charges...

 

[MJ1]

Watching this post with some interest.

First test at 100 yards.

 

[mac1911]

Watching this post with some interest.

First test at 100 yards.

That's not a bad group. I will bectesting my reloads soon for this project.
Getting much better than 3 moa is a bit of a challenge. Especially with surplus ammo.

 

[mac1911]

I was able to get out and do my liitle test last week.
Top left 110 grain nosler Top right 155 grain nosler bottom 168 grain nosler
I was hoping the 155s qould do better this is my go to load for the M1 I use in the JCG as issued cmp matches locally and does well by me when I get my shit together.
The 168s do well in my 1903a3/a4 and only thing keeping them from being 1moa or less is my skills.
The 110s are new to me and show some promise. I really don't expect much better than 3moa-ish from this rifle. You really need a nice new barrel to get any better.
Shot these 3 groups round robin style from a single shot sled. about 1 minute between shots. Shot as if I was shooting the prone match at cmp.

Note how the mean radius is about the same for the 155/168 groups this is why the military uses mean radius for testing ammo/rifle accuracy...it just looks better than actual group size.

so at the end of the cmp season I will load up some 110s and different powder charges to see if I can get the groups to tighten up a bit.

 

[Mountain]

Those 110's look promising. Obviously cycling OK at your load weight. Who'd a thought...

The ones I have are HP's. Probably a lower BC but they should engage the rifling a little earlier. May give them a try in the Winchester M1.

 

[mac1911]

Those 110's look promising. Obviously cycling OK at your load weight. Who'd a thought...

The ones I have are HP's. Probably a lower BC but they should engage the rifling a little earlier. May give them a try in the Winchester M1.

I have no hesitation of loading them up even lighter.
Once I get some more 110s I will do a "ladder" test to find that minimum cycle and max accuracy load of a powder charge.

 

[Mountain]

Easier on the equipment too.

Was a little surprised how light Brian is loading his .30 cal bolt guns with 155's and lighter charge of Accurate 2520.

Maybe later will do some ballistics calcs for windage with the 110 HP's at lower velocities. I don't particularly want a light breeze knocking me out of the black at 200 yards.

Shot my M14 for the 'Dirty Bird' challenge on the M14 forum and was surprised how much windage I had dialed in for the late afternoon match in Vermont. They get a weird crosswind that is almost opposite of the forecasted wind direction. Slow, light, low BC bullets could be a PITA in such conditions.

 

[mac1911]

Easier on the equipment too.

Was a little surprised how light Brian is loading his .30 cal bolt guns with 155's and lighter charge of Accurate 2520.

Maybe later will do some ballistics calcs for windage with the 110 HP's at lower velocities. I don't particularly want a light breeze knocking me out of the black at 200 yards.

Shot my M14 for the 'Dirty Bird' challenge on the M14 forum and was surprised how much windage I had dialed in for the late afternoon match in Vermont. They get a weird crosswind that is almost opposite of the forecasted wind direction. Slow, light, low BC bullets could be a PITA in such conditions.

The advantage to 110s is even reduced they get to the target faster...
Could even use 125s ?
It will be a while before I come back to the light bullets/powder charges on this rifle.

 

[Bert2368]

He describes shooting at Chinese soldiers repeatedly with the Carbine. In one engagement he fired seven rounds at one soldier before he went down. He ditched the Carbine for a Garand after that.



Equipment is issued according to the "TO&E" - "Table of Organization & Equipment." The Carbine repl

I recall an old American Rifleman in my dad's collection I read (ca. 1968?), where a Korean vet sent in photos of the CHARRED handguard and front end of stock on an M1 or M2 carbine he had fired for a LONG time without any cool down periods possible during a very bad night of Chinese attacks on the wire in front of his position in Korea.

The article ended with his statement that he crumbled the CHARRED handguard off of the carbine when it had cooled down, took the picture, gave it a well done!, then "dropped it in the ditch for the bulldozers to bury along with all those rapid fire targets".

He didn't mention any failures to function (and the engagement distance apparently was quite short).