M1A load specs.

[roccoracer]

Would anyone be willing to share load data for a cartridge that works well in there M1A?
I have also never loaded a rifle cartridge for an autoloader. My understanding is that there is a difference between the process for a bolt action and an autoloader. Any help would be appreciated.
I will be reading thru my manuals also for information. Thank you.

 

[Nick Leduc]

Win WLR primer
H4895 powder - 43.5gr
150 gr FMJ/BT
Mixed HS brass

I had a handful of 180gr bullets I was getting rid of, I used 35.4 gr of H4895. I ended up with good groups, but wasn't enough to cycle the M1A so I would have gone up from there if I had more bullets.

 

[headednorth]

Tips For Safe Handloads In Your M1A-Style Rifle - Rifle Shooter

 

[mac1911]

There are some factors that make reloading for semi auto rifles different than for bolt action.
Mainly certain powder burn rates, properly sized brass and correct combination of powders and bullets.
Hornady load manual had good data along with 50 plus years of articles and books out there. I will post them as I find them
6 Key Tenets of Service Rifle Handloading

http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf

Miscellaneous Questions

There’s a handful of powders that will do well behind 155,168 and 175 grain match bullets. IMR4895, H4895, RL15, Varget just to name a few and I think Federal Gold Medal Match use either reloader 15 or varget

 

[Skipmeok]

First, loading for a bolt action you can if you wish, just neck size your fire formed brass for that particular rifle. Neck sized brass may/may not work in other bolt action rifles depending on the chambers, but why take the chance. If you neck size, keep the brass tied to one firearm. If you reload for an autoloader, you MUST full length resize.
As for loads, a load that works in my firearm might not work in yours. However, at Camp Perry the favorite M1A load is 42.5grns 4895 under a 168gr match bullet, be it Hornady, Sierra, or others. But this seems to be a popular load at Camp Perry. Start low and work your way up, that's always the rule of thumb... There are several places to by your components, feel free to drop me a pm and we can talk... Good luck and let us know what you find works best.

 

[RKG]

I never recommend starting with someone else's pet load. That said, my M1A loves: mixed brass, all regularly guaged, trimmed if needed, and FL sized in an RCBS SB die; 168 grain SMK or 165 grain SGK (I'll be damned if I can detect any accuracy difference between the two, at least to 500 yards); 42.2 grains of Win 748; CCI regular LR primer; all primers guaged to be seated NLT .004" sub-flush; COAL = 2.800".

This load in my rifle has shot 1-1/2" groups at 300 yards more than once. There is some element of random luck here, since I cannot SEE a delta of 1-1/2" at 300 yards.

 

[mac1911]

I never recommend starting with someone else's pet load. That said, my M1A loves: mixed brass, all regularly guaged, trimmed if needed, and FL sized in an RCBS SB die; 168 grain SMK or 165 grain SGK (I'll be damned if I can detect any accuracy difference between the two, at least to 500 yards); 42.2 grains of Win 748; CCI regular LR primer; all primers guaged to be seated NLT .004" sub-flush; COAL = 2.780".

This load in my rifle has shot 1-1/2" groups at 300 yards more than once. There is some element of random luck here, since I cannot SEE a delta of 1-1/2" at 300 yards.

If your hold is consistent your groups will be nice.
On that note using a good ammo for a base line like Federal Gold Medal Match FGMM ...my recent outing with FGMM 175 grain loads was a great combination of ammo , having a good day= my eyes where clear, no arthritis pain, well hydrated and everything just coming together produced moa on my first run. For 12 shots anyway!
The Creedmoor ammo made with lapua brass and bullets preforms well and is priced pretty good.

 

[RKG]

I have never fired GMM out of my M1A.

However, a couple of years ago, a local gun store owner asked me to test PPU .308 "Match" vs. GMM, using my .308 bolt gun. I elected to add my bolt gun pet load to the test. Bolt gun is a Savage VLP, with a 26" barrel and a high power scope.

My pet load beat both the PPU and the GMM, though by a small margin. I was not able to dectect a significant advantage of either of the factory loads over the other. Range was 300 yards.

My bolt gun pet load: 168 grain SMK, 42.2 grains of Reloder 15 trickled, same-stamp Win brass, CCI regular LR primer, cases carefully maintained at same case length and FL sized in regular RCBS die, COAL = 2.791" (equals 15 thou jump in my rifle), one minute spacing between shots and five minutes between 5-round strings.

Caution: never start with someone else's pet load.

 

[mac1911]

FGMM will generally shoot very well in almost any rifle.
Reloads can shoot better especially when you take the time to find what your rifle likes.

 

[RKG]

FGMM will generally shoot very well in almost any rifle.
Reloads can shoot better especially when you take the time to find what your rifle likes.

Concur. When I say my pet load outshot GMM, the difference was "significant" (i.s., real) but pretty small. What surprised me was how good the PPU "Match" was.

 

[roccoracer]

I shot my M1A for the first time today. I love the rifle. Unfortunately the range (indoor) was only 30 yards so my zero is probably a bit off at 100. In the spring I will be able to shoot out to 350 at my local range and get a true zero.

 

[mac1911]

Concur. When I say my pet load outshot GMM, the difference was "significant" (i.s., real) but pretty small. What surprised me was how good the PPU "Match" was.

PPU match has done well by me especially for the price differential. Now if I was only smart enough to snag a good amount of the wolf gold 223 that came through 10 years ago with the 75 grain match for just pennies more than the 55 grain stuff!

 

[mac1911]

I shot my M1A for the first time today. I love the rifle. Unfortunately the range (indoor) was only 30 yards so my zero is probably a bit off at 100. In the spring I will be able to shoot out to 350 at my local range and get a true zero.

what did you use for ammo

 

[roccoracer]

what did you use for ammo

Just some commercial 150 grain ball. I will work up a handload this spring.
Thank you everyone for your help with load information.

 

[mac1911]

Just some commercial 150 grain ball. I will work up a handload this spring.
Thank you everyone for your help with load information.

Even still you will be pretty close to a 100 yard zero when a tad low at 30 with just about any load / bullet.
then about 4 minutes to get to 300? Roughly

 

[RKG]

Just some commercial 150 grain ball. I will work up a handload this spring.
Thank you everyone for your help with load information.

If you are going to shoot store-bought out of an M14 or M1A, be sure to read the Zediker article referenced above by Mac1911.

 

[Skipmeok]

I shot my M1A for the first time today. I love the rifle. Unfortunately the range (indoor) was only 30 yards so my zero is probably a bit off at 100. In the spring I will be able to shoot out to 350 at my local range and get a true zero.

Be very careful shooting this indoors, you have a real good chance that the round will be coming back at you...at 2500fps. I don't know of too many ranges that allow center fire rifles indoors... If your's does then that's great, but I was on a range one day when a 223 came flying past us because someone made the mistake of shooting their rifle indoors...at 50 feet.

 

[Skipmeok]

I took my newly purchased M1A Match Rifle out to the range the other day and was running loads at 41.5, 42.0, 42.5, 43.0, and 43.5 grains of IMR4895 under a 168 grain Nosler and found that the 41.5 and 42.5 gave me the best sub MOA groups at 100 yards iron sights. I'll make up some more using .2 increments from 41.5 to 42.5 to see if I can improve those results, but I'll also add a Vortex Diamondback 4x16 scope and see how that goes... Stay tuned for more information.

 

[mac1911]

Be very careful shooting this indoors, you have a real good chance that the round will be coming back at you...at 2500fps. I don't know of too many ranges that allow center fire rifles indoors... If your's does then that's great, but I was on a range one day when a 223 came flying past us because someone made the mistake of shooting their rifle indoors...at 50 feet.

jackets can come back as can steel cores, along with anything alse. Indoor range back stop construction is probably a good indicator of how the bullet can come back.
50' is pretty close especially if high velocity. Even still i have had enough lead pellets from my air rifles come back at me to know anything can happen.

 

[mac1911]

I took my newly purchased M1A Match Rifle out to the range the other day and was running loads at 41.5, 42.0, 42.5, 43.0, and 43.5 grains of IMR4895 under a 168 grain Nosler and found that the 41.5 and 42.5 gave me the best sub MOA groups at 100 yards iron sights. I'll make up some more using .2 increments from 41.5 to 42.5 to see if I can improve those results, but I'll also add a Vortex Diamondback 4x16 scope and see how that goes... Stay tuned for more information.

Nice, is it a National Match or a Super Match.
Sub MOA with irons is good eyes. You should head out to cmp perry for the SAI M1a match, if you and your rifle can shoot MOA your likely to win.
2017 was won with a 377 , 2018 386/11X

 

[roccoracer]

Be very careful shooting this indoors, you have a real good chance that the round will be coming back at you...at 2500fps. I don't know of too many ranges that allow center fire rifles indoors... If your's does then that's great, but I was on a range one day when a 223 came flying past us because someone made the mistake of shooting their rifle indoors...at 50 feet.

The range is rated to 50BMG and people shoot it often in this range. We had no ossues but thank you for the information. I did not think of that.

 

[NavelOfficer]

Don't overlook frangible bullets either. Although they don't always break up upon impact on softer materials, they do offer a little more protection against ricochets on steel.
I've fired .223 Remington, 7.62x39mm, 9mm, 38 Special, .40 S&W and .45 ACP at less than three feet, but you still need to be aware that debris on the steel could come back at you, even if the bullets don't. For that reason, I'd shoot .308 and such like at no less than 20 feet.
This doesn't mean it's 100% guaranteed, of course.

 

[Skipmeok]

Nice, is it a National Match or a Super Match.
Sub MOA with irons is good eyes. You should head out to cmp perry for the SAI M1a match, if you and your rifle can shoot MOA your likely to win.
2017 was won with a 377 , 2018 386/11X

I should have posted the pictures of the targets but I didn't, the rounds were touching each other and I was having a good day at the range. As I said, the 41.5 & 42.5 performed the best, I haven't had the chance to do the .2 increments yet but I plan too. I'm also thinking of trying SMK 175's to see how they perform out of this rifle. And yes, it's a National Match...and other than shooting my Ruger Precision 6mm Creedmoor, this rifle is a blast!!! I'm so happy I invested the $1500 for this thing...Camp Perry here I come!!

 

[Skipmeok]

The range is rated to 50BMG and people shoot it often in this range. We had no ossues but thank you for the information. I did not think of that.

Good God!!!! A 50bmg at 60 feet.... That'd scare the crap out of me.... I honestly have never heard of a range offering 50 bmg indoors. A lot of ranges don't even like those on the outdoor ranges. I shoot at a 600 yard range and you can't shoot anything larger than a .338 mag... Good God?!?!? Duck...it's coming back!!!

 

[mac1911]

I should have posted the pictures of the targets but I didn't, the rounds were touching each other and I was having a good day at the range. As I said, the 41.5 & 42.5 performed the best, I haven't had the chance to do the .2 increments yet but I plan too. I'm also thinking of trying SMK 175's to see how they perform out of this rifle. And yes, it's a National Match...and other than shooting my Ruger Precision 6mm Creedmoor, this rifle is a blast!!! I'm so happy I invested the $1500 for this thing...Camp Perry here I come!!

National Match for $1500 is a good deal, where you score that.

 

[Skipmeok]

National Match for $1500 is a good deal, where you score that.

Four Seasons in Woburn... New Long Guns | Four Seasons Firearms

 

[mac1911]

Four Seasons in Woburn... New Long Guns | Four Seasons Firearms

Oh ok so you have the loaded for $1499. Even more impressive groups with irons. M1a can shoot not all do.

 

[PatMcD]

Back when i used it, my M14NM loved a Sierra 168 over 45gr of 748. 41.5 of 4895 was, and still is, the accuracy load that will shoot well in all rifles.
These days, i probably wouldn't bother with the168, though. I'd work up something for a 155 and 178's.

 

[mac1911]

Those 155s have worked well for me in all my 30 cal rifles.
Especially the K31.