Hunting loads for Garand?

[no guns here]

Wife just bought a Garand for me.  I know that I have to use ball or equivalent loadings.  I know that there are some commercial loadings, but I think they are all for plinking/target.  Are there any commercial "hunting" loads that I could use in the Garand.  Don't worry, I have plenty of other deer rifles but thought I'd like to try it once with the Garand.


Thanks in advance,
NGH

[mauser98us]

One must stay with the same loads as mil-spec. Any stronger and one takes the chance of bending the op-rod and hammering the bolt and action. This is due to the slide speed of hi-velocity ammo being too fast. You know you have the proper ammo when it ejects your cases at roughly 12 to 3 o'clock  area to your rifle.

[no guns here]

Exactly what I said... that being said, does anyone know of any factory "hunting loads" for the Garand?  In other words, factory loaded ammunition suitable for firing in a Garand that utilizes a bullet suitable for hunting deer or hogs?

NGH

[Dances with Geoducks]

 Are there any commercial "hunting" loads that I could use in the Garand.

Not that I would use in my NM Garand.

150-152gr BT (original were flat base 152)
47gr IMR-4895
CCI # 34 Primer
LC Cases

As close to M2 Ball as you can get.

[S.S.]

I don't know of any that I would use in a Garand. It is
pressure sensitive. There is a company in Villa Rica Georgia (semi-commercial)
called Georgia Arms, that makes ammo., Give them a call and explain what you
are after and I would wager he can fix you up. 150 grain ballistic tip
would be a killer in 30-06 at M2 velocities.

[no guns here]

Thanks... I saved off Geoducks load.  At first I thought BT meant "boat tails" but on second thought it probably is "Ballistic Tip".  I agree a Ballistic Tip at 2700 fps would probably result in a few DRT's... 

Thanks for the advice,
NGH

[shot1]

A real good hunting load for the M1 Garand is 46 to 47 grs IMR 4064 depending on the case used, military or commercial, with most any primers except a Federal, and the Sierra 165 gr HPBT hunting bullet. This bullet is about as accurate as the 168 Match King and it is a real killer on deer and it functions perfectly in the Garand.

[Dances with Geoducks]

At first I thought BT meant "boat tails"

It did, tried A-Max in my M1 when I first got it. It didnt like to feed them.

Original M2 was flat based. I used boat tailed bullets now.

[mtbugle]

+1 on the 165 to 168 grainers. 4895 powder is good. I run 47 gr with mine.

[1911crazy]

Caution here there are different powders in "4895" don't get them mixed up.

I use IMR 4895 in all my military and modern semi auto's maily because the gun powder burn rate is perfect for the cycling of them.  Besafe do it right.

Don't forget the CCI  #34 nato primers too.  They have a thicker wall so slam fires won't occur in the semi auto's.

Tip;  Some military semi auto's don't like the heavier bullets.  I try to stay between 145gr and 150gr on the semi auto's.  And i wouldn't go any higher than 168gr max. if you need to go higher.  What limits this I believe is the breech pressure is much higher and the peak time is longer with the 180gr to 220gr bullets and this could effect the gas system/timing too.

[shot1]

The only primer you really need to stay away from with the free floating firing pin rifles like the M1 Garand is the Federal. I have shot WW, CCI regular and CCI-BR's and Remington for years in these rifles and know a bunch of people that do the same and have never had a single problem. I have used the Wolf SR mag primer in my AR with no problem but have not tried them in the Garand. When I first started loading for the M1 Garand many moons ago I started with Federal and I learned really fast what it felt like to shoot a 2 and 3 shot burst from a BAR. Yep, they will slam fire. Had an old fellow tell me my problem that day at the range without even knowing that I was using Federal primers.

Be aware that the CCI #34 primer is a MAG strength primer.

[Dances with Geoducks]

Be aware that the CCI #34 primer is a MAG strength primer.

Not necessary, using under 50gr of IMR-4895, you are so far under max cup.

By the time your pressure raises to that point, you will have bent your op rod.

I have only used CCI #34 for decades in all kinds of gas guns.

Never have had one problem yet.

[1911crazy]

With free floating firing pins the CCI#34 nato primer is the only safe one to use in any semi auto.  I believe its a tad hotter than the regular large rifle primers but not up to a magnum primer level.  I wouldn't use the CCI#34 nato primers in any of the belted magnum rifles.  I will look further into this.       Czy

[hamourkiller]

NGH, I am new to the board and was browsing and found this thread, hope the reply is not to late to help.

Standard 150gr WW or RP 30-06 Factory loads will be OK, just dont shoot several thousand of them, but 10 or so a year for deer hunting will be fine. Purists will screem but that is OK.

Another option, is to take ball loadings and pull the m2 ball with a collet puller. Then seat a WW 150gr Power point or some other flat based 150gr 30 cal hunting bullet in the case. Works like a champ and improves accuracy as well. I would do a couple of clips worth and if you are satisfied with the range results then do several hundred of the same batch and have hunting ammo for a very long time!

If you want to reload then just stick with IMR-4895 and IMR-4064 with 150 to 180 gr bullets and cci 200 lr primers.

150gr bullet velocity = 2800fps
165gr bullet velocity = 2700fps
180gr bullet velocity = 2600fps
Any load with these two powders at these bullet velocities will be Garand safe. Other powders will work but these are the classics.

Have fun

Hank

Wife just bought a Garand for me.  I know that I have to use ball or equivalent loadings.  I know that there are some commercial loadings, but I think they are all for plinking/target.  Are there any commercial "hunting" loads that I could use in the Garand.  Don't worry, I have plenty of other deer rifles but thought I'd like to try it once with the Garand.


Thanks in advance,
NGH

[Mikey]

hamourkiller:  Welcome aboard and thank you for your post. 

NGH:  I don't know if you reload but the one and only loading I (and a bunch of buddies) ever used for the Garand was a 180 gn bullet and 47.5 gns of IMR 4895, for 2659'/sec.  This is the load we used to duplicate the 06 mil-spec match loading with a 173 gn bullet at 2650'/sec.  We would use this load to clear our rifle ranges of Javelina, Kotimundi (we rarely shot at them as we could almost play with them they were so friendly), and to keep the larger jungle cats away, as often in the early morning we could smell the larger cats and were always glad we had rifles and pistols with us; nothing like a very heavy 'litter box' odor to let us know when a big cat was in the area.  A couple of times we would nail the Javelinas that crossed the range and those that did not drop right there would run off into the surrounding jungle - it was then we would know there was a large cat around as we would hear it pounce on the wounded pig and there would be thrashing around, and then the silence of the porkers would be, ummm, noticeable....

[shot1]

If the CCI #34 is the only safe primer to use in rifles with free floating firing pins what did people use before the 1980's or 90's when they came out with the CCI #34?     In 35 years I have never had a single problem with any primer in these type rifles except for Federal.

[mcwoodduck]

I have a garand,
and mine shoots all factory loaded ammo, from FMJ 150's to Round nose 180's and everything inbetween.
The only think I had problems with was the 55 grain accelerators.  They would fire and were relitivly accurate the only thing is they would not cycle the action.  but the one time I was going to take it bobcat hunting I had something that would have worked as a funky bolt action.
I have shot deer with mine and probably will not do it again as I shot, hit and shot again and again.  I was young - 20 -21 and was used to shooting deer with the bolt and by the time you cycle the bolt the deer was usually down.  Not in this case.  But it did kill a deer with 150 grain Winchester, Remington, or Feederal as I shot all through it at the time.  I think I was fond of the 172 grain Remington extended range rounds at the time.  think I still have some in an Em boc Clip.
Speaking of Clips- Do you need any?  I think I can spare up to $50 at $1 each.

[no guns here]

Thanks for the information.

I'm in Germany

Garand is in my safe in Kentucky

May leave Germany July 1st or so

Hope to sell one or two rifles before I leave Germany

This will finance the reloading gear

I don't plan on hunting much at all with the Garand but would like to try it

I think with the right bullets it would make a decent deer/pig gun as long as you can shoot them in the daylight, I won't scope mine

So I saved off some of the load suggestions and primer warnings

Thanks a bunch!

NGH

[1894cfan]

Just a suggestion, if you have reloading gear with a bullet puller, you might try pulling the FMJ's and seating soft points in their place. I do that quite often with my .308 bolt action and 03-A3. HTH

[gunnut69]

I've worked on many garands and they are indeed fine rifles.. I've never had any slam fire problems but have no expreience with any promers other than CCI and Remington. I'd advise staying away from heavy bullets in the garand, especially if factory ammo. The slower powders used to optimise velocities causes port pressure to be too high and this is the usual cause of bent op-rods, other than the early square cut rods. Later issue rods and those with the relief cuts should work fine with factory ammo (150-165 grain bullets).. These are great wifles and will take a tremendous amount of abuse. One I worked for a friend was jamming fairly often (2-3 per clip). The problem I found was the barrel had been set back and the chamber lengthened. This left to op-rod too long so the nimrod peened the gas cylinder splines and let the screw retain it.. The op rod had to jump up on the slide surface of the bottom of the barrel, and the gas leakage was so great there was insufficient pressure to run the action. A new barrel solved the porblem but it was enlightening just what this great rifle will endure..

[S.B.]

One must stay with the same loads as mil-spec. Any stronger and one takes the chance of bending the op-rod and hammering the bolt and action. This is due to the slide speed of hi-velocity ammo being too fast. You know you have the proper ammo when it ejects your cases at roughly 12 to 3 o'clock  area to your rifle.

Port pressure was the culprit here.
Steve

[kiddekop]

Wife just bought a Garand for me.  I know that I have to use ball or equivalent loadings.  I know that there are some commercial loadings, but I think they are all for plinking/target.  Are there any commercial "hunting" loads that I could use in the Garand.  Don't worry, I have plenty of other deer rifles but thought I'd like to try it once with the Garand.


Thanks in advance,
NGH

Send me your email address and I'll email you Garand reloading data that is accurate I used 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tips,IMR 4895,CCI & Rem LR Primers in commercial & Denver 1942 & 1943 mil brass.Dropped a Colorado Mule Deer Buck with a neck shot at approx 300 yards only modification was a dean alley redfield hooded globe front sight with inserts.brownells sells if part # 034-200-001

[bubbinator]

Hornady lists a M1 Garand specific load loaded with an A-MAx bullet.  Mid-South Shooters and Midway both stock it.  It runs about 2700fps from what I've read.

[moorepower]

Or buy the Hornady reloading manual, they have a section dedicated to the Garand. I always used BR2 primers, and IMR-4064 is my favorite powder. Any 150-180 grain bullet should do the trick. Mine really likes the 168 grain of who ever's I have on the shelf and the 178 grain A-max.

[maddogg]

If your afraid of damaging your op rod you can install one of these.
You can tune your gun to different loads by adjusting the gas pressure.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=777146

[marine]

For the factory ammo both american eagle and hornady have loads for the garand.  Ive shot just about everything through mine and she still runs like a champ.  I had never heard of specific loads till i owned mine for a few years so if there was damage then it was done.  there are special gas plugs you can buy and that will allow you to shoot whatever you want regardless of the pressure.