Question for M1 Garand shooters

[cmansguns]

Have been out of genuine M2 ball ammo for my all correct IHC postage stamp Garand for several years now. Recently wanted to take her out for a fun spin on steel at 200 yds (where I've always had zeroed with the NM sights) but I checked what I have on hand in 30-06 ammo and have some questions:

Have American Eagle, 150 gr. FMJ, labeled specifically for M1 Garand, box states 2740 fps. Only have 2 boxes left (40 rds)

Have PPU RifleLine, 150 gr SP (Soft Point) stated 2904 fps. Have several boxes.

Have Remington Core-Lokt, 150 gr. CL-PSP, stated 2910 fps. Have a few boxes of this hunting ammo.

So here is the dilemma: Shoot or don't shoot the 2900 fps stuff?

I am a GCA Member and have been on that site but as expected the answers are about 50/50. My Garand is in very fine condition and oiled and greased where appropriate so I'm not worried about dry function, but damage to the op rod is always in Garand owners minds.

CMP currently has a bulk buy offer on 150 gr ammo but it is noted as Federal and I don't know of anyone with any experience with Federal.

So.........what do any of you actual Garand shooters think? Shoot it all up, stay away from the higher velocity stuff, load one round at a time, (can do but no fun that way).

Thanks for listening, and any opinions, hoping this site may turn out better one way or the other, than 50/50 over on GCA

Anyone in the State of Virginia that has some M2 ball they would like to sell (or trade for something I have gun wise)?

 

[waffles]

I'm sure you're already aware of this, but have you considered grabbing an adjustable gas plug? Pretty cheap and lets you shoot the spicier stuff without concerns about battering your oprod.

Schuster DCM Adjustable Gas Plug Wrench M1 Garand Steel Parkerized

 

[Spurdann]

If it is listed as safe for the Garand then I would shoot that first. If you can’t find any Garand ammo or don’t reload then get an adjustable gas plug, that or drill a spare out and you now have a single shot and you can shoot whatever you like out of it. Being that it is a tractor gun I would pick up another from the CMP.

 

[Alk8944]

Specific velocity of ammunition for the Garand is not the issue, gas port pressure is! The higher velocity of commercial ammunition is often obtained by using propellants of a slower burning rate than IMR 4895, which causes the pressure at the gas port to be higher. This is why burning rate of the propellant used is important. The gas system of the Garand was designed around the burning rate of IMR4895 and all U. S. Military ammunition used either 4895 or equivalent.

The problem is two-fold. The most cited issue is damage to the operating rod, and this can happen, but the more important issue is the back of the receiver can be broken out because of excessive velocity imparted to the bolt causing it to strike the rear of the receiver harder than the receiver was designed to sustain. Doesn't happen often, but it does sometimes! Do you want to take the chance? This is one reason that Garand shooters should always load their own ammunition of shoot surplus!

The adjustable gas cylinder plug is one option, but how do you know how to adjust it to keep gas port pressure in the range it should be?

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Specific velocity of ammunition for the Garand is not the issue, gas port pressure is! The higher velocity of commercial ammunition is often obtained by using propellants of a slower burning rate than IMR 4895, which causes the pressure at the gas port to be higher. This is why burning rate of the propellant used is important. The gas system of the Garand was designed around the burning rate of IMR4895 and all U. S. Military ammunition used either 4895 or equivalent.

The problem is two-fold. The most cited issue is damage to the operating rod, and this can happen, but the more important issue is the back of the receiver can be broken out because of excessive velocity imparted to the bolt causing it to strike the rear of the receiver harder than the receiver was designed to sustain. Doesn't happen often, but it does sometimes! Do you want to take the chance? This is one reason that Garand shooters should always load their own ammunition of shoot surplus!

The adjustable gas cylinder plug is one option, but how do you know how to adjust it to keep gas port pressure in the range it should be?

My friend put a Shuster gas plug in one of his Garands.........It shot all over the place. We could never get it to zero........Went back to OEM plug

 

[growr]

Many articles on reloading M2 replicant ammo for the M1.....I have no issues following the load data for M1 as published by the NRA.

Then you have a ready supply to feed your M1.....I have never used the adjustable plug...saw too many accuracy problems.

Given what you already have use the ammo that most closely replicates M2 Ball ammo.

Randy

 

[Nevada Ed]

The Remington ammo was designed for their model 700 bolt action rifle
that came out in the 1960's.

The M1 came out in 1936 and was around in the 1940's in numbers after
corrections and changes by the parent company, that improved its service.

M1 factory 150 gr ammo was set at 2800fps, for it to work properly
and most generally ran around 2760fps, in tight rifles, with most ammo.

Some M1's do well with a 147 or 150 gr, hand loads at 2570fps.

Take care.

 

[old tanker]

I load Hornady #3037 150 gr FMJ-BT bullets over IMR 4895 to shoot in my M1. While the cannelure suits 7.62 NATO better it works well enough. I have a stash of M2 .30 cal projectiles produced by IMI but I have not seen any for a while.

 

[desi2358]

You are aware that Federal makes the American Eagle ammo line aren't you? If the CMP is selling Federal 150gr 30-06 ammo I would suspect that it is loaded to the same specs as Federal offered in thier American Eagle line or I would expect them to post a notice on the CMP website. After all, they have sold a lot of Garands and should expect that anyone buying 30-06 from them would likely be using it in one.

 

[minconrevo]

For the Garand, it is a good idea to avoid "soft" primers as found in some sporting spec .30-'06. You may shoot 1000's of them, then one day pull the trigger on an "extra soft" one. Bad things can happen in a Garand, in that case. Likewise a gummed-up firing pin in a Garand can cause a similar bad outcome.

US GI .30-06 is safe. Commercial ammo marked "Made for M-1 Garand" or similar should be fine to send downrange too.

 

[djohns6]

You will not find any commercially loaded 30-06 ammo that is going to damage your Garand . The adjustable gas plug is not needed .

 

[Dvus]

You will not find any commercially loaded 30-06 ammo that is going to damage your Garand . The adjustable gas plug is not needed .

I would give my true feelings about this statement, but already got a demerit once already this year for speaking my true feelings. All I can say is that anyone who would spout the above, deserves the broken op rod and cracked receiver they get. All one needs to do is watch the slow-mo video (search you-tube, it's on there) showing the cycling speed between M2 ball and commercially loaded sporting .30-06 ammo. Commercially loaded ammo operates WAY FASTER. Just DON'T DO IT!!

 

[Dvus]

Also, not only does Federal and PPU make Garand compatible ammo, but Sellier & Bellot has a wonderful Garand designed loading that shoots "lights out" in my M1s.

 

[djohns6]

I would give my true feelings about this statement, but already got a demerit once already this year for speaking my true feelings. All I can say is that anyone who would spout the above, deserves the broken op rod and cracked receiver they get. All one needs to do is watch the slow-mo video (search you-tube, it's on there) showing the cycling speed between M2 ball and commercially loaded sporting .30-06 ammo. Commercially loaded ammo operates WAY FASTER. Just DON'T DO IT!!

General Hatcher would disagree ...
Reddit - Dive into anything

 

[clang444]

I would suggest a Garand Gear Ported gas plug - nothing to adjust, just replace your stock plug and it reduces peak gas pressure at least 30%

 

[RWJ]

PM sent about USGI ammo on stripper clips

 

[Baxter6551]

Some good advice already posted here. Others have noted the correct ammo and the good American Eagle and S&B commercial loads. I second the Garand Gear Gas plug. I have them in my rifles. Check their research and data in this link.

The M1 Garand and Commercial Ammunition - GarandGear

**** Just my opinion ****DO NOT *** shoot commercial .30-06 unless it is the proper load or you have one of these plugs **

The rifle in photo was on display when I took the CMP Advanced Maintainance class in Anniston. Someone shot over pressure ammo in it. The excess pressure slams the bolt into the heel of the receiver. This is the result.

 

[Electraclyde]

I do reload my own ammo for my Winchester M1 Garand. No need to worry about hurting my rifle or myself.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It's not the velocity you should worry about. It's the pressure curve of the powder used to load the ammo.

 

[cmansguns]

Thanks to all for M1 ammo advice

Thank you all for the answers to my questions. For my purposes of fun shooting my M1 Garand and not any sort of competition I'm staying with the original gas plug and bit the bullet so to speak this morning and ordered from CMP the Federal (American Eagle) case of 150 gr, FMJ, marked specifically for the M1.

This matches the remaining 2 boxes I have of American Eagle M1 ammo so plenty to play with for a while.

I'm going to put the PPU Rifleline Soft Point (3 boxes) and the Remington Core-Lokt (3 boxes) up for sale/trade on the Forum later today if any are interested. I no longer have any rifles chambered for 30-06 other than the M1.