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Gettin' started!

aksavanaman

aksavanaman

Work In Progress...
Supporter
"Philanthropist"
So this reloading saga began long ago when @nitesite sent me some of .45 goodies (which are still waiting for the day to be used:oops:... soon!) and it's been on my mind ever since. Fast forward to a few months ago and here I am at the range and just shot my last clip (yeah... en-bloc type) through my Garand, and I swear she looked at me and said "what now?".

Well, for whatever reason the CMP doesn't want to ship their Greek HXP to Juneau, even though they had no problems going to Kodiak? So what am I gonna do? Buy the expensive Federal M1 loads or run an adjustable gas block to shoot hotter modern loads.

I didn't like either of those options and since I was a savvy, responsible shooter I had saved up 500+ rounds of .30-06 brass. I don't have a bench or press yet... but my buddy offered his equipment to learn on and to start getting into this reloading business.

I wish I could've gotten a picture of the dirty yucky brass that we de-primed and tumbled for 3 hours to come out looking PURDY and shinny!

I picked up a used set of dies since my buddy didn't have a .30-06 set and we went to work resizing and priming my stash of brass... I'll be so excited to start feeding this to my Garand, and she will be to!

clean brass.JPG
Dies.JPG
in action.JPG
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Fantastic.

I've yet to start reloading any rifle cal's because I don't have a case trimmer yet, but with any luck, by the end of the year that may change so I can start loading a 10x10x10 box of once fireds that I've hoarded over the years in anticipation for the day I start.

Been reloading a crap load of shotshell and 9mm lately though.
 
I am soo going to love following this thread! Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you going to use IMR-4895 or IMR-4064 for starters?

Congrats, Brother!
 
^That is a very important bit of info to anyone that hasn't done any rifle reloading, and something I didn't even think of. Thanks for that nitesite.
 
I didn't think about trimming, but I'll check the OAL to make sure they're in spec. I did use a full length sizer if that makes any difference?

nitesite said:
Are you going to use IMR-4895 or IMR-4064 for starters?
Click to expand...

I think most of the folks on the CMP forums suggest 46-47grn of 4895... some have it loaded hotter at 48 pushing 168 grainers. I'll be using Everglades ammo 150grn BT's... should make good plinking food.
 
48.5 to 50 gr. of IMR-4895 will give you between 2700 and 2850 fps. This is a recommended load for the Garand with a 150 gr bullet.
 
Deep1 said:
48.5 to 50 gr. of IMR-4895 will give you between 2700 and 2850 fps. This is a recommended load for the Garand with a 150 gr bullet.
Click to expand...

The two reloading manuals I've looked through are definitely on the conservative side, as I've seen it as low as 46grn. Now 50 seems high, haven't seen anyone recommend that. what I'll probably do is load a 8 with 46.5, 47 and 47.5 and see what she likes.
 
oli700 said:
nice work......

this is lengthy, starts a little slow but will enlighten your reloading knowledge greatly .......way worth the read. It will change the way you look at some traditional realoding rules and lore

Secrets of the Houston warehouse
http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/max357/houston.html
Click to expand...

That's some reading my friend! While it does make me want to ponder over accuracy potentials... I don't think my post-war service grade 55' Garand will be an accuracy queen. She did measure +1 for crown and +2 for throat (which is pretty darn good comin' from the CMP stocks) I was pleasantly surprised at how well that 40+ year old Greek brass cleaned up, especially seeing how it came from the CMP ( I had to clean polish some off to feel comfortable firing them!)

I initially thought that the surplus brass wouldn't be reloadable do to the primer crimp, but a few min researching showed that the HXP brass has a very shallow crimp that doesn't interfere with reloading, obviously, since I didn't have any issues seating the primers.

For now I just wanna get a consistent, reliably functioning load that can throw some bullets down range and ring my 8" plate at a couple hundred yards. Its been too long since I've heard the PING!
 
Lyman Reloading Handbook #49 has a load listed at up to 51.5 gr of IMR-4895 for a velocity of 2958 fps. With 150 gr, bullet my Garand cycles best at about 49 gr, with a 150 gr. bullet giving me 2740 fps avg. I have not shot a 150 gr bullet in it for many years. My current load is a 168 gr Sierra Matchking on top of 47.3 gr. of IMR-4895 giving me solid reliability, half minute accuracy and 2645 fps avg.
 
Awesome.

I actually just ordered 4895, Winchester primers and some hornady 155gr Amax bullets.

I'm taking oli's advice and getting a reloading kit started up.

I hear 4064 and varget are better powders.

FYI - prvi partizan and seller & bellot sell a commercial M2 ball round that's better than the cmp hxp and not far off in price. They make them in batches so you should see prvi loads on the shelf soon.
 
I would not ever say 4064 or Varget or 4895 is a "better" powder. The best powder is the one you determine to be the most consistent and accurate in a given caliber in a given firearm. I use 4064 in my Remington 700 in 30-06 with a 200 gr. cast bullet and in my Ruger Scout rifle in .308 with the same 200 gr. cast bullet. I was never able to get as accurate a load in the Garand with 4064 as with 4895. That is just how it works though. Your mileage may vary. Never used Varget in anything, but have never heard anything but good words about it. Very versatile and very forgiving as I understand it.
 
aksavanaman said:
That's some reading my friend! While it does make me want to ponder over accuracy potentials... I don't think my post-war service grade 55' Garand will be an accuracy queen. She did measure +1 for crown and +2 for throat (which is pretty darn good comin' from the CMP stocks) I was pleasantly surprised at how well that 40+ year old Greek brass cleaned up, especially seeing how it came from the CMP ( I had to clean polish some off to feel comfortable firing them!)

I initially thought that the surplus brass wouldn't be reloadable do to the primer crimp, but a few min researching showed that the HXP brass has a very shallow crimp that doesn't interfere with reloading, obviously, since I didn't have any issues seating the primers.

For now I just wanna get a consistent, reliably functioning load that can throw some bullets down range and ring my 8" plate at a couple hundred yards. Its been too long since I've heard the PING!
Click to expand...
i figured I just threw it up because you said you weren't trimming.....all that neck tension talk in there make a tone of since to me and explains some of the thing that have made me wonder
If you at least do a quick trim they will be much more consistent ...you never know man your next target might really count ....400 yards, coming right for ya lol
 
I did a check of all the cases a couple days ago with the micrometer... sure enough, about half of them were out of spec. Already bought a trimmer to get them going. Should I just do'm all, that way they're all the same length? (I already know the answer... just thought I'd ask anyways)

This reloading thing definitely has my attention, I'm enjoying the heck out of it... enough to wanna throw my .223 brass in the tumbler and start loading some 75's and 77's for the SPR!
 
aksavanaman said:
I did a check of all the cases a couple days ago with the micrometer... sure enough, about half of them were out of spec. Already bought a trimmer to get them going. Should I just do'm all, that way they're all the same length? (I already know the answer... just thought I'd ask anyways)

This reloading thing definitely has my attention, I'm enjoying the heck out of it... enough to wanna throw my .223 brass in the tumbler and start loading some 75's and 77's for the SPR!
Click to expand...
I would make them all the same dude... you wont have to do it again for a few loading. Probably quite a few out of the Garand with the light loads

Speaking of your SPR....you still got the Wyle barrel ?
 
Yup still got'r... I haven't taken her to the range in months... but reloading this 30-06 reminded me how much I enjoy shooting it.

oli700 said:
I would make them all the same dude... you wont have to do it again for a few loading.
Click to expand...

Yeah, if I'm already taking time to set up the trimmer... might as well do'm all. From what I've read, by the time I'd get around having to trim again, I'm probably close to the end of the brass' life span... but who knows.
 
Just remember to trim after full length resizing, not before.

IMR-4895 or IMR-4064 are the good ones for use in an M1 Garand. You can do Varget if you don't go near MAX.

The Service Rifle data in the Hornady manual is gospel as far as I am concerned.
 
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