Searching for M1 Garand Ball Ammo

[JeepHammer]

Thanks for all the responses and PM's everyone has sent! I am definitely going to pick up a modified gas block so I don't bend my op rod. My M1 Garand has a new criterion barrel on it but everything else is original. Got it from CMP that way with certificate of authenticity. Always wanted one and never really knew how fun they are to shoot until I purchased mine. Now i am going to have to get a 1903 Springfield and a M1 Carbine! Oh boy.....what have i gotten myself into?!?! LOL

*IF* you know a competent, trained reloader...
Buy a single load manual for M1 Garand/US 30 cal ammo.
They aren't too expensive (around $15-$20) and most will recommend the CORRECT propellants/charge weights for your Garand.

Then it's just finding a competent reloader with correct equipment to build the rounds for you in a pinch, like when we have unnecessary ammo shortages...

I crank mine out on a Dillon 1050 (better repeatability on the iron frame than on aluminum frame machines) but that's a big outlay up front, about $2,000 before any 'extras' for the press.
It does make good, reliable, match quality ammo fairly easily, but besides cost there is a pretty steep learning curve!

 

[GSPBirdDog]

*IF* you know a competent, trained reloader...
Buy a single load manual for M1 Garand/US 30 cal ammo.
They aren't too expensive (around $15-$20) and most will recommend the CORRECT propellants/charge weights for your Garand.

Then it's just finding a competent reloader with correct equipment to build the rounds for you in a pinch, like when we have unnecessary ammo shortages...

I crank mine out on a Dillon 1050 (better repeatability on the iron frame than on aluminum frame machines) but that's a big outlay up front, about $2,000 before any 'extras' for the press.
It does make good, reliable, match quality ammo fairly easily, but besides cost there is a pretty steep learning curve!

Thanks for the heads up! You are the first person I know of to date loading M1 Garand on a 1050. I am going to have to find a conversion so I can do the same. Do you think I fall under the category of a COMPETENT reloader??? LOL Just Joking! I'm sure you had no idea if I reloaded or not. Now I just need to build another bench for the Dillon 750 and a place to use my annealer.

 

[JeepHammer]

No offense intended.
I've seen the most dedicated reloaders using Rock Chuckers, and I've seen the worst reloaders using top end equipment...
And everything in between.
I'm a firm believer in learning to do it absolutely correctly, then moving up to do production.
Makes no sense to me making a LOT of crap ammo you could still buy cheaper than making.

There is plenty of information to self educate and do the job correctly, and frankly we are just doing the mechanical functions most times without much thought of the science, so you don't really need classical education to turn out a good, reliable & consistent round.

No one jumped in here with ".30-06 is the same thing!" So that's a start...
The guys knew enough NOT to be overtly dangerous.

I just couldn't get a good, consistent round out of other progressives, that long, hard case made too much resistance in the dies, and I still usually size on one trip through the machine, load on a second pass. LOTS of brass pushing on those cases.
1050 did a better job simply because it's more rigid. I got a product that could actually be called 'Match' grade.

 

[OurDee]

I appreciate the education here on the difference between the M1 Garand ammo and standard 30/06 loading. I was allowed to shoot someones Garand years ago at Atterbury. He also supplied the ammo, but didn't educate me on it. It was a hoot firing it at 200 yards. A memorable day!

 

[JeepHammer]

I appreciate the education here on the difference between the M1 Garand ammo and standard 30/06 loading. I was allowed to shoot someones Garand years ago at Atterbury. He also supplied the ammo, but didn't educate me on it. It was a hoot firing it at 200 yards. A memorable day!

The most simple way to remember it,
US adopted the Springfield rifle of 1903.
Once the military adopts something it is 'Standardized' for quite a while, that US 30 cartridge was still in use past Vietnam war... and is still being used in foreign countries.

The .30-06 is .30 caliber of 1906.
'03 Springfield/Military, '06 civilian.

The MILITARY US-30 (cal) existed before the civilian .30-06
And when you consider the events happening at that time (firearms history) improvements were happening fast & furious.
Nitrocellulose based propellants were getting more powerful almost daily...

I wrecked one of my Garand rifles using Korean surplus US 30 ammo,
Looked good, 'correct' caliber, came through the CMP, turned out to be too hot for the old M1.
After my rifle went south, there was a recall and a lot of warnings, but too late for me.
There is a reason I do M1 ONLY ammo now, purchased or reloaded.

They really are a blast to shoot!
I got to introduce a new generation to the old M1 just before the virus hit,
They had seen it on a video game and were stoked to fire one,
But they learned about 'M1 Thumb' before it was over...

 

[BigMoose]

150 grain Core-Lokt from Remington is loaded such that it's almost a dead ringer for M2 Ball..
It's safe for your Garand.

This stuff is loaded for Remington 740/7400s (Also gas guns) which are even more fragile then the Garand in many ways

You can shoot this stuff safely in the Garand all day.

 

[DadSmith]

No offense intended.
I've seen the most dedicated reloaders using Rock Chuckers, and I've seen the worst reloaders using top end equipment...
And everything in between.
I'm a firm believer in learning to do it absolutely correctly, then moving up to do production.
Makes no sense to me making a LOT of crap ammo you could still buy cheaper than making.

There is plenty of information to self educate and do the job correctly, and frankly we are just doing the mechanical functions most times without much thought of the science, so you don't really need classical education to turn out a good, reliable & consistent round.

No one jumped in here with ".30-06 is the same thing!" So that's a start...
The guys knew enough NOT to be overtly dangerous.

I just couldn't get a good, consistent round out of other progressives, that long, hard case made too much resistance in the dies, and I still usually size on one trip through the machine, load on a second pass. LOTS of brass pushing on those cases.
1050 did a better job simply because it's more rigid. I got a product that could actually be called 'Match' grade.

I use a single stage press for most of my rifle reloads. I normally load match bullets and the powder is measured to the exact grain I want. I'll use my turret press for fodder rds. But anything I want to hit at 500 yards within a moa is done on the single stage press.

My son just got his M1 Garand. I talked to my gunsmith about it because I knew they took different load than a modern 30-06 hunting rifle. I have not loaded any yet I'm still trying to figure out what powder and grain to use to be safe for his rifle.

 

[2in1evtime]

I have a few hundred once fired LC brass, i found a load using H335 and 150 grain bullets that works for me. If anyone is in need of brass i might part with some. i can post it in the classifieds tomorrow maybe

 

[JeepHammer]

I have a few hundred once fired LC brass, i found a load using H335 and 150 grain bullets that works for me. If anyone is in need of brass i might part with some. i can post it in the classifieds tomorrow maybe

There was a crap ton of old brass around here, but not so much anymore.
Takes some work to bring that WWII/Korea stuff back to specification, I just use newer brass now.

Brass composition (alloy) of military brass can vary wildly, probably because of shortages during war time and crazy increased demand.

Annealing the necks was the big deal, inconsistent alloy, the movement the brass makes in military chambers, and the sheer aging factor (environmental hardening) it's a pain to get back to pretty much dead soft again without having it go south.
Too soft and it tears/won't hold a bullet without crimping, too hard and it cracks.

Full on reconstitution through heating is a chore...

 

[2in1evtime]

There was a crap ton of old brass around here, but not so much anymore.
Takes some work to bring that WWII/Korea stuff back to specification, I just use newer brass now.

Brass composition (alloy) of military brass can vary wildly, probably because of shortages during war time and crazy increased demand.

Annealing the necks was the big deal, inconsistent alloy, the movement the brass makes in military chambers, and the sheer aging factor (environmental hardening) it's a pain to get back to pretty much dead soft again without having it go south.
Too soft and it tears/won't hold a bullet without crimping, too hard and it cracks.

Full on reconstitution through heating is a chore...

I myself can attest to having problems with brass from the 40's and 50's, or any fired from a machine gun, but with the brass i have now all late 60's and 70's lake city i have not had any issues what so ever, i have some that have more than 5 reloads on and no issues as of yet. I am meticulous on my reloading, i keep track of brass that i use in match shoots and anneal it when it needs it depending on caliber etc. Anything i have tried to resize and fired from a machine gun is a problem trying to get shoulders bumped back to pass a chamber check gauge, I use redding dies exclusively now, it it has made a big difference, wont touch a hornady die, at all!!!!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I myself can attest to having problems with brass from the 40's and 50's, or any fired from a machine gun, but with the brass i have now all late 60's and 70's lake city i have not had any issues what so ever, i have some that have more than 5 reloads on and no issues as of yet. I am meticulous on my reloading, i keep track of brass that i use in match shoots and anneal it when it needs it depending on caliber etc. Anything i have tried to resize and fired from a machine gun is a problem trying to get shoulders bumped back to pass a chamber check gauge, I use redding dies exclusively now, it it has made a big difference, wont touch a hornady die, at all!!!!

I've had great luck with the HXP brass, both in 30-06 and .303 Brit. I used some of the .303 Brit to make 30-40 Krag cases.

 

[2in1evtime]

I've had great luck with the HXP brass, both in 30-06 and .303 Brit. I used some of the .303 Brit to make 30-40 Krag cases.

All the brass i have is fired by myself, or my son or grandson, I keep all the match brass for my personal use, I stacked it deep years ago"ammo" then a few years ago had a friend contact me that his granddad had some lake city and hxp to get rid of, my little ford ranger was completely loaded to the rails in the bed full, little truck had a good load on her. i expanded our basement so storage isn't a problem, just moving that load down basement steps was fun!!!!! I did make make some 8mm mauser out of 30 06 brass dang that is work though

 

[DoggyDaddy]

All the brass i have is fired by myself, or my son or grandson, I keep all the match brass for my personal use, I stacked it deep years ago"ammo" then a few years ago had a friend contact me that his granddad had some lake city and hxp to get rid of, my little ford ranger was completely loaded to the rails in the bed full, little truck had a good load on her. i expanded our basement so storage isn't a problem, just moving that load down basement steps was fun!!!!! I did make make some 8mm mauser out of 30 06 brass dang that is work though

I thought about trying to make some 6.5x53R (Dutch) out of .303 brass, but decided that was beyond my skill and tool set. Wound up sourcing some and it was... made out of .303 brass!

 

[GSPBirdDog]

No offense intended.
I've seen the most dedicated reloaders using Rock Chuckers, and I've seen the worst reloaders using top end equipment...
And everything in between.
I'm a firm believer in learning to do it absolutely correctly, then moving up to do production.
Makes no sense to me making a LOT of crap ammo you could still buy cheaper than making.

There is plenty of information to self educate and do the job correctly, and frankly we are just doing the mechanical functions most times without much thought of the science, so you don't really need classical education to turn out a good, reliable & consistent round.

No one jumped in here with ".30-06 is the same thing!" So that's a start...
The guys knew enough NOT to be overtly dangerous.

I just couldn't get a good, consistent round out of other progressives, that long, hard case made too much resistance in the dies, and I still usually size on one trip through the machine, load on a second pass. LOTS of brass pushing on those cases.
1050 did a better job simply because it's more rigid. I got a product that could actually be called 'Match' grade.

When you size your 30-06 brass on your 1050, do you size with the Dillon trim die? Or do you trim in a separate operation?

 

[JeepHammer]

I load in two passes through the 1050.
First pass is sizing/trimming, second is loading, seating, etc.

I roll the case (Case Pro roll sizer) to get the bottom/case sides at the floor back into spec, then use the trimmer die to get the neck about 99% into spec.

Without an expanded shoulder/neck the trim die won't hold the case for the trimmer correctly and the cases sometimes spin.

Then the case goes through shoulder only, then neck only dies since I process separate from loading.
Change heads, let the loading happen.

The round comes out VERY consistent that way, and I can control the shoulder, and the neck with a high degree of accuracy.
I'm 'Bumping' brass rather than bending it a bunch with an all-in-one die, and since the 1050 offers enough die stations to get away with it, I take advantage of it.

I might not go that far if I were only reloading for one chamber/rifle, but my ammo goes in more than one chamber, so I go to lengths to get the ammo back to original specification as I can.

 

[DadSmith]

I thought about trying to make some 6.5x53R (Dutch) out of .303 brass, but decided that was beyond my skill and tool set. Wound up sourcing some and it was... made out of .303 brass!

6.5x53Rmm Mannlicher (Dutch & Romanian) - Roberson Cartridge Company

www.rccbrass.com

$5.50 each minimum order 50.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

6.5x53Rmm Mannlicher (Dutch & Romanian) - Roberson Cartridge Company

www.rccbrass.com

$5.50 each minimum order 50.

Thanks! I bookmarked it, but OUCH! I think I paid around 3 bucks apiece for the stuff I bought that was made out of .303 brass.

 

[DadSmith]

Thanks! I bookmarked it, but OUCH! I think I paid around 3 bucks apiece for the stuff I bought that was made out of .303 brass.

How often so you shoot it?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

How often so you shoot it?

Not very often. I've probably got enough to last me, plus I can get a few more reloads out of the brass.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

@DadSmith : Top rifle is a Hembrug "bicycle carbine" which is my one and only 6.5x53R rifle. Note the "slab" of wood on the left side. That was to make it more comfortable when slung across the back of the bicycle troops. The bottom rifle is also a Hembrug (not a bicycle carbine), but it was converted by Indonesia to use .303 Brit ammo after WWII since they had a ton of leftover .303 ammo. Both are fun little rifles.

Sorry for the !