First time Garand reloading

[Mustang]

I'm getting ready to handloadload my first Garand ammunition. I've reloaded before for bolt guns in 7.65 Argy, 7.5 Swiss, 7.62 x 54R and 8 x 57 bolt guns. But never for 30.06 and never for any semi and I had a few questions...

I'm using HXP brass dated '67, '68, and '70, full length resized with a standard RCBS reloading die set...any reason to segregate the brass and load only one year? Any problems to look for on the brass sizing for a semi?

I'm planning on loading 45.5, 46.0, and 46.5 grains of IMR 4064 with a 168 gr Nosler Custom Competition bullet and seeing which is most accurate. Anyone think that a different charge would be better?

How many reloads do people normally get with loads in this range from HXP brass?

I've also got some commercial Federal and Lake City military brass, would either of those be a better choice?

I'll be using CCI #34 primers

I plan on loading to an overall length of 3.285 with no crimp.

Anyone see any problems or have any suggestions?

Thanks

[17+1]

Sounds like you have the right idea Steve.

Just don't get attached to the brass...the M1 destroys it. Watch out for impending case head separations as well.

[Exodus343]

+1 on the brass destruction
Such a shame

[rob1105]

I reload HXP brass for my M1 Garand. I use FL dies and have no problem. HXP brass is awesome brass for reloading

[rob1105]

Also check out the CMP forums on reloading for the M1. Tons of good info on reloading HXP brass

[not-fishing]

Next time try Hodgdon powder.

Years ago a fella pointed out to me that the Rat Trds are much smaller than IMR so it meters better.

I used to really mess with the brass until another very good shooter pointed out that you unless you mic all your brass you won't know where the variations are.

I just try to keep the same brand and trim my brass religiously.

The biggest accuracy gain from my CMP Greek came when I restocked the rifle. I figured the next biggest gain would come if I had some trigger work done but I sold the rifle first.

[Horton Fenty]

Sounds like you got it planed out good. Sierra has a article about reloading for service rifles that's worth a read.

http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reloadbasics/gasgunreload.cfm

[pro-nra]

Steve,

You already know that I use IMR4064 for all my .30-06 both bolts and Garands. I use only pre 1974 HXP brass as they are same case head dimensions as USGIs. 1974 and later HXPs have an M80 case head pattern. Although I have tons USGI brass (LC, TW, DEN, SL, WRA, RA etc), I stay away from them for now due to the heavy crimp. Later on when all my 3K+ HXP brass are worn out I will switch to USGI. I trim the brass on a Giraud trimmer flush on a Wilson case gauge. I've done no less than 5 loading on a batch of HXP brass and no case head separations yet (knock on wood) so you should be able to get at least 4 mild loadings on HXP brass.

I've had good results with 46 grains of said powder on 168 SMK or Nosler CC for both bolts and Garands. I seat bullets .005" off the lands. IMO COL is not the best way to measure how far to seat a bullet as meplat can vary from bullet to bullet on the same lot. I use the ogive as a reference as it is more consistent than the meplat.

I never had slam fire of any of my Garands even single loading and letting the bolt slam home into a live round on the chamber so I use standard and even BR CCI primers but "your mileage may vary".

I'm thinking about shooting my new Ljungman but I have no brass for it and I don't want to use my Lapua cases that I fire form for my M96s. So I'll be shooting a Garand for Sunday's match.

[Mustang]

Thanks, guys.

I've decapped, resized, trimmed, and primer-pocket reamed 60 cases. They are ready for priming, charging and bullet seating.

On setting up the sizing die...I placed the ram at the top position (it's an RCBS Rock Chucker...I tend to use RCBS gear because I grew up not far from Oroville, CA, where they are located and still live close by), screwed the die down till it touched the shell holder, then turned it another 1/4 turn and set the lock ring.

I lubed the shells with Hornady spray case lube and they went through the sizing die surprisingly easy. No problems getting the old primers out. I then trimmed them to 2.485", deburred the case mouths and took a few light turns on the primer pocket with the deburrer.

Previously I had tried to re-prime several of them without reaming and about half went right in and the other half either stuck or were extremely hard to seat. The ones that stuck took very little effort with the deburring tool to clean up and seat easily.

Anyone see any problems here? This is the same procedure that I've used with reloads for bolt guns, but I'm a little concerned because these will be going through a semi.

Anyone have any suggestions on setting up the resizing die...does 1/4 turn past shell holder contact sound right?

Thanks again, guys.

[kj]

Mustang - you should pick up a case mic or some other tool for measuring how much the case has grown/stretched. By screwing down your sizing die until it touches the shell holder, you could be sizing the case too much. I size mine so that the die bumps the shoulder back .003" (for a semi). I use the Stoney Point gauge - I think it's Hornady now. By sizing it too much, you will shorten the life of the brass.

[Mustang]

Thanks, KJ...I just ordered a collection of Wilson case gauges from Graf's. I'll use them the next time around.

[russt]

it sounds like you should be fine, load em up and go shoot!

[Flyin Brian]

Mustang - you should pick up a case mic or some other tool for measuring how much the case has grown/stretched. By screwing down your sizing die until it touches the shell holder, you could be sizing the case too much. I size mine so that the die bumps the shoulder back .003" (for a semi). I use the Stoney Point gauge - I think it's Hornady now. By sizing it too much, you will shorten the life of the brass.

^^^ this is exactly what I was going to post earlier, but I was too lazy. I have the Hornady headspace gauge set and it works great. You can even use it to sort your fired brass to figure out which rifle you shot it out of. I was measuring cases for my 28-30 last week and I knew I had fired some from another rifle... those cases were .005" shorter from base to shoulder which made it easy to sort them out.

KJ - You stated you bump them .003" for a semi - what do you bump for a bolt action? I have used .003" for both semi and my bolt guns. Just curious if I could get away with less.

[Regula]

I do a load very similar, but use IMR 4895 and have had excellent results. If you get an adjustable gas plug for the Garand it also can help you tune your cycling and not beat up the brass so much. I closed mine down until I got reliable cycling and a tight group and just left it there. Im on my 7th reload of HXP brass and FL sizing.
Here's the plug.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/777146/schuster-dcm-adjustable-gas-plug-with-wrench-m1-garand-steel-parkerized

[Regula]

And also "Yo Mustang"...surplusrifleforum unite!