IMR 3031 for Garand?

[BigBronco]

I came in to some older 3031 real cheap. Near free in the old metal cans still sealed too. Powder is good. Anyone using this powder for Garand Chow?

[JackEllis]

In Lyman's 50th, IMR 3031 is shown for projectiles around 150 grains (plus or minus).

A quick search turned up plenty of forum posts:

http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-82761.html

https://gunhub.com/m1-garand/32262-imr-3031-150gn-full-metal-jacket.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20000620055732/home.att.net/~Masterpo/M1load.htm

There are more. Use Garand IMR 3031 and you probably have an evening's worth of reading to entertain you.

[Divernhunter]

Not really a good idea

[hambam105]

3031 will work, but other powders are more suitable to produce the pressure curve that's easier on the Garand's op rod.

3031 is one of the oldest formula for smokeless powders of today. Sure it still works just fine. But I'd use it for ammo made for bolt action & lever action use in mind.

[BigBronco]

In Lyman's 50th, IMR 3031 is shown for projectiles around 150 grains (plus or minus).

A quick search turned up plenty of forum posts:

http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-82761.html

https://gunhub.com/m1-garand/32262-imr-3031-150gn-full-metal-jacket.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20000620055732/home.att.net/~Masterpo/M1load.htm

There are more. Use Garand IMR 3031 and you probably have an evening's worth of reading to entertain you.

I have most all the manuals, over 30 of them. I Primarily use Varget for my Garand. What I was asking was if any one was using it? Possibly for some plinker loads.

Based on manuals I might use it for the AR's.

Now if any one is using 3031 for what calibers are they using it?

[bigbossman]

I have most all the manuals, over 30 of them. I Primarily use Varget for my Garand. What I was asking was if any one was using it? Possibly for some plinker loads.

Now if any one is using 3031 for what calibers are they using it?

3031 works very well for 30-30.

[John Browning]

I just stick with H4895. That's what the rifle was built to use and it can be very pressure curve sensitive.

[hambam105]

I just stick with H4895. That's what the rifle was built to use and it can be very pressure curve sensitive.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!

OP,
3031 powder is good rifle powder for guns that were already designed around the same time the 3031 powder itself
was designed. Not always, but it's a good rule of thumb.

In your case the Garand was developed some 40 years after 3031 was.
3031 in a bolt action 30-06 rifle no problem.

[hambam105]

I just stick with H4895. That's what the rifle was built to use and it can be very pressure curve sensitive.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!

OP,
3031 powder is good rifle powder for guns that were already designed around the same time the 3031 powder
itself was designed. Not always, but it's a good rule of thumb.

In your case the Garand was developed some 40 years after 3031 was.

[slamfire1]

IMR 3031 was introduced in 1934/35 so it is contemporaneous with the Garand.

As well meaning as the advice here, I would have no concerns about using IMR 3031 in the Garand, as I did use it in the M1a. Only shot up three pounds, but it worked great. IMR 3031 is a bit faster than IMR 4895, its greatest disadvantage was that it was long stick powder till recently. Now it is short cut. I don't know when the transition occurred, just a couple of years old though. IMR 3031 in tin can is the long grained stuff, looks like black long grain rice. Long stick powders don't throw in a progressive press worth a hoot, but the short stick stuff is fine. I really recommend IMR 3031 for a 30-30 lever action.

For the Garand and M1a, it is better to use a faster powder than a slower powder. The best powder is of course the 4895 series, that is IMR 4895, H4895, AA2495. A good ball powder is AA2520 which Accurate told me was made to copy the pressure curve of IMR 4895. Ditto for their AA2495, a stick powder. Slightly faster is better than slower because faster means port pressure will be lower, and thus easier on your operating rod, and so will be the residual blowback pressures at unlock. Which means easier extraction. The best is of course, IMR 4895, which is 100% appropriate for the Garand mechanism having been the WW2 powder, and the powder used in the National Match ammunition.

I remember when Master Po's temple was on the web, and Master Po provided 1980's load recommendations from the NRA.

https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/master-pos-temple-m1-garand-reloading-data.340481/

Master Po M1 Garand Reload Data


Recommended .30 caliber M1 loadings from the NRA


147 - 155 grain FMJ or HPBT bullets

IMR 3031 - 48.0 grains
IMR 4895 - 49.0 grains
IMR 4064 - 50.0 grains
W748 - 48.0 grains
AA2460 - 49.0 grains
AA2520 - 51.0 grains
AA2495 - 50.5 grains
H4895 - 49.0 grains
BLC-2 - 49.0 grains
H335 - 49.0 grains
RL-12 - 48.0 grains

165/168 grain FMJ, HP or SP bullets

IMR 4895 - 47.0 grains
IMR 4094 - 48.0 grains
AA2520 - 47.5 grains
AA2495 - 47.0 grains
H4895 - 47.5 grains
BLC-2 - 49.0 grains
H335 - 47.0 grains
RL-12 - 44.5 grains

173/175 grain FMJ or HPBT bullets

IMR 4895 - 46.0 grains
IMR 4064 - 47.0 grains
AA2460 - 46.0 grains
AA2495 - 46.0 grains
H4895 - 47.0 grains
BLC-2 - 48.0 grains

180 grain FMJ, SP or HPBT bullets

IMR 4895 - 43.0 grains
AA2460 - 46.5 grains
AA2495 - 45.5 grains
H4895 - 44.0 grains
BLC-2 - 47.5 grains
RL-12 - 41.5 grains



Master Po's comments

These loads only duplicate military spec. velocities for the given bullet weight, using commercial cases and powders. If you are using military cases, drop all charges by 2 grains.

If you are looking for accuracy, drop all charges by 1 grain and work up .2 grains at a time.

I would cut the recommended loads a bit, with a 150 grain bullet I used 47.5 grs IMR 4895 not the 49 in the NRA list. I think 46 grains of IMR 3031 with a 150 would function the rifle fine. You want your loads with a 150 grain bullet to be within 2650 to 2700 fps and not faster. I was surprised to find how slow Garand era ball ammunition was in a Garand. Regards of TM manuals, the issue stuff was slower than the TM values. TM values are quoted all the time, and they are only relevant if you have the Frankfort Arsenal pressure barrel from which they are derived, and you are doing powder lot acceptance testing with calibrated cartridges.

I do not recommend any bullet heavier than a 175 grain bullet. Lighter is fine, you can shoot 125's without any issues, as long as the rifle just functioned. The Garand was never a magnum, and pushing 150's close to 2800 or 2900 fps will result in jams due to timing, and might knock off your receiver heel.

The bolt rebounds off the receiver heel, and these rifles are more than a half century old.

These pictures were posted by an individual who was using surplus ammunition which had obviously become unstable and which the pressures were above average. The bolt was accelerated fast enough that it cracked the rear of the receiver.






this was off Gunbroker, no explanation given, but it is obvious someone was running some hot ammunition, or that a partially locked, or an out of battery slamfire occurred.



I think this was a different cracked receiver.

[sargenv]

You have a typo in your second listing for 165/168.. as there is no IMR 4094.. Otherwise that looks like a good list of similar powders.