I didn't see the customary warning about commercial "hunting" ammo.
Much of this uses a powder that is too slow for the Garand, and the result can be a damaged operating rod. (aka "op-rod")
As long as the headspace is correct, the Garand has a strong receiver that can handle almost anything. But the op-rod can only handle a certain amount of pressure/time at the gas port. Slow powders can create too much force on the op-rod, bending it. Bullet weight is only part of the problem.
And replacing it can cost almost as much as the rifle (!)
Google "Garand ammo" and you'll probably get more information than you want...
You'll get stuff like this -
Quote:
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...This "special ammunition only" hogwash along with hokey adjustable gas plugs are products of recent anxious brooding and rumor-mongering over the internet.
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from someone who doesn't understand that the damage to the op-rod may not be immediate.
And you'll also find more useful info, such as this post by dacaur on this forum -
Quote:
Just FYI. The garand being a gas gun is designed to operate in a specific range of pressures. The top end of which is significantly lower than the 30-06 of today. You have to remember that the great powders we have today are more powerful than what they had when the garand was designed and built. Thats why some ammo MFG's actualy have loadings specifically for M1 garands, because they may not function well with todays hunting loads, which are too hot for it. A .308 today is as powerfull as a 30-06 was back when the garand was in service, so a good rule of thumb is to keep your velocities below .308 levels.
Hornadys current manual has a section devoted just to the M1 garand, and for a 150gr bullet using H 4895, it lists a starting load of 43.2gr=2400fps, 44.8gr=2500fps, with a MAX load of 46.4gr-2600FPS..... Your loads are a bit hot for a garand....
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And then there's this thread, which has lots of useful stuff -
http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...t=garand+loads
The Garand is a great rifle, and worth a little time studying its "intricacies"...