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I had a chance to speak to Clint McKee (Fulton Armory) and Gale McMillan about this same topic two years ago, when I decided to put a scope on my Garand for deer hunting.
There are two things to keep in mind: buy a good, solid steel mount that won't work loose, and a good, solid scope.
The difference between the Garand (and it's brother, the M-14) and other rifles is the impulse imparted when the bolt and op rod fly forward. Cheaper mounts tend to have the mount holes "worked" by this action and the round holes soon become oval. With scopes, the rising tower and recticle tend to be worked loose - sometimes the recticle is broken by the impulse.
I've had great success with older, steel-tube Weaver scopes in the 4X range. Currently I'm using an S&K mount and a Weaver steel tube K4 with German post recticle on my "deer" Garand. I paid $40 for it at a gun show a few years back, prices run about $60 these days for older Weavers at shows.
My rifle is in .308, so I'm afraid I can't help you much with loads. However, ask in the reloading section of this board about loads to replicate military .30-'06 loads. You can't _duplicate_ those loads, but you can get pretty close using 150-gr bullets suitable for hunting.
I can suggest a bullet, however: the Nosler Ballistic Tip in 150-gr. According to Nosler, the Ballistic Tip was originally developed for use in surplus Garands, which is famous for jamming if you use exposed lead tip bullets. I've used BT bullets in .308 and they will drop a deer in its tracks if you do your part.
Best of luck this season,
Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC
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