85gr/M1 Carbine

John Foley · March 3, 1999, 05:25 PM

Hi again,

Walt asked why I would want to use a 85gr RN bullet (BC=.113) in an M1 carbine and the only reply I can think of is that the bullet is there.:-) Here's what I did: Using Hodgdon data and LC 52 brass with CCI 400 primers and H110 powder I loaded up four rounds. I started at 15.7grs, to 15.8grs to 15.9 to the listed max load of 16.0 grains. The "book velocity" gives it a MV of 2356 fps and ME at 1046 ft-lbs. My ballistics program indicates a rapid decrease in velocity to 1680 fps at 100 yds.

The bullets OAL=.537" and they were seated with about .165" of the bullet in the case for a cartridge OAL=1.650". I fired them single shot so I do not know how they would feed in the semi-auto mode.

As the range is not open, and I was at my place up north, I tested them by shooting into a snow bank...I do very scientific work!
They all fired without any overt signs of excessive pressure. With the max load, from a distance of about 10', I hit a chunk of ice and dirt and it exploaded...I mean pieces of it hit me!

The next step will be checking out accuracy and bullet expansion...stay tuned.

March 3, 1999, 05:25 PM	#1
John Foley Retired Screen Name Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 46	Hi again, Walt asked why I would want to use a 85gr RN bullet (BC=.113) in an M1 carbine and the only reply I can think of is that the bullet is there.:-) Here's what I did: Using Hodgdon data and LC 52 brass with CCI 400 primers and H110 powder I loaded up four rounds. I started at 15.7grs, to 15.8grs to 15.9 to the listed max load of 16.0 grains. The "book velocity" gives it a MV of 2356 fps and ME at 1046 ft-lbs. My ballistics program indicates a rapid decrease in velocity to 1680 fps at 100 yds. The bullets OAL=.537" and they were seated with about .165" of the bullet in the case for a cartridge OAL=1.650". I fired them single shot so I do not know how they would feed in the semi-auto mode. As the range is not open, and I was at my place up north, I tested them by shooting into a snow bank...I do very scientific work! They all fired without any overt signs of excessive pressure. With the max load, from a distance of about 10', I hit a chunk of ice and dirt and it exploaded...I mean pieces of it hit me! The next step will be checking out accuracy and bullet expansion...stay tuned.