M14 Help me with a load! 150gr FMJBT and IMR4064

Rustle in the Bushes · January 12, 2013, 08:54 PM

Brewing up my first load this evening folks. I have some basic data in one of my manuals for 308- dont have the hornady book though. Any suggestions on a starting load with these components? Tips appreciated!

I am definitely using these components below because they are whats available

CCI #34 primers
150gr FMJBT Hornady
winchester cases
IMR 4064

PS- these are for my norinco m14(thanks!)

Tim R · January 12, 2013, 09:36 PM

Are you shooting these in a gas gun? Ie; 308 M1 Garand or a Springer M1A? The 34's are made to be used with rifles which have free floating firing pins. The reason I ask is your CCI 34's are the same as mag primers bristance (Amount and force of fire) wise. Using IMR 4064 you might be better off using standard CCI's. IMR 4064 is a pretty small stick powder and not real hard to light.

Using a Speer 13, they say a 150 gr Fmj using a IMI case and a CCI 200 primer they are suggesting 43.0 grs of IMR 4064 as a starting load.

IMI brass is thicker walled than Winchester brass. But they also used a standard CCI 200 primer. Are the two enough to offset each other? this I do not know. I would recommend getting some CCI 200's prior to loading. I have always been surprized at what a simple primer can do to group size.

Good luck.

wrightme43 · January 13, 2013, 12:48 AM

The Hornady manual for .308 winchester service rifle (M1A/M14)
Bullet dia. .0308
Max C.O.L 2.810"
Max case length 2.015"
Case Trim length 2.005"
Best results with Viht n-140, viht n150, good results with RL-15 and Varget.

No loads for 150 btfmj

Load for 155 A-max with IMR 4064
start 37.9 gr @2200, 39.0 @2300, 40.0 @2400, 41.1 @2500, 42.1@2600, 43.2 @ 2700 Max load never excede.

Hornady Manual for .308 rifle.
Best results with Varget and IMR 4064, but it is not finicky.
150 gr btfmj
38.4 gr @2300, 40.0 @2400, 41.7 @2500, 43.3 @2600, 44.9 @2700 Max load never excede.

Hornady Manual also states that you should never use magnum primers unless the book calls them out.
You can made a mess of the pressure wave, and have a broken gun or missing chunk of face for the trouble.
Also I took these out of the book, so of course they may be wrong, or I may be wrong, or any other thing that could go wrong might happen. So there you go.

Rustle in the Bushes · January 13, 2013, 03:40 AM

Ahh i need that manual..i do appreciate that cheers

wrightme43 · January 13, 2013, 09:51 AM

I wish the Lee manual would of been in stock. The truck that was supposed to be in, mon, wasnt in tuesday, or wendsday, or thursday, or friday, and will maybe be tuesday now.
I bought a set of RCBS dies, a primer swagger, more bullets, and some 4064 imr along with the hornady manual. I didnt find any info that was not already on the internet, except the loads for hornady. They didnt do hardly any testing with the IMR 3031 in .308

Tim R · January 13, 2013, 10:47 PM

Well don't I feel silly. The op said m14 right there in his title....

IMR 4064 does work well in the gas guns. One little piece of advice though, don't reload brass used in the M14 or M1A more than 3 times. These rifles are extremely hard on brass. The brass gets jerked out of the chamber before all the breech pressure has bled off. With Winchester brass you might get even fewer loads. Not because Winchester brass is bad but rather because GI brass is thicker.

hk33ka1 · January 13, 2013, 11:34 PM

I replied to your thread on another forum.

It is generally recommended to load between 147-173gr bullets for the M1 Garand or M14 using standard jacketed bullet loads.

A powder in the suitable burn rate range for the action of this type of semi auto gas rifle such as IMR 4895, H4895, AA 2495, BL C2, H335, Win 748, IMR 4064 (and there are others).'

As long as you follow the guidlines of bullet weight, powder type, seating primer fully and trimming and inspecting your brass (yes cases wear out faster usually in these rifles than a bolt action hunting rifle as mentioned above) you don't need to buy the Hornady manual specifically.

308 data using proper powder and bullets for the M1/M14 will work fine from any manual.

Hornady says 38.4-44.9gr max IMR 4064 150-155gr bullets
Speer says for 150gr (inc FMJ) 43-47gr C (comressed) max IMR 4064

Either above load will work fine in your Norinco, as it does in mine with or without magnum large rifle primers.

January 12, 2013, 08:54 PM	#1
Rustle in the Bushes Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2011 Location: Canada- West Posts: 175	M14 Help me with a load! 150gr FMJBT and IMR4064 Brewing up my first load this evening folks. I have some basic data in one of my manuals for 308- dont have the hornady book though. Any suggestions on a starting load with these components? Tips appreciated! I am definitely using these components below because they are whats available CCI #34 primers 150gr FMJBT Hornady winchester cases IMR 4064 PS- these are for my norinco m14(thanks!) Last edited by Rustle in the Bushes; January 12, 2013 at 10:23 PM.

January 12, 2013, 09:36 PM	#2
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	Are you shooting these in a gas gun? Ie; 308 M1 Garand or a Springer M1A? The 34's are made to be used with rifles which have free floating firing pins. The reason I ask is your CCI 34's are the same as mag primers bristance (Amount and force of fire) wise. Using IMR 4064 you might be better off using standard CCI's. IMR 4064 is a pretty small stick powder and not real hard to light. Using a Speer 13, they say a 150 gr Fmj using a IMI case and a CCI 200 primer they are suggesting 43.0 grs of IMR 4064 as a starting load. IMI brass is thicker walled than Winchester brass. But they also used a standard CCI 200 primer. Are the two enough to offset each other? this I do not know. I would recommend getting some CCI 200's prior to loading. I have always been surprized at what a simple primer can do to group size. Good luck. __________________ God Bless our Troops especially our Snipers.

January 13, 2013, 09:51 AM	#5
wrightme43 Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Location: Bowling Green KY Posts: 37	I wish the Lee manual would of been in stock. The truck that was supposed to be in, mon, wasnt in tuesday, or wendsday, or thursday, or friday, and will maybe be tuesday now. I bought a set of RCBS dies, a primer swagger, more bullets, and some 4064 imr along with the hornady manual. I didnt find any info that was not already on the internet, except the loads for hornady. They didnt do hardly any testing with the IMR 3031 in .308 __________________ “Must be yearning deep in human heart to stop other people from doing as they please.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

January 13, 2013, 10:47 PM	#6
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	Well don't I feel silly. The op said m14 right there in his title.... IMR 4064 does work well in the gas guns. One little piece of advice though, don't reload brass used in the M14 or M1A more than 3 times. These rifles are extremely hard on brass. The brass gets jerked out of the chamber before all the breech pressure has bled off. With Winchester brass you might get even fewer loads. Not because Winchester brass is bad but rather because GI brass is thicker. __________________ God Bless our Troops especially our Snipers.

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January 13, 2013, 12:48 AM	#3
wrightme43 Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Location: Bowling Green KY Posts: 37	The Hornady manual for .308 winchester service rifle (M1A/M14) Bullet dia. .0308 Max C.O.L 2.810" Max case length 2.015" Case Trim length 2.005" Best results with Viht n-140, viht n150, good results with RL-15 and Varget. No loads for 150 btfmj Load for 155 A-max with IMR 4064 start 37.9 gr @2200, 39.0 @2300, 40.0 @2400, 41.1 @2500, 42.1@2600, 43.2 @ 2700 Max load never excede. Hornady Manual for .308 rifle. Best results with Varget and IMR 4064, but it is not finicky. 150 gr btfmj 38.4 gr @2300, 40.0 @2400, 41.7 @2500, 43.3 @2600, 44.9 @2700 Max load never excede. Hornady Manual also states that you should never use magnum primers unless the book calls them out. You can made a mess of the pressure wave, and have a broken gun or missing chunk of face for the trouble. Also I took these out of the book, so of course they may be wrong, or I may be wrong, or any other thing that could go wrong might happen. So there you go. __________________ “Must be yearning deep in human heart to stop other people from doing as they please.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

January 13, 2013, 03:40 AM	#4
Rustle in the Bushes Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2011 Location: Canada- West Posts: 175	Ahh i need that manual..i do appreciate that cheers

January 13, 2013, 11:34 PM	#7
hk33ka1 Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2010 Posts: 275	I replied to your thread on another forum. It is generally recommended to load between 147-173gr bullets for the M1 Garand or M14 using standard jacketed bullet loads. A powder in the suitable burn rate range for the action of this type of semi auto gas rifle such as IMR 4895, H4895, AA 2495, BL C2, H335, Win 748, IMR 4064 (and there are others).' As long as you follow the guidlines of bullet weight, powder type, seating primer fully and trimming and inspecting your brass (yes cases wear out faster usually in these rifles than a bolt action hunting rifle as mentioned above) you don't need to buy the Hornady manual specifically. 308 data using proper powder and bullets for the M1/M14 will work fine from any manual. Hornady says 38.4-44.9gr max IMR 4064 150-155gr bullets Speer says for 150gr (inc FMJ) 43-47gr C (comressed) max IMR 4064 Either above load will work fine in your Norinco, as it does in mine with or without magnum large rifle primers.