Hunting Ammo for Garand

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Looking for good expanding ammo (soft point or HP) that will function reliably in the M1 Garand without tweaking and will not cause maintenance problems further down the road.

I'm looking for a 180gr or so load that will be good on medium-sized game such as larger deer.

[Art Eatman]

If you're talking about factory ammo, I'd guess that the relatively few rounds you'll shoot for sighting in and in killing Bambi won't hurt a thing.

If you're talking reloads, the various manuals have beaucoup data. Just stay a few grains under max loads, off the cuff...Bambi won't know the difference.

FWIW, Art

[JohnKSa]

I've heard that you should keep the bullet weights down around 150 grains in the Garands.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong... ;)

[James K]

Firing commercial ammo with 180 gr. bullets causes high port pressure and has been known to bend op rods. I agree with JohnKSa; stick to about 150 grain and military spec velocities.

Besides, the lighter bullet is better on deer size game anyway, since the heavier bullets have heavier jackets and do not expand well on deer.

Jim

[Art Eatman]

Jim, just out of curiosity: Would the heavier bullets always result in higher port pressure? And if so, why?

I'm aware of the port-pressure problem, but I had always associated it with both gross pressure and the pressure-curve of a particular powder.

Drifting off-thread, the last mule deer I shot dressed out at 150 pounds. Neck shot, about 30 yards. The 150-grain Sierra SPBT must have blown up, 'cause it sure didn't exit. (Stuff I've recently read leads me to believe that BT bullets may have somewhat thinner jackets than FBs.)

Regards,

Art

[Oleg Volk]

According to my gunsmith, the concerns about using non-GI ball ammo in Garands are exxagerated. In his view, the gas port is so far forward that the pressure has decreased considerably by then. I tend to trust his opinion since the weapons he has designed or restored invariably function.

[radom]

you could probably get away with the 180s for hunting as a lot off ammo wont be shot. But the reason the M-2 is loaded down and uses a 150 is they will last and function correctly in rough service use. The op rod proglem with warmer loads was a major problem that the M-2 ammo was designed to fix. I have seen heavy hunting ammo dismount op rods before.

[Art Eatman]

IIRC, the pressure at the gas port is 2,000 psi. The diameter of the port is intended to allow just enough gas through it to actuate the operating rod without damage, over a prolonged period of usage.

The probable cause of damage to operating rods from the use of commercial ammo is that slower-burning powder, as used behind heavier bullets, would have a higher pressure at the gas port. A different curve of pressure vs. time.

My first post, here, was based on the assumption that a relatively few rounds of higher pressure ammunition would not be enough abuse to do damage. Prolonged use of commercial ammunition COULD and probably would do damage--as history has shown us.

IMO, if a Garand is sighted in with GI ammo, and then maybe three or six rounds of hunting ammo are fired to verify one's point of aim, no damage is likely to occur. Then, I'd expect two or three shots on game during any particular hunting season...

Close enough?

:), Art

[C.R.Sam]

Art makes a good point I have put a lot of meat in the pot with 180gr through M1 (GI)........but......load a box of twenty. Sight in with two shot strings, three of em from cold barrel.....then one shot a month. Also was not usin max load......bout 2,500 fps.

Sam

[Oleg Volk]

I have 32 rounds of Cor-Lokt Remington ammo for my Garand. I am not sure if they are 150gr or 180gr. Is there ANY way to find out?

[Southla1]

CMP and others recommend no bullets OVER 180 grains. Now I dont know how slow a powder commercial ammo uses for a 180 grain bullet, but remember that the US GI Match ammo uses a 173 grain bullet......that is awful close to 180. If a man wanted to hunt with a Garand all that would be needed is to load ammo with either 150 or 165 or even 180 grain bullets and use a powder in the IMR-4895 range.........then one can shoot all he wants to with no fear of damaging the rifle.

[Art Eatman]

Oleg, weigh a round with a known weight of bullet; then weigh one of yours.

Otherwise, if you don't have a scale (or a friend with a scale), sacrifice a load; pull a bullet and compare it to a known bullet at a gun store.

Art

[thisaway]

I hunted for deer for many years using Winchester 150-grain pointed SPs in my M1. It shot them more accurately than the 180s, and never malfunctioned once.

[Dr.Rob]

Federal Premium 165 gr Game king loads. Best off the shelf 30-06 ammo you can buy, have a buddy uses it in his Garand though the IDEA of lugging a Garand around on a deer hunt is tiring. Its a great game ctg, from everything from antelope to elk. Get some.

[Gewehr98]

But Winchester 150gr Silvertip ammo cycled my Navy Trophy Garand no differently than M2 Ball, and gave excellent accuracy, easily on par with my 168gr Sierra MatchKing handloads in Lake City brass. I was more than a little surprised, because I take exceptional pride in my match handloads, both in their manufacture and performance. Good stuff, Maynard!

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I appreciate the advice and information. I'll experiment with what I've learned here and let you know how it turns out next fall.