I used to think I knew what I was doing at the reloading bench

[tominboise]

I have started shooting our local club CMP matches once a month with an M1 Garand. My scores have been averaging 400, which is pretty low. I have been shooting a Hornady 150gr FMJBT over IMR 4064 to get that average.

Today I ran a test, using 3 different handloads and 3 different surplus ammos. The handloads were my usual 150gr Hornady FMJ over IMR4064, 150gr Hornady FMJ over AA2520 and 165gr Fusion bullet over AA2520. The surplus was some LC69, HXP69 and AMA 68 (Danish). The handloads averaged around 5-6MOA and the milsurp all 3 MOA or less. The AMA was 1.5 MOA. I had worked up the charge weights for the handloads some years back but apparently I need to rerun some charge weights. I full length resize every time, but do not anneal. Is there a possibility that annealing would help my handloads be more consistent?

 

[Lucky6547]

At the limits, I believe annealing helps…with a semiautomatic and iron sights…you may not be able to see the difference…lost in the noise of the other variables

 

[bozo699]

I have started shooting our local club CMP matches once a month with an M1 Garand. My scores have been averaging 400, which is pretty low. I have been shooting a Hornady 150gr FMJBT over IMR 4064 to get that average.

Today I ran a test, using 3 different handloads and 3 different surplus ammos. The handloads were my usual 150gr Hornady FMJ over IMR4064, 150gr Hornady FMJ over AA2520 and 165gr Fusion bullet over AA2520. The surplus was some LC69, HXP69 and AMA 68 (Danish). The handloads averaged around 5-6MOA and the milsurp all 3 MOA or less. The AMA was 1.5 MOA. I had worked up the charge weights for the handloads some years back but apparently I need to rerun some charge weights. I full length resize every time, but do not anneal. Is there a possibility that annealing would help my handloads be more consistent?

Tom,
Are we talking 6 moa at 100 yards ?
Wayne

 

[K22]

I am shooting the 1/2 to 5/8 moa range with my reloads and my varmint rifles and I do not anneal. I retain this level of accuracy for the life of the cases which is about 15 to 18 reloads, 223 Rem bolt rifles.

I am NOT asserting that annealing in not beneficial, I am only reporting what I have experienced.

 

[Longtrain]

M1 Garand barrels can be in great to terrible condition. If the barrel is original, have a gunsmith gauge it for you, it will score 1-10. You want a 1 or 2 for competition, over 6 is junk. Loading processes can’t make a bad barrel shoot.
FWIW my stock CMP M1 will hold the 10 ring at a 200 yd CMP match, using pulled 150 FMJ, IMR-4895 and CCI34 primers. I got lucky with a good barrel.

 

[tominboise]

Tom,
Are we talking 6 moa at 100 yards ?
Wayne

Yes, 6 MOA at 100 yards, off the bench.

 

[bozo699]

Yes, 6 MOA at 100 yards, off the bench.

Have you looked at the bore?… the crown?. Is it clean?…. My m1 will easily shoot 80 year old ball ammo into a Copenhagen can at 100 yards
Wayne

 

[tominboise]

M1 Garand barrels can be in great to terrible condition. If the barrel is original, have a gunsmith gauge it for you, it will score 1-10. You want a 1 or 2 for competition, over 6 is junk. Loading processes can’t make a bad barrel shoot.
FWIW my stock CMP M1 will hold the 10 ring at a 200 yd CMP match, using pulled 150 FMJ, IMR-4895 and CCI34 primers. I got lucky with a good barrel.

The barrel on this rifle is in pretty good shape, gaging 1.5 on the throat and also on the muzzle. It is an HRA receiver with an LMR barrel that was a CMP select grade some years ago. I think I need to rerun my load development sequence and intend to do so.

 

[tominboise]

Have you looked at the bore?… the crown?. Is it clean?…. My m1 will easily shoot 80 year old ball ammo into a Copenhagen can at 100 yards
Wayne

Yes to all three. Barrel is clean and the throat and muzzle gage good.

 

[bozo699]

Yes to all three. Barrel is clean and the throat and muzzle gage good.

That doesn’t make sense….. do you have a solid rest to shoot off of?….
Wayne

 

[bozo699]

I don’t think it’s a load development issue , it should shoot anything better than 6 inches. A buddy had a 700 Remington in 270 the bore was shot, it shot about like yours I took a hacksaw and removed 3” off end of barrel and it will hold about 2.5” with factory ammo
Wayne

 

[Andy Work]

Have you looked at the bore?… the crown?. Is it clean?…. My m1 will easily shoot 80 year old ball ammo into a Copenhagen can at 100 yards
Wayne

MOCC - minute of Copenhagen can.

 

[bozo699]

MOCC - minute of Copenhagen can.

I don’t know what MOCC is but yes I can take a felt marker. Draw a circle ️ around a Copenhagen can so that it’s a big enough bull I can see with open sights and keep the bullets within that parameter at 100 yards
Wayne

 

[dstoenner]

48 gn of either Varget or H4895 will give you the groups you are looking for. That is the normal load for competition with a M1

David

 

[drop_point]

The M1 has a lot of recoil and reciprocating mass. I have found that in semi-automatics, I can get some erratic accuracy because the bullets will move around in the case mouth. This could be your issue if you aren't applying a crimp.

 

[CharlieNC]

With a good shooting ammo as a reference it would be useful to compare velocities as an initial indicator of which direction to reassess your charge weight. Break down ammo and reload the "good" bullets, etc. In other words get as much info from the ammo which performs well vs going off on a wild goose chase, attacking everything.

 

[akajun]

Sounds like your gun needs some tuning
First thing
Make sure your gas tube fits tight on the barrel and the gas lock times to 5 o’clock hand tight and tightens to 6
This may require peening the upper spikes on the barrel to draw up slack and finding a gas lock that times right or fitting it with a 60* countersink

Next check the fit of the trigger guard and stock
Clamping the trigger guard down should be somewhat difficult and the barrel and op rod should not touch the interior channel of the stock. Also make sure the hand guard ring is not cracked and has the retaining pin in it

If it doesn’t draw up when you close the trigger guard , try shimming the pads with business card till it does then go shoot it. If that fixes it then you need to bed it or if you want to compete in games matches a new stock.
Also make sure your sights are tight, front sight set screw clamped and rear sight adjusted to allow adjustment with fingers but the elevation not change under recoil.
A nice trigger job helps you shoot better too.

FYI some of the best shooting ammo in those guns is American eagle 150 gr ball in the red box. Shot as good as my hand loads.
My load for games matches was the smk 135gr loaded behind 4064 or 4895 charge wasn’t too important just enough to cycle. The Nosler 140cc is good too.

Also don’t oversize your brass, just push the shoulder back 2-3 thou and only load it 5-6 times. Those receivers are stretchy and if you push it your get broken case shoulders in your chamber in the middle of a match

 

[tominboise]

I don't believe it to be a rifle issue. Here is one target with the 150gr reload, and a second target with Danish surplus (AMA 68). The flier on the second target was about round 6, if I remember correctly. Probably me on that one. These were shot yesterday. The group on the left was the second of the day, the group on the right was the sixth of the day.



My vision isn't the greatest anymore but it's OK enough.

I appreciate all the feedback so far.

 

[PatMiles]

Yes to all three. Barrel is clean and the throat and muzzle gage good.

The clean barrel was determined with the use of a bore scope?

 

[tominboise]

The clean barrel was determined with the use of a bore scope?

Yes