Garand 30-06 help needed.

[joshb]

I’m starting a new guy in reloading. He has a Garand that he wants to reload for. I have a bunch of brass and a set of RCBS dies. I’m leaving ten pieces of once fired untouched. I’ll use them to show him how to resize. I’m sizing and priming 90 pieces to save time.
I measured a factory Remington round with my 375 Hornady comparator and got 2.035 inches to the shoulder. With my die set for a hard cam over, the dies reform the case to 2.040-2.042 to the shoulder. They chamber fine in my 03-A3 but I’m worried they might be too long for the Garand, given the factory round is .005-7 shorter.
Input or thoughts from Garand guys?
Thanks!
Josh

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I would get an ammo checker and size to the bottom step to 0.001-0.002 below the step. I never want tight(headspace) ammo in semi or pump guns.

 

[Bc'z]

Take .010 off the shell holder

 

[mmcu]

Using my 375 Hornady comparator, I size my Garand brass to 2.040" +/- 0.002" and have not had any feeding issues in the rifles that I've owned, or developed loads for.

I think that you'll be fine with brass sized to the dimensions that you've given. If you're still not sure, you've been given good advice in the previous posts.

 

[joshb]

Using my 375 Hornady comparator, I size my Garand brass to 2.040" +/- 0.002" and have not had any feeding issues in the rifles that I've owned, or developed loads for.

I think that you'll be fine with brass sized to the dimensions that you've given. If you're still not sure, you've been given good advice in the previous posts.

Thanks for this. Just what I was looking for. I just went out and measured 60 factory rounds from Remington, Winchester and PPU, thinking my one case measurement wasn’t a good sample.
They came in between 2.035 to 2.040. All the Winchester cases in the box were 2.039 to 2.040. The Remingtons were 2.035-37. The PPU were 2.036-39.
Kim: This Garand is the guy’s pride and joy. It’s in mint condition. I don’t think he’ll let me disassemble it! Besides, if I break it, I bought it! It’s also why I’m being extra careful with the reloading process.
Bc’z: Yeah, I can grind one but it won’t be pretty!
mmcu gave me the exact answer I was looking for from a Garand owner.
I’ll grind the shell holder to get to 2.038ish. for springback.

 

[243winxb]

https://www.sierrabullets.com/reload-basics/reloading-for-semi-autos-and-service-rifles/

See sizing. I would not use brass fired in a different rifle.

 

[Bc'z]

Thanks for this. Just what I was looking for. I just went out and measured 60 factory rounds from Remington, Winchester and PPU, thinking my one case measurement wasn’t a good sample.
They came in between 2.035 to 2.040. All the Winchester cases in the box were 2.039 to 2.040. The Remingtons were 2.035-37. The PPU were 2.036-39.
Kim: This Garand is the guy’s pride and joy. It’s in mint condition. I don’t think he’ll let me disassemble it! Besides, if I break it, I bought it! It’s also why I’m being extra careful with the reloading process.
Bc’z: Yeah, I can grind one but it won’t be pretty!
mmcu gave me the exact answer I was looking for from a Garand owner.
I’ll grind the shell holder to get to 2.038ish. for springback.

Josh it sounds like you got'r figured out.
FWIW I keep my shell holder that's been ground/surfaced .010 in my press, I use my GUFFY gauges to set up my dies.
I haven't had not enough bump issues since setting up this way.

 

[Preacher]

AA 2520 makes those things shine Josh.....

 

[GotRDid]

You can take a measurement on the center of the shoulder of a case fired in your Garand and then compare with that case sized in your die. As long as you are bumped .002-.003 shorter than the fired case you will be fine. Garands are not typically at Match Grade tolerances even when “unissued” as some were found to be when the 100s of thousands were returned from Greece, Denmark, Philippines, etc.
If, on the other hand, it has been refurbished or purpose built with say, a Criterion, Wilson or Barnett (and now Faxon) barrel, and finish reamed for minimal headspace, closer measurements are required.
I have built up more than dozen Garands from stripped CMP receivers, and refurbished likely 75 Garands for VFW, Am. Legion, and Disabled Veteran’s Posts here in KY over the last 18 years since becoming a Volunteer Armorer for CMP.
Another simple way to check your chamber/headspace to assure it is not out of spec, regardless of what condition it is in, is to use No Go, Field, and Go gages after disassembling bolt as illustrated above.
I applaud you for the consideration of maintaining the safe operation of these historic Rifles for posterity, as we are merely the Stewards of them moving forward in History.

 

[GotRDid]

AA 2520 makes those things shine Josh.....

H4895 and any of the SMKs or AMAX in the 150,155 & 168 gr weight will butcher the X-Ring in short order.

 

[Uncle Bruce]

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You can take a measurement on the center of the shoulder of a case fired in your Garand and then compare with that case sized in your die. As long as you are bumped .002-.003 shorter than the fired case you will be fine. Garands are not typically at Match Grade tolerances even when “unissued” as some were found to be when the 100s of thousands were returned from Greece, Denmark, Philippines, etc.
If, on the other hand, it has been refurbished or purpose built with say, a Criterion, Wilson or Barnett (and now Faxon) barrel, and finish reamed for minimal headspace, closer measurements are required.
I have built up more than dozen Garands from stripped CMP receivers, and refurbished likely 75 Garands for VFW, Am. Legion, and Disabled Veteran’s Posts here in KY over the last 18 years since becoming a Volunteer Armorer for CMP.
Another simple way to check your chamber to assure it is not out of spec, regardless of what condition it is in, is to use No Go, Field, and Go gages after disassembling bolt as illustrated above.
I applaud you for the consideration of maintaining the safe operation of these historic Rifles for posterity, as we are merely the Stewards of them moving forward in History.

Remember to load them on a lower pressure than you would for a bolt action

 

[danny]

View attachment 1636366
View attachment 1636367

View attachment 1636368

View attachment 1636369
You can take a measurement on the center of the shoulder of a case fired in your Garand and then compare with that case sized in your die. As long as you are bumped .002-.003 shorter than the fired case you will be fine. Garands are not typically at Match Grade tolerances even when “unissued” as some were found to be when the 100s of thousands were returned from Greece, Denmark, Philippines, etc.
If, on the other hand, it has been refurbished or purpose built with say, a Criterion, Wilson or Barnett (and now Faxon) barrel, and finish reamed for minimal headspace, closer measurements are required.
I have built up more than dozen Garands from stripped CMP receivers, and refurbished likely 75 Garands for VFW, Am. Legion, and Disabled Veteran’s Posts here in KY over the last 18 years since becoming a Volunteer Armorer for CMP.
Another simple way to check your chamber to assure it is not out of spec, regardless of what condition it is in, is to use No Go, Field, and Go gages after disassembling bolt as illustrated above.
I applaud you for the consideration of maintaining the safe operation of these historic Rifles for posterity, as we are merely the Stewards of them moving forward in History.

Wowsers "Chieftain", that bolt has seen a lot of use.

Danny

 

[Dkk37058]

Don’t use a slow burn powder
Check out the burn rates for safe Grande pressures if to slow it’ll bend the OP rod. It used to be said don’t use a powder slower than IMR 4895 .
4895 used to be the powder used by Uncle Sam for the Grande. Maybe some others will chime in on this.

 

[GotRDid]

Wowsers "Chieftain", that bolt has seen a lot of use.

Danny

Not really; compared to how many I have had to replace, this one still has many thousands of rounds left in its lifespan. You should have seen the ones that made it back from Columbia!

 

[hoz53]

H4895 and any of the SMKs or AMAX in the 150,155 & 168 gr weight will butcher the X-Ring in short order.

i have been using imr4064 but sure would like to use up my h4895 in my garands and not break /bend anything. is this ok GotR?

Oh i have not exactly been butchering the X ring trying to shoot one of these at 1K

what is the name of that fixture? i cant quite see what it does? hopefully OP josh does.
he is much smarter than I. thanks GoTr

 

[GotRDid]

Don’t use a slow burn powder
Check out the burn rates for safe Grande pressures if to slow it’ll bend the OP rod. It used to be said don’t use a powder slower than IMR 4895 .
4895 used to be the powder used by Uncle Sam for the Grande. Maybe some others will chime in on this.

Hornady manuals typically have a Garand Specific Section.

 

[gat]

Small base die set.

 

[GotRDid]

Small base die set.

Not unless it’s Match Grade Chamber.

 

[hoz53]

Hornady manuals typically have a Garand Specific Section.

i have looked at that— now ill look at the h4895 listings

 

[GotRDid]

i have looked at that— now ill look at the h4895 listings

Right there in the pages, Sir.