Reloading Service Rifles - Safety Concerns:

This is a great site detailing the safety concerns when reloading for "Service Rifles" like the Garand, Carbine, M1A, M14, and ARs. A good read and reference:

http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reloadbasics/gasgunreload.cfm

I bookmarked and will read it carefully. Anyone got a favorite, (reliable, accurate, safe) pet load for a M1A?

The service rifle load / case / primer data mother load!

http://radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm

judgedelta wrote:I bookmarked and will read it carefully. Anyone got a favorite, (reliable, accurate, safe) pet load for a M1A?

Lake City 67 Match case
WW large rifle primer
168 gr Sierra or Hornady Match bullet
41 gr IMR 4895

Fired thousands of them in a Winchester Model 70 Target rifle and a Springfield M1A. They did well in both rifles. Never segregated any loads, just used them in either rifle.

Doug

Doug:
What about the same load in commercial cases? Would you go up a grain or leave it as is? What overall length? Thanks...

If you look in the Hornady reloading manual it has loading data just for a service rifle, because of pressure concerns so be careful if you are going to load for a service rifle.

Tub Horn wrote:If you look in the Hornady reloading manual it has loading data just for a service rifle, because of pressure concerns so be careful if you are going to load for a service rifle.

Hornandy's max loads are way below what actual service rifle shooters are using.

If in doubt go by the book, but those loads are not on the firing line at Perry.

jbpmidas wrote:What is the standard Garand load for IMR4895 and 175 SMK's? These would be loaded in commercial cases.

46.5 grains IMR 4895 +or- .5 for any weight from 150 to 175 will do for 200 yard matches.

http://njhighpower.com/cart_tech.htm Scroll to the bottom.

judgedelta wrote:Doug:
What about the same load in commercial cases? Would you go up a grain or leave it as is? What overall length? Thanks...

All you can do is try it. At least it would not increase pressure. I use a chronograph on most rifle loads.

Doug