Bullet casters: Need help finding load data

M

mac266

New member
Also posted in the reloading section:

I'm in the beginning stages of reloading for my M1 Garand, and I bought the new Hornady manual because of its special M1 Garand data. However, as a fairly new bullet caster I'd like to try casting and loading a few of my own for the ol' M1. Everything in the Hornady book is jacketed.

I found a 130 grain spitzer bullet mould (gas check of course, I don't think you could ever shoot a .30-06 with a lead bullet that wasn't, even in the comparatively light M1 loads). I think the lighter bullet will be easy on the operating rod; at least that's what CMP says (they recommend 150 grain or less). However, I'm having difficulty finding load data.

Can anyone tell me where to find 30-06 load data for cast bullets?
 
The Lee Modern Reloading book has a bunch of 06 load data...and the manual is like the cheapest one on the planet...and one of the better ones IMHO. The lyman cast bullet manual also has quite a bit of god load data too.
 
I have no experience with the M1 ! but is`nt it gas operated???

& if ya make enuff pressure to operate the bolt where`s the lead particals going ??

how many shots before the ports & chamber needs cleaning???
 
That's what the gas checks are for. You can load cast bullets to function the M1 just fine, then, but heavier is more desirable here as the bullets start into the rifling more easily and the charges will be light, so you want the extra mass reaction force to develop in opposition to acceleration.

Here's a discussion of it.


The CMP comments are for full power loads. It's really the port pressure multiplied by the dwell time of the bullet's passage from the port to muzzle that matters. You need QuickLOAD or another internal ballistics program to figure it out, but the right powder choice makes the 175 grain bullets no worse than the 150's.

BTW, the venting gas plugs are quite effective at limiting op-rod thrust if you should develop an issue with it. The rationale behind the warnings and the much reduced loads (over past published Garand loads) in the Hornady manual is that the world's op-rods are getting old and increasingly scarce as replacement parts.
 
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