Does anyone use cast bullets in the M-1 Garand?

  • 3.8K Views
  • Last Post 02 December 2007
feather posted this 27 October 2007

This is my first post on this board.  I've been casting bullets for about ten years and I've been using them successfully with black powder cartridges at silhouettes.

Recently, one of the clubs I belong to has started shooting a military type match for cast bullets using smokeless powder in military rifles.  Most shooters are using some type of bolt action rifle from a variety countries and different time periods.  The only full military rifle I own is an M-1 Garand.  I've used it in the past with jacketed bullets in military matches.

My question is, can cast bullets be shot in an M-1 successfully?  If it can be done, I'd like to know how to do it and what considerations must be given to the rifle, the alloy and the load.

Thanks in advance for any information.

feather

 

Attached Files

Order By: Standard | Newest | Votes
Duane Trusty posted this 01 November 2007

feather Try the following load Bullet Lyman 311291 Powder IMR 4054 42.0 gr Winchester Large Rifle Primer GI Brass Good Luck Duane Trusty Member

Attached Files

feather posted this 01 November 2007

Duane,

What amount of hardness should I be trying to get with an alloy?  I have soft lead, wheelweights and linotype as well as tin.

Thanks for the bullet, brass, primer and powder recommendation.  Does that load cycle the action for rapid fire strings?

feather

 

Attached Files

feather posted this 01 November 2007

Duane,

Since I haven't worked with smokeless powder for some time, I thought that IMR-4054 might be a new powder.  However, in checking my current Lyman manual, I don't see a listing for IMR-4054 and I was wondering if you mean IMR-4064?

feather

 

Attached Files

Molly posted this 01 November 2007

Yeah, the Garand works fine with cast bullets.  The load posted with 4054 (really 4064 as you surmised) should work fine.  My own personal favorite is ~45g 4831 under Lyman 311291, cast of wheelweights and quenched, or of linotype.  Alox / beeswax lube.  Use Hornady or Lyman gas checks, and most any LR primers.  Don't crimp.  You can increase this load as necessary, but above 50g or so, you run a chance of damaging the operating rod after long use.  Oh yeah, it cycles the action just fine.

I don't know what kind of bore you have, but in all the '06 rifles I've used this load (up to 52.0g 4831) shoot it all day long with accuracy running around 1.0 to 1.5 MOA, with no leading.  Hmmm.  Not true:  I can shoot it all SUMMER long with no problems.  I've heard people gripe that it fouls the gas port, but I've never had any trouble myself.  If you do have fouling problems, top the load with a pinch of Dacron about the size of your thumbnail to keep things separated, and fill up the neck with dry cream of wheat.  That will put an abrupt stop to fouling or leading problems., Accuracy may not be quite as good, or it may be better.  Personally, the cream of wheat is a permanent feature of my high power loads.

Also, this load, or anything close to it, will drop deer like a box of rocks, but DO NOT hollowpoint the 311291!  The only time I ever did, I lost an entire forequarter due to bloodshot meat.  No kidding either!

HTH, Molly

Attached Files

Duane Trusty posted this 01 November 2007

feather So sorry should read 4064 not 4054. Looking through old records I used nothing but linotype back then. Duane

Attached Files

CB posted this 02 November 2007

I thought I posted this yesterday, from the book. Didn't I?

6.6.2  HOW TO RELOAD FOR THE M1 RIFLE

Bob Steinberg

My cast load for the M1 was developed when I was a poverty-stricken undergraduate student in the 60's.   Bullet was 311284, cast out of wheel weights (which were much harder in 1968 than they are today); Hornady gas checks, the then new-fangled Alox-Beeswax lube; and they were sized to .309 for my rifle.  Powder charge was 42 grains of WW II surplus 4831 that was sold by Hodgden for $1 a pound; less if you bought it in bulk.  Over the charge was 1/4 sheet of TP; old FA or WW II contract ball cases; CCI 200 primer.  The bullets needed to be seated deep (to the “dirt groove) in order to fit in the magazine.  There are a few “rules” violated here:  powder allegedly too slow for M1 gas system, bullet too heavy; bullet seated deeply into powder space.  The charge is so light that the op rod seems to get a long gentle shove instead of a sharp push.  I never had any difficulties with it.  Like wise, the deep-seated bullets did not seem to seriously hurt grouping.  Groups (fired prone) went about 2-1/2-3” at 100 yards, about the same as the M2 ball that was around then.  (this was not a “match” rifle) I may have had one or two failures to feed in the hundreds of rounds that I fired.   I used to break it down and clean after shooting this load; and I would usually find a few flecks of lead on the gas piston that would brush off with an old bronze bore brush: I cleaned the gas cylinder with a 16 ga shotgun brush and patches, and never had a lead problem there. 

Today I would start with 40 grains of new-production 4831; if you are using post-1970 wheel weights, you will probably need to add some type metal to it.  One thing you must never due with the M1: never, ever load the bullet to engrave in the throat.  You will be asking for a slam-fire and the results won't be pretty.

BTW, the same load tweaked for the 03A3, and shot at 200 and 300 yards, got me my first Master classification in 1973.

joe b.

Attached Files

Duane Trusty posted this 06 November 2007

Joe

I agree with you on the rules “violations” concerning the op rod. I see your point and have done the same myself, but I usually don't quote loads with heavy bullets and slow powders. I gave out a 4831 load years ago and the fellow just knew he could up the charge. I don't need to tell the rest of the story. So everyone be careful with powders slower then 4064 and bullets over 180 gr in your M-1. The old gal was designed around 4895 and 150 Gr. bullets Duane

Attached Files

CB posted this 07 November 2007

Duane Trusty wrote: Joe

I agree with you on the rules “violations” concerning the op rod. I see your point and have done the same myself, but I usually don't quote loads with heavy bullets and slow powders. I gave out a 4831 load years ago and the fellow just knew he could up the charge. I don't need to tell the rest of the story. So everyone be careful with powders slower then 4064 and bullets over 180 gr in your M-1. The old gal was designed around 4895 and 150 Gr. bullets Duane

Duane;

It's not me, I know nothing about M1s or any gas gun. I've had an M1, a Carbine and an M14/M1A. The M1 is driven into the back pasture, used to tether goats. The carbine with the muzzle heated and beaten flat makes a decent wrecking bar. And the M1A provides solid reinforcing for the concrete boat mooring.

Good luck with those ugly, noisy things.

joe b.

Attached Files

CB posted this 07 November 2007

If you are going to shoot the M-1 Garrand only slow fire, you can drill 1/4” hole in the gas cylinder plug and shoot it single shot. If you have a grenade launch plug, just take a punch and knock out the plunger. The pressure vents out the front with any high pressure load. You'll need another plug to put it back to self-loading.

We've done this for 23 years at my home-town club shooting 190gr and 200gr full loads for our 1,000 yard matches. Nary a problem and no worry about the op rod....................Dan

Attached Files

delmarskid1 posted this 02 December 2007

 I used the 311291 and enough 748 win powder to make things work. I think it was a little over 35g. My M1 had a rough bore and I ended up scraping lead off the end of the op-rod. I never plugged the gas port with lead. My alloy was 50/50 wheel weights and lino-type. It didn't shoot great but I had cheap fun and didn't get hurt. 

Attached Files

Categories
Search
Popular Tags
This Weeks High Earners
Hot Topics
Close