DCM shooters have used this load forever for 30-06 M1 match shooting. G.I. brass (heavier than commercial) standard LR primer 46.5grs IMR 4895 and any 168gr match bullet: Sierra,Hornady or the newer Nosler. Use same charge or 1gr more with accurate 2520. Port pressure is in right range for the M1 and it shoots great also in the 1903 Springfield series, and 1917 US Enfields. Can use the same data with the pull-down 174gr G.I. match bullets available from several surplus dealers. It is used all the way to six hundred in competition and in a really tight rack grade gun will stay at 2moa or better for a 20 shot string. This is the only load I use in the M1 and the US bolt guns. In an accurized M1 it will do and honest 1moa or less if you have the eyesight of a hawk. Give it a try and good shooting! Stay away from slower burning powders used in bolt gun hunting loads as the port pressure it too high and will bend the operating rod. This is a bad! thing and leads to costly repairs or worse. Aim small, miss small!

Hornady's manual has a 30-06 section and then a separate M1 Garand section. One thing that jumps out right away is that Garand velocities are 200 or so fps lower than the rest of the '06 velocities, and you're working with powder charges in the 45 grains range vs. around 60 grains in the '06 loads.

You're on the right track looking for the Garand load competitors have pretty well settled on. It won't batter the rifle to death, and it won't stop you from hitting at 600 yards.

H. C.

In my Garand with a Douglass XX barrel 46.5gr's of IMR-4895 with a 168gr bt does 2700fps, and sub moa.

The loads I have used:

Hornady 155 grain AMAX
50grains of IMR4895 - 2814 fps avg muzzle velocity
52 grains of IMR4064 - 2819 fps avg muzzle velocity

Remington 150 grain Core Lokt
50 grains of IMR4895 - 2811 fps avg muzzle velocity
52 grains of IMR4064 - 2809 fps avg muzzle velocity

The military load was a 152 grain spitzer, 50 grains of IMR4895, achieving 2740 fps @ 75 feet from the muzzle. That equates to a muzzle velocity ~ 2815 fps.

The above loads worked well in the two M1 Garands they were shot through. IMR4064 was actually the better performer (it was more accurate and cooler too).

Enjoy your new M1!

ASS_CLOWN

The previous posters hit the nail on the head. Any powder slower than 4064 will likely raise port pressure in the gas system enough to tear your rifle apart. There is no secret formula for Garands. Just repeat after me 4895, 4064, 4895, 4064....
Two milion dead enemy combatants in WWII and Korea agree: "That M-1 Garand is one bad ass instrument of war" (or something like that)
JCN

Iuse a 150gr Hornady and 49gr H 4895...

IMR and H 4895 are almost the same...

When I got my Garand in Texas years ago, I was new to reloading and didn't know about port pressures. I mostly shot the LC67/68/69 ammo they issued us for (back then) DCM matches. I did reload some for it, using 150 or 147gr bullets, and BL-C(2), H335, and AA2520. Those are pretty much in the middle of the burning rates, right? I did avoid the slow powders.

Those powders you used neatly bracketed 4895 and 4064. 2520 acts like 4064, only in an easier to run through a powder measure ball powder form. They were all good choices, but for starting out the 4895 and 4064 are best because there is letterally millions of rounds of experience with them. My Garand is 52 years old, and should be chugging along long after I'm worm dirt.
JCN

One well-known and generally very accurate match load for the M1 is 47 grains of IMR 4064 and the Sierra 165-grain Match King bullet in GI cases with Federal 210 primers.