An old friend once told me about he and his buddies while in the military loading for recreational shooting. They were using a specific powder and as cast bullets in the 210 gr range. He said they used a powder so they could dip the case full and strike the excess off the top. Then they would seat the bullet and go shoot. What powder could be used this way? I want to shoot my old Garand this way. No opinions needed. Only hard information. Thanks in advance. Packy

I don't know about dipping the cases in powder and scraping off the excess, but my Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading: 5th Edition has a section of data specifically for the MI Garand. If memory serves, I've heard of people using IMR 4350 in the manner you describe (really biting my tongue here), but alas, Hornady doesn't list it as a suitable powder for the Garand.

I used to use a very slow surplus powder called RVO-62 (from River Valley Ordinance) for that. Paired with 147g FMJ bullets and as much powder as you could get in the case and still seat the bullets.

The powder was slower than H870.

It gave low overall pressure but kept enough to cycle the action without problems and never damaged my Garand.

I know that's not much help.....just don't write off the slow powders for practice, if pressure can be kept low enough not to damage your op rod. They only tend to be dirtier, IME.

Cheers,

Dan

packrattusnongratus

The Garrand is rather finicky about the burn rate of the powder used. This is a due to the narrow range of port pressure required to cycle the action. Port pressure is the gas pressure at the hole in the barrel where gas is taken off to drive the op-rod piston.
Too low pressure and the rifle will not cycle reliably, or at all. Too much pressure and you will bend the op-rod or worse.
A powder with a burn rate slow enough to be safe for the reloading you describe would be too slow for the garrand.

muck

Thanks for the data. It will help me achieve some economical shooting with an old iron that should get used. I think I will use it for doe season next month here in the state of Misery. Packrattusnongratus

Nothing better than IMR 4064 and 168 gr bullets. At least in my M-1.

Bill

Same bullet as you Bill, but H-4895 for the coal. Do you use SMK's or somthing eles, I have just tryed some Noslers, not bad at all.

thats the way we loaded with old h831 many moons ago

Butchloc. PM on its way. Packy

Another view on this -

It sounds like you want a simple load for the Garand, that permits skipping metering powder into each case. There are two problems:

1. The load has to be safe for the barrel/receiver. The Garand action is a strong one, so normal (not Light Magnum) loads should be OK.
2. The load has to be safe for the gas operated action. The op rod is the weak point, as others have mentioned.

One way to ensure that you don't damage the op rod is to get an adjustable gas plug for your Garand. These are inexpensive and don't alter the Garand.

To use it, adjust it all the way open, then fire a couple of rounds of your loads and adjust the plug, fire a couple, etc. until you get reliable cycling.

I did this and I get good results with 150gr FMJ bullets and Varget.

Best groups from some of my old war horses , come from H & IMR 4895 BLC-2 Period . I've tried everybody else's with the exception of VV powders .

H870 was and I still believe the slowest burning powder ( No longer made ) It how ever lends it's self to MAGNUM Cases Not .30 Cal . Gas port timing is a consideration . BE CAREFUL !.

Shoot Straight Know Your target . ...