My M-1A is fond of Sierra MK 168's and I have always used IMR-4064. I have a lot of RL-15 and it seems to be the proper burn rate for a gas gun. Anyone have any luck using it and any loads to recommend?

Trade the RL 15 for some H4895.

I will not shoot RL 15 in my M1A.

This is a good article from somebody who knows a thing or two about the M1A.

http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf

Pages 11 and 12 address reloading. Nothing slower than IMR 4064, ever. For some reason he does not like Varget in the 14 either.

I already had Zedikers article. I don't know where in the hell I got the idea that R-15 was close to 4064, but after your reply, I rechecked the charts and got the wakeup call. Bent op rod would have been likely! Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
My M-1A is fond of Sierra MK 168's and I have always used IMR-4064. I have a lot of RL-15 and it seems to be the proper burn rate for a gas gun. Anyone have any luck using it and any loads to recommend?

I recreate the M118LR all the time with RL15...
43.1 Grn of RL15 pushing a 175 SMK

I shoot a Fulton Armory M1A rifle that would cost around $3500.00 and a long time to replace.

My choice is to follow Zediker's advice, plus if your M1A does not shoot H4895 there is something wrong with it.

People will do what they want, but I still believe it is good advice to stay away from anything slower the 4064.

40gr of AR-Comp with a 168 Nosler BTSP.
Quickload says 2562fps and 49k psi
I read that AR-Comp is temp stable RL-15 .

My accuracy load for I4895 is 41gr.

If you are worried... 38gr of AR-Comp would match 41gr of I4895.
2450fps at 42.2k

Never tried H4895 but 41gr is 2527fps at 46.5k (so says quickload

The military is using a version of RL15 in the M118LR rounds that they use in there ERB/M21/M40/M24/XM2011. This is the standard Sniping round and long distance Match ammo. RL15 will be fine!

This is getting interesting. There are several burning rate charts out there, and with so many powders available, without something like a burn rate number, it is hard to tell what is what. Looking at one chart, R15 was about 6-8 places below I-4064 which gave me the impression that 15 was considerably slower than 4064. Zediker and many other experts recommend never going slower than 4064. Then I happned to look in my Hornady manual and it has a seperate section for .308 for M-1a's. It shows that R-15 and Varget are acceptable. I called Hornady and talked to a Tech who was very familiar with M-1a's and he confirmed that in their research, IMR-4064, Varget and R-15 were so similar in pressure at the port, that they were all equally safe using their published loads. This is good news, mainly as with all the hysteria, powder is virtually unavailable outside of shotgun and the really slow burning rifle powders. I have a lot of powders, but they are mainly in the R-19 to 4831 range and are not suitable. If I could get an 8lb. canister of 4895, I would, but for the near future, it is unavailable for love or money! When I went to the big local gun dealer today, they were out of primers and 30 cal bullets were down to only the light weights and the heavies, and they carry a lot of brands and weights! They also checked their distributors and none have any nor can predict when they will get any. What a fiasco!

Lee, suitable powders for the M1-A/M14 start with IMR 3031 and end around IMR 4064.

I would have no problems using RL 15 or Varget in a M1-A/M14. Just start low and work up looking at pressures signs and ejection patterns.

My favorite load for ANY 308/7.62 is 39.5gr of IMR 3031 over a 165/168 gr bullet.

This load shoots great in a M1-A, 308 M1 Garand, FN-FAL or my favorite the H&K 91, as well as bolt rifles.
I have shot this load in a lot of competitions,and killed a lot of game with it.

I have been using it since @ 1975.

Tony, I agree, but you can't find any 3031 either!!

Lee Just hold tight. The Frenzy will taper off in a few weeks, production will catch up...
Prices will drop a bit...

And THEN buy everything you will need, for the rest of your life...