M1 garand groups

[TomMPR]

I've been working on a handload for the upcoming kd in new philidelphia. As someone fairly new to reloading, i'm not sure just what to expect out of a service grade m1. I know that i probably can't expect the sub-moa accuracy that i can get out of my ar, but i guess i would like to know if 2-3moa that i'm getting is about as good as i'm going to get? Also, for purposes of zeroing, does anyone know the distance from bottom of aiming black to center of the v-ring on a full size target?  Thanks, Tom

[maxwell]

A Service Grade M1 that hasn't been accurized should give you 3-4 MOA with ball ammo, if I recall correctly. If you're getting 2-3 MOA, you're doing well.

[308LIBERTY]

6 inches from bottom of the black to the center of the v ring.

I've been working on a handload for the upcoming kd in new philidelphia. As someone fairly new to reloading, i'm not sure just what to expect out of a service grade m1. I know that i probably can't expect the sub-moa accuracy that i can get out of my ar, but i guess i would like to know if 2-3moa that i'm getting is about as good as i'm going to get? Also, for purposes of zeroing, does anyone know the distance from bottom of aiming black to center of the v-ring on a full size target?  Thanks, Tom

[cwcdl79]

2-3 moa out of a service grade is very nice. Find a load that groups, and is comfortable to shoot.

[ScubaSteve]

I do not mean to disagree with any of the answers you have received so far as in my opinion they are all correct however to add to them...."It depends"  Service Grade can have a fairly wide range on the barrel specs. I just bought two this weekend. Both have a reading of 1 on the muzzle and 2 on the throat. That is pretty good even for a service grade. I expect they will hold 2-3 MOA maybe better with no problem. However a service grade pushing up into the 3 readings will get slightly less to just less, as it is getting closer to being worn out.

Note I put three rounds through the same hole with one of mine at 100 yards this weekend before the sights started to slip. It was from a bench and a rest but the rifle did its part, again until the sights slipped. Its a 6 digit serial. Kind of old. 

[Charles McKinley]

Steve,

What do you mean by "sights started to slip"?

We had two rifles fresh out of CMP at the Beaver Falls Winterseed and they both had issues with their sights coming loose over the course of the weekend.

Thanks,

Chuck

[d2331]

2-3 MOA from a good service grade M1 is what I'd expect.  They were minute of man battle rifles, not free floated, heavy barreled ar's with a match trigger.  Best I've done with a M1 in prone is around 2.5 MOA with a like new postwar SA barrel.

You can search the CMP forums for simple ways to improve accuracy if you so desire.

[ScubaSteve]

The rear sights on a Garand are a curved piece of metal with notches on it. As you turn the elevation knob the sight goes up or down on the notches.  It can slip on those usually for one of two reasons. One if it is worn the recoil of the rifle can just shake it enough to allow it to slip down. Probably need a replacement if this is the case.

Two they do work themselves loose from time to time. This was my case. You use two screwdrivers to tighten up the screwes. One on.each.side.. Not to tight or you can't adjust it but not too loose so it vibrates loose with recoil.

Mine was just too loose. They came that way from the CMP. By the time I noticed my shoulder had enough. I was sighting in 4 rifles.

Steve,

What do you mean by "sights started to slip"?

We had two rifles fresh out of CMP at the Beaver Falls Winterseed and they both had issues with their sights coming loose over the course of the weekend.

Thanks,

Chuck

[Mutant Texan]

If you have any issues with the M1 Garand and you happen to be in the Port Clinton, Ohio area during a NRA match, head to Mid-county firearms outside Oak Harbor, Ohio.  The owner is a M-1 Garand expert that worked for many years at the CMP.

I can tell you from my own experience that my M1 had much better groups when using Benchmark powder less than the "max" load.  I simply full length resized my spent HXP brass and trimmed it.  I found that 46 grains of the Benchmark powder with 168 grain Amax bullets gave excellent results/groups.  The best part about this load is that it pushes more than it kicks.  You could comfortably shoot all day at the range with this load.

I will caution you that the HXP brass is a PITA to work with because it is harder than standard brass.  I had to trim each piece of spent brass after I resized it and this caused me a lot of sore muscles and blistered fingers.  It was always just a hair over the max length.  The good news is that the reloaded stuff did not need to be trimmed for a 2nd reloading.  This may have been because I was not beating the brass to hell.

I will also add that I dissected a handful of the HXP ammo from the CMP and the powder loadings were all over the place.  The highest I saw was 61 grains and the lowest I saw was 50 grains.  I am not sure if the powder was the same type.  It looked to be the same.  I would not be surprised if some of the CMP ammo was hotter than it should have been.  This would cause a man to go mad trying to zero a gun with such inconsistent ammo.

Reload "match grade ammo" and try sighting your rifle in again.  Your rifle will thank you and your groups will be awesome.  .30-06 brass is cheap if you look around and you could avoid the issues of the HXP brass all together.

[USNAVYCHIEF(Ret)]

To the OP:

Aside from replacing my rear aperture to a smaller size, ammo was the 2nd best improvement in my scores.

HXP is fine, but there are better choices.  I won't purchase it anymore and have plenty of it to use for making brass to reload.

My load now, is 50.0 of IMR 4895, with a 125 Speer TNT bullet.  It just works well for me and many others.  I use that load in my 03A3, 1917, and M1 Garands at 200 yards and in.

For further than 200....that 125 ain't gonna get it done.  For 300/600 yards I mimic the M72 load in my 1903A4 with a 175 Sierra Match King, and would not hesitate to use that in my M1 Garand as well.

Here is a cool article on the M72 load:
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/2/1/tips-on-how-to-duplicate-1950s-era-30-06-m72-match-load/

R/
Chris

[TomMPR]

Turns out most of my problem was mechanical. The lower band that came on the rifle from the cmp was so loose that it actually rocked on the roll pin with the rifle assembled. Replaced the lower band and roll pin, and it shoots pretty well now. As far as ammo goes, i've been shooting 45gr of h4895 behind 125 tnt's with good results.

[Gus]

Recently bought my first M1 off gunbroker.  took a chance for sure, but, it is a good rifle. I too am getting 3 MOA groups with it using 168 Hornady BTHPs or 150 Nosler Ballistic Tips; both propelled with medium loads of IMR 4895.  Fun rifle and enjoying learning the rifle and it's history. Mine is a Springfield Armory made in '42.

for what it is worth, I really like the 2 round en bloc clips available for it. Makes shooting an AQT a lot easier.

Gus