S&B .30-06 Ammo for the Garand

[Gus]

Hi everyone,

I'm passing some time here at the  Fairbanks airport while waiting on a flight to Fort Yukon.

I recently came across a decent deal on 100 rounds of Sellier & Belloit.30-06 ammo for Garand. I did a bit of research on it and the reviews are mixed. So, I figured I would ask you all: what is your opinion of this particular ammo?  It's 150 gr FMJ, standard stuff. I bought it the day before flying to Alaska so have not had a chance to shoot it.

Also, how is the brass? Good for reloading?


Gus

[cwcdl79]

Good stuff. Brass is decent

[Gus]

Broke out the M1 the other day and did some shooting with this ammo.

Turns out it is decent ammo. After getting my 100 yard Z I shot Stage 1 of a KD and had no problems keeping all ten in the black.

Here are the chronograph results: (13 shots)
Avg-2796 fps, low-2762, high-2836, SD 21

Will shoot the rest of the KD on Tuesday when I get out to my 600 yard range north of town.

Gus

[LDB415]

Too much recoil for me but looking forward to hearing more results. I like learning about these, so long as someone else's shoulder's getting walloped and not mine.

[TheMenace]

Too much recoil for me but looking forward to hearing more results. I like learning about these, so long as someone else's shoulder's getting walloped and not mine.

Have you been to an Appleseed? The steady hold factors of the standing position we teach, if applied correctly, mitigate the recoil of the M1. It's actually quite pleasant and satisfying to shoot.

[Gus]

The steady hold factor of the standing position we teach, if applied correctly, mitigate the recoil of the M1. It's actually quite pleasant and satisfying to shoot.
[/quote]

Agreed. My M1 weighs right at 10 lbs. recoil is not bad at all. The steady hold factors, proper use of the hasty sling and solid position is an amazing combination for reducing felt recoil.


Gus

[LDB415]

I have not been yet, scheduled in October (semi)-nearby. I base that on having a .25-06 Ruger M77 in 1976, best looking rifle ever but neither here nor there, and not liking the recoil sighting it in. Granted that was without benefit of the training I will get and probably about 25% less weight, which does help, but a smaller/lighter round also. And I'm ~50 years older so there's that also. But we'll see how much less noticeable the recoil is from my 10/22 and that may sway me. Not that it will make Mr. Grumpy Checkbook any less disagreeable and hard to get along with.

[Zorak]

The M77 is a bolt action. Gas-operated semi-automatic rifles tend to generate a little less felt recoil than a bolt action firing the same cartridge. I know my Garand punishes my shoulder less than my .308 bolt action does, even though the bolt gun is heavier. Neither is punishing compared to some of the larger cartridges out there.

[Gus]

Well I made it out to my prairie range this morning and shot the M1 in a KD with the SB ammo.

In what can only be described as a 'small miracle' the wind was only blowing maybe 5 mph from 7 o'clock! Wind was a non factor.

I had already done stage one at the 100 yard Spearfish range. At the prairie range I fired a couple shots at 200 to get my zero and then fired stage 2 of the AQT.

I only got seven shots away during the 55 second time limit. I went ahead and fired the last three just for fun. All ten were hits

In stage 3, again, I only got seven shots away during the 65 seconds. I guess I am not a fast reloader of enbloc clips!  As before I sent the last three downrange to empty the rifle. In a way it probably cost me some points. Upon my arrival at the target I saw I had seven hits in the black and three just below. So for official scoring of my unofficial KD I'll call it 4x10.

Stage 4 was good: all ten in the black. Total of 41x50.

After the testing, my KD, and the chronograph data I'd say this ammo is pretty good. Definitely good enough for me to go have some fun with!

And, happiness is having a nice little pile of once fired '06 brass to reload!

Gus