Boy, was this video up my alley. Good job. I started reloading and shooting National Match in the early 70's. I shot Garands and M1a's until the AR's showed up, now I mostly shoot in the John C. Garand matches. The only powder I use is IMR 4064 or H4895, #1. I load mixed commercial brass except for Federal, it's the heaviest brass out there even exceeding military by a large margin. I use Winchester or CCI primers and my bullet of choice is the Hornady 150gr FMJ even out to 600 yards. I duplicate the M2 ball load with 46gr of the H4895 and get 2805fps with the 150's. The ARMY crono's were set 71 feet from the muzzle that's why the MV is slightly higher than their spec. This is also the load recipe the CMP has loaded by Creedmoor Sports for their ammo. My latest Garand, bought from the CMP, is a 1942 SA Philippine return and it now wears a Danish VAR barrel (+1 throat & muzzle) and has a very tight, new CMP stock. The only changes from as issued is a Orion 7 stainless steel main spring and a ported Garand Gear gas plug. www.garandgear.com/the-m1-garand-and-commercial-ammunition/ With that load my Garand will shoot 1 moa off the bench with the H4895 and 150 Hornady's. I know, I hit the jackpot with that rifle. I spend most of my reloading time on brass prep, I use the alcohol/lanolin homemade lube and I bump the shoulder .002" to .003". I too could go on for an hour but you're on the right track. IMHO you should try some 150's and step up your charges a little, that's where I found the largest accuracy node and it work's in all 4 of my Garands.
I love this kind of video, even though I have been reloading for decades and don't load for a Garand. You do a great job of simplifying things and informing without pontificating from on high.
Johnny -- All your work is top flight Johnny! However, your work on this 30/06 video shows your real teaching ability. Your casual but informative way combined with the real life re-loading situations is just great! Keep on filming!
26:26 a piece of advice for new reloaders, stick with one charge weight and bullet combination at a time. Charge five cases with the same weight of powder, seat your bullets, move the loaded rounds to a container with a label showing exactly what they are, then move on to the next charge. I've wasted a ladder test or two in my day by getting things mixed up. Until you are confident in your procedures, process, and workflow, don't try to do too many things at once.
PERFECT ADVICE FROM JOE THE FOX , no use wasting a day and a trip to the range, keep it separated and dont let the counter boys dump your ammo for inspection into a pile while you turn your back for a split second
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: your beginning reloading series (sadly, no longer available), was by far the best introduction to reloading I have ever seen. I watched tons of videos while getting ready to start reloading, and none could hold a candle to yours. Thanks for helping me get started in an incredibly interesting hobby.
Your Garand M1 video is what the dr ordered. I just received my CMP Expert and am in the process of working up my first loads. Thanks for the great instruction.
Ever thought about making an induction annealer? North East Texas Tactical has a video on how to make one around $200 with 0.01 second accuracy. Super quick and easy (I was a USMC grunt, if I can do it anyone can). Works great! No open flame or propane to buy, No molten salt. The build would make a good video for you to make, and he has a tips and tricks video that I found useful. keep up the good work Sir, Love your videos!
I’ve got a Garand, mostly load with H4895, Varget I’ve not tried. It shoots very well, despite a little pitting in the barrel, barely noticeable. I haven’t put the rounds over the chrono yet, but will soon. Thanks for sharing this with us, take care and stay safe! God bless buddy! 🙏🎚🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾
Johnny, you're not having feeding issues. Smacking the back of the handle is part of the normal manual of arms for the M1 when inserting a new clip. (Yes those are actually clips, the magazine is internal on the Garand) Search for the video "M1 Garand - Principles of Operation (1943) United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1" here on youtube and you'll see them routinely smacking it during loading. It helps prevent the dreaded "Garand thumb" (They do it twice between the 1:30 and 2:00 min mark) Watching you load those clips, I predict you're going to get to experience the pain of a Garand thumb in the not to distant future Edited to add: they change how they taught to insert the clip after this training film was made, to prevent Garand thumb. Once you get one, you'll understand why. At a Garand training match, I had a President's 100 shooter/instructor put it best, "Garand shooters fall into 2 categories, those that have had a Garand thumb, and those that are going to get one" FYI, they HURT!!
Johnny one tip I have used for forty years is to spray Lock-eze on to a rag and wipe the rag on the plastic funnels and it puts a coating of graphite on the funnel and kills static electricity that causes powder grains to stick to the funnel. Another thing to use is powdered graphite on a rag and wipe the funnel so you get a grey sheen on it. I Think pencil sharpener shavings would do it to.
Thanks JRB. I have learned so much and implemented so much from your Channel. I know it’s rough out there for those of us who desire info and enjoy this space but thanks man. Fixing to test a general purpose horn fmj 55 grain load and a smk 69 load in my go to 556 rifle. Powders are aa2230 cfe223 h335 and varget. Hopefully I can find something. Just got a decent chrono. Not looking to poo primers but am looking for some decent speed and accuracy. We shall see soon. Thanks again.
Thank you for this video. You showed a lot of details that others don’t cover. Like actually applying the sizing line, and that sometimes it not a smooth stroke for sizing the brass.
I love your whole channel. But thank you especially for posting this one. I have many friends on the fence about getting into reloading but this was a great first time loader primer that I could point them to. I show them my reloading procedures and all the stuff I do and I learned alot of it from you and your series of videos. Hopefully with this video I can get a few of my buddies into this fun world. I keep pointing out those RCBS kit deals and they really just want to get into 223 and a nice single stage kit would be a great start!
Thanks for the videos, I am newly retired and have started reloading and your videos have been extremely helpful. Doing only handgun rounds now on a Lee single stage press, but my results have been fantastic. You have been playing during my time at the bench. Thanks again.
This video would have been a fun one to to watch you live stream the editing on twitch. The start to finish style makes me nostalgic for the Rebel Press editing marathons.
I think my favorite recipe for the M-1 is a 150 grain FMJ over 50.0 grains of IMR 4064... absolutely love that load. Shoots around 2780FPS or so and shoots light out in my rifle.
Years ago l settled on 49.0 grs of IMR 4064 for around 2740fps. This was the older longer grained powder. I've noticed the newer stuff is a shorter grain and haven't tested to see if there's any difference.
@@bumblebeebob yeah it's funny how a powder that is the same brand and name can still change from one lot to the next. Either way with the new powder I'm sure your load recipe will still work great!
It hurts to watch you rest the rifle on the front hand guard. The bolt hesitation on closing is normal. Just shove the clip down until you hear the click and take your fingers and thumb out of the magazine well. Then a light tap of the rear side of the charging handle will close the bolt. Your clips are a little rough on the edges, and that will cause the bolt hesitation until the clips smooth out. HXP brass is inconsistent volume wise, but will last a long time. Segregate the brass by year date.
I originally set up my rest to sit on the stock but decided to just put it out on the handguard at the last minute. You're not the only one complaining. I won't do it again.
Would it not make sense to do your load development with the rifle rested on the handguard if that is how you intend to fire it? I'm not going to pretend to load for Garand but I personally beleive this comes in to play with many rifles. milspec handguards for AR come to mind which I have observed POI changes as well when fired rested on different locations(base of handguard/slipring, mag, and front of handguard. I can only assume it can have an effect on harmonics but I Am interested to hear your findings with Garands and load development/groups, I really don't know enough about them besides commonality they share with all firearms.
@@savagereloader6699 The front hand guard is just there to protect the shooters hand from the moving parts and any heat. It is nothing like a standard handguard on an AR. Resting the rifle on the front handguard will produce variable forces on the barrel and gas cylinder and cause huge POI shifts. You will see the front sling swivel is behind the front handguard, and is meant as the most forward point of support pressure for shooting. The front handguard can be adjusted to provide some pressure between the sling swivel area and the end cap of the front handguard, and this will provide dampening of the barrel vibrations. Get this pressure correct and an M1 will go from a 4 MOA rifle to a 1MOA or less rifle. Like most wooden stocked military rifles these barrels are not free floated, but dampened by the stock if properly fitted.
I was also taught to not hold the weight of the rifle by the upper hand guard. But we were competitors trying to shoot MOA with 3 MOA ammo. Johnny, I still see 300fps less on the video than you are saying in the audio.
I just ran a test with 46gr IMR 4895, 175gr SMK, R-P Brass, and CCI LRP. I landed right at 2570 FPS. I always like it when my data lines up with what others are doing. I didn’t test it for accuracy though… hopefully i can squeeze into something under 6 inches 😂. All jokes aside, I appreciate all your hard work! Thank you!
With my first Garand, 37 years ago, I didn’t know that you were supposed to use Garand specific loads. OOPS!! Now with years of reloading experience my current Garand is running much better. IMR4895 is the only powder I use for the Garand. At least I didn’t blow my face off! Try resting your rifle on the stock and not the front hand guard, is is designed to fit loose and may be affecting accuracy.
In my M1A or Garand , its IMR 4895 or NOTHING , 60 years of reloading proves this in my rifles , and my RCBS partner is this going strong after 46 plus years , with all calibers 30-06 down to 222 Remington.
I made up a dummy round out of a split case with just a bullet, no primer and painted blue. I use that to remove my case mouth dents. Just insert and turn while they are in the loading tray. Perfect case mouths for sizing and quick to do.
It just goes to show how much shooting/hunting/defense equipment has improved over the last 100 or so years. I’d be willing to bet both of those bullet/powder combos could be made to shoot better in a more recently manufactured rifle.
I’ve been waiting for this video. I’ve reloaded some (M1 specific) for mine just using manuals and am set up for ladder testing but I haven’t got the chronograph and paper targets out yet.
Well I’ll be darned a old school long form video from JRB… today has been a good day my 1 year old was over all not a pain in the neck. Had a good dinner and to top it all off a good long video from JRB…. Cool!!!!!!
For the sake of simplicity and not missing anything, when I run the single stage press I go straight from powder charge to seating the bullet in that case, stops any confusion on if I missed or double charged a case, and the time it takes to seat it lets my Frankford rig throw the next charge so I'm not waiting on it
48 minute video... I am 2.5 hours into this video and haven't finished cuz I am so enthralled I have to google every other word you use so I can understand it. LOVE IT.
Best part; after spending $125 $300 hopefully you at the point you don’t care. cause you about to spend more. I just picked up some some 168s and this video is perfect. Thanks.
I know you are on a big shotgun kick right now but I would love to see one or two more parts to this video. I would like an economical load with a 150g FMJ and a load using some other powders we can actually buy. I couldn't buy 4895 or Varget right now if my life depended on it.
Love loading for my Garand. I can’t wait to see the results you got. You may want to try 125 grain Speer TNTs too with 3031. It’s a bit of a wildcat load but they are super nice to shoot.
As usual, a great video, Johnny! One tip though for using Imperial wax on the inside of the necks: instead of using a Q-tip, just wipe your imperial covered index finger across the case mouth, and it will squeegee a little lube inside the case neck. Given, it won’t be all the way around the circumference, but the expander ball pushing in and out will spread it out nicely. Please keep up the great work Buddy. I love all your videos!!
Great video! I've had similar groups, may I suggest checking you front sight housing for lose fit and try moving the rest off the front piece and placing the rifles stock behind the the "Stacking Swivel."
Good choice using the Mighty Armory universal decapping die. I have one, and it's particularly nice because it has a super strong pin and it's spring-loaded to ensure that the primer fully clears the case each time.
The front hand guard is a huge source of variation with the point of impact. Many Garand shooters lock the front hand guard down with a process called “unitizing”. They ream the front hand guard ring, screw and glue the hand guard to the rear barrel band. It free floats the barrel in front of the hand guard. Your use of the front hand guard to rest the rifle is probably going to cause huge variations in barrel vibration. When I unitized my Garand hand guard my 8 shot groups shrank from 3.5-4” down to about 2.5” . It is a lot more consistent.
I just checked a couple days ago to make sure I didn't get unsubscribed or something because I hadn't seen a video in a while and this video you sound a little under the weather so I hope all is well man. Glad to get a full length video like the old days on this channel... LOL
I’ve been using the Lee threaded cutter and lock stud. Works with the same case length gauges and shell holders but you can screw the cutter into a motorized case prep center. So I can run my brass through the trimmer, primer pocket scraper, chamfer, and de-burr all in a matter of seconds. Works nice if you are doing larger lots of brass.
For what it's worth, Lyman sells a decapping rod that has a carbide expander ball that can be used to replace the decapping pin for certain dies, including RCBS. It allows me to totally avoid contaminating the inside cases with a bit of lube inside the case mouth.
Just did 100 for the Garand tonight. I spray a few shots of the lanolin lube on folded t-shirt material that the case body fits perfectly. The neck/shoulder hang off the edge. A single roll is all it takes.
44.7 grains H4895, 44.6 grains n140, Varget. 168 grain hpbt. Keep it under 2600 fps and you won't bend or stress your op rod because they are expensive. Medium burn rate powders. I use the Hornady manual and have excellent results. The military brass is thicker, so you might want to reduce your charge by a grain.
I reload .30-06, 7.62x54R, and .223. I use the Lee Hand press, Lee Pacesetter (3 die) sets, and Lee case lube for all 3 calibers. I originally purchased Lee Loaders in all three calibers but ran into neck tension problems with 7.62x54R using PPU brass and .311 bullets (maybe .312 would have been fine but were unavailable for a while). The hand press requires a little upper body strength to use with the larger calibers but does the job. I think pretty much any bench mounted press would be fine for .30-06 as long as it has clearance.
I made the same choice as you with the CMP Garand. I have been using IMR 4895 and 147 or 150 grain bullets. It seems to like that combination and the velocity seems spot on.
4895 is the traditional favorite for the Garand, and that's what I used to make up 100 rounds for my father-in-law's Garand. There are others that are acceptable in that platform, namely 4064 and a few others. You definitely don't want to use the slower powders that allow you to get a bit more velocity out of bolt actions, namely the likes of W760, H414, and any of the 4350 or 4831 powders.
I actually think a lot of folks think Varget is borderline as to being too slow of a powder. Would love to see 4064 and H4895 next if you do another with the M1. Maybe an M14/M1A if you can get your hands on one.
I use H4895 for both my m1 and m1a. Hornady match 168bthp with 46.5gr. Of H4895 in the m1 (30-06) and 42grn in the m1a (.308) I found these loads have been best for me. Both use the same CCi #200 primers as well.
This is an excellent video even for a beginner like me. Could you please provide info on the target and velocity products you used at the range? Thank you.
His target looks like a 100 yard NRA high power target which would be correct from my understanding for this application. His chronograph looks like a doplar radar which is a good piece of kit to have. He has a shot mark system at his target using microphones to gauge muzzle velocity and bullet impact point that sends that data to his computer.
One minor critique, but you left out the important step of chamfering/deburring your brass after trimming it. Also, that Lee trimmer is so laborious to use that you'll quickly buy one of the better bench mounted (I highly recommend the Redding) trimmer instead.
I've found H335 isn't that bad for Garand / 1903 loads with 150 grain projectiles. I think it was 45.3 grains or so which averaged around 2,650 fps or so.
Johnny, those replacement stocks need a little work to get more accuracy out of them. If you do a little research, there's some simple things you can do to help that rifle that are still considered "as-issued". The simplest one is sanding the channel to eliminate op rod rub. It would make a good video for the channel too.
How about an update video on the shotmarker? Pros, cons, whats went wrong, quirks, common problems, questionable readings, frustrations, replacement parts, etc. Im thinking about pulling the trigger on one but id like to know about your honest opinion of it now after you have been using it for a while.
"Some of these are taking a lot of force...". That is a reason not to buy a small press if you intend to size larger rifle cases. For loading various loads I recommend charging a batch of cases, seating the bullets, then mark those loaded rounds. This way you don't run the risk of getting anything mixed up. You can use colored Sharpie pens to mark the primers for different loads. My understanding is with an M1 Garand you push the cartridges in and the bolt should start to close automatically. If it doesn't then you bump it with the heel of your hand and it should close.
'IF', one wants to find out about the M1 ammo to reload and shoot, read Gen Julian Hatcher's Book Of The Garand. There's a good page or so on the ammo that was on hand when Mr Garand was developing his great rifle. Then throw out ALL the hype on M1 'SAFE' ammo. Great vid dude... Newt, out here...
Redding sells a spherical carbide size button that replaces the stock one you showed. I find they work well and you don't have to lubricate the case neck
Thanks Johnny. Sounded like your rooster wasn’t happy about those 30-06 loads. Do you ever use that Franklin arsenal primer anymore? I shelled out some cash for a 21st century primer but wondering if the FA adjustable primer is a better deal.
I haven't used the FA primer in quite a while. My main problem is its weight. Really heavy! I seem to always grab the RCBS universals because I know I won't have to mess with shell holders.
@@JohnnysReloadingBench have you had any issues with large primers with your FA priming tool? Just got one and it has too much play between priming pin and guide , it leans over and puts half moon dents in primers . Just the large , small is fine . Love the channel , keep it up!
I just had a case separate in my 30-06 today at the range. Blew the extractor off my Tikka bolt and debris blew in my face cutting my face. I must have missed case head separations on that case. It can happen.
The problem I run into with the hornady manual is there load data is to slow it doesn’t cycle my Garand. I had to go on the cmp website to the forum and ask people on there to get the proper load data. I also chrono my Greek 30-06 ammo because it functioned perfectly and it was hotter than hornadys load data. I was also using 4895 and varget
Only thing I can say is where your front support was has historically for me caused the types of groups you are experiencing. Try moving the support back to the main part of the stock. Great videos!
It's a lot of work and a huge pain in the butt... But you could pull the barrel/action out of the stock, clean the inlet up and glass bed it... Might help tighten up those groups a bit.
I’m excited for an old fashioned 45+ minute reloading video
Boy, was this video up my alley. Good job. I started reloading and shooting National Match in the early 70's. I shot Garands and M1a's until the AR's showed up, now I mostly shoot in the John C. Garand matches. The only powder I use is IMR 4064 or H4895, #1. I load mixed commercial brass except for Federal, it's the heaviest brass out there even exceeding military by a large margin. I use Winchester or CCI primers and my bullet of choice is the Hornady 150gr FMJ even out to 600 yards. I duplicate the M2 ball load with 46gr of the H4895 and get 2805fps with the 150's. The ARMY crono's were set 71 feet from the muzzle that's why the MV is slightly higher than their spec. This is also the load recipe the CMP has loaded by Creedmoor Sports for their ammo. My latest Garand, bought from the CMP, is a 1942 SA Philippine return and it now wears a Danish VAR barrel (+1 throat & muzzle) and has a very tight, new CMP stock. The only changes from as issued is a Orion 7 stainless steel main spring and a ported Garand Gear gas plug. www.garandgear.com/the-m1-garand-and-commercial-ammunition/
With that load my Garand will shoot 1 moa off the bench with the H4895 and 150 Hornady's. I know, I hit the jackpot with that rifle. I spend most of my reloading time on brass prep, I use the alcohol/lanolin homemade lube and I bump the shoulder .002" to .003". I too could go on for an hour but you're on the right track. IMHO you should try some 150's and step up your charges a little, that's where I found the largest accuracy node and it work's in all 4 of my Garands.
I love this kind of video, even though I have been reloading for decades and don't load for a Garand. You do a great job of simplifying things and informing without pontificating from on high.
Johnny -- All your work is top flight Johnny! However, your work on this 30/06 video shows your real teaching ability. Your casual but informative way combined with the real life re-loading situations is just great! Keep on filming!
26:26 a piece of advice for new reloaders, stick with one charge weight and bullet combination at a time. Charge five cases with the same weight of powder, seat your bullets, move the loaded rounds to a container with a label showing exactly what they are, then move on to the next charge. I've wasted a ladder test or two in my day by getting things mixed up. Until you are confident in your procedures, process, and workflow, don't try to do too many things at once.
PERFECT ADVICE FROM JOE THE FOX , no use wasting a day and a trip to the range, keep it separated and dont let the counter boys dump your ammo for inspection into a pile while you turn your back for a split second
I've started using a sharpie to put my charge weights right on the brass in addition to a label on the container with more detail
I never loaded anything over 150gr heads.
@@tyrellmorris9503 I've been doing the same thing for years. A great way to keep track of things.
@@bumblebeebob I just use roman numerals in sharpie to mark my brass after every charge. Dullest pencil sharpest memory sort of thing
Enjoyed. Lately, been rewatching some of the 300 blk videos, and ad I get started with my own 300 blk work, it's been a lot of help.
This is great! I remember watching the original Garand videos years ago!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: your beginning reloading series (sadly, no longer available), was by far the best introduction to reloading I have ever seen. I watched tons of videos while getting ready to start reloading, and none could hold a candle to yours. Thanks for helping me get started in an incredibly interesting hobby.
Your Garand M1 video is what the dr ordered. I just received my CMP Expert and am in the process of working up my first loads. Thanks for the great instruction.
You gotta love it when JRB drops a new video when you're about ready to sit down and load a batch yourself.
Ever thought about making an induction annealer? North East Texas Tactical has a video on how to make one around $200 with 0.01 second accuracy. Super quick and easy (I was a USMC grunt, if I can do it anyone can). Works great! No open flame or propane to buy, No molten salt. The build would make a good video for you to make, and he has a tips and tricks video that I found useful. keep up the good work Sir, Love your videos!
I’ve got a Garand, mostly load with H4895, Varget I’ve not tried. It shoots very well, despite a little pitting in the barrel, barely noticeable.
I haven’t put the rounds over the chrono yet, but will soon.
Thanks for sharing this with us, take care and stay safe! God bless buddy! 🙏🎚🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾
Great to see! Just got my Garand in the mail, and am starting to work on a load for it.
What a great feeling!
Johnny, you're not having feeding issues. Smacking the back of the handle is part of the normal manual of arms for the M1 when inserting a new clip. (Yes those are actually clips, the magazine is internal on the Garand)
Search for the video "M1 Garand - Principles of Operation (1943) United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1" here on youtube and you'll see them routinely smacking it during loading. It helps prevent the dreaded "Garand thumb" (They do it twice between the 1:30 and 2:00 min mark)
Watching you load those clips, I predict you're going to get to experience the pain of a Garand thumb in the not to distant future
Edited to add: they change how they taught to insert the clip after this training film was made, to prevent Garand thumb. Once you get one, you'll understand why.
At a Garand training match, I had a President's 100 shooter/instructor put it best, "Garand shooters fall into 2 categories, those that have had a Garand thumb, and those that are going to get one" FYI, they HURT!!
Johnny one tip I have used for forty years is to spray Lock-eze on to a rag and wipe the rag on the plastic funnels and it puts a coating of graphite on the funnel and kills static electricity that causes powder grains to stick to the funnel. Another thing to use is powdered graphite on a rag and wipe the funnel so you get a grey sheen on it. I Think pencil sharpener shavings would do it to.
Thanks JRB. I have learned so much and implemented so much from your Channel. I know it’s rough out there for those of us who desire info and enjoy this space but thanks man. Fixing to test a general purpose horn fmj 55 grain load and a smk 69 load in my go to 556 rifle. Powders are aa2230 cfe223 h335 and varget. Hopefully I can find something. Just got a decent chrono. Not looking to poo primers but am looking for some decent speed and accuracy. We shall see soon. Thanks again.
Nothing like getting back to the basics. Thanks, Johnny.
Thank you for this video. You showed a lot of details that others don’t cover. Like actually applying the sizing line, and that sometimes it not a smooth stroke for sizing the brass.
Great reloading info, handsome Garand, great shooting, but the rooster stole the show. Keep the vids coming.
I love your whole channel. But thank you especially for posting this one. I have many friends on the fence about getting into reloading but this was a great first time loader primer that I could point them to. I show them my reloading procedures and all the stuff I do and I learned alot of it from you and your series of videos. Hopefully with this video I can get a few of my buddies into this fun world. I keep pointing out those RCBS kit deals and they really just want to get into 223 and a nice single stage kit would be a great start!
You have been selected among my few giveaway winners, endeavour to Reach out to claim your Prize.
Congratulations🎉🎉🎊
YES! YES! YES! Thank you! I’m about to load for my Garand so this is perfect timing!!!
I've been waiting for this for years! Thaaks JRB!
Thanks for the videos, I am newly retired and have started reloading and your videos have been extremely helpful. Doing only handgun rounds now on a Lee single stage press, but my results have been fantastic. You have been playing during my time at the bench. Thanks again.
This video would have been a fun one to to watch you live stream the editing on twitch. The start to finish style makes me nostalgic for the Rebel Press editing marathons.
I think my favorite recipe for the M-1 is a 150 grain FMJ over 50.0 grains of IMR 4064... absolutely love that load. Shoots around 2780FPS or so and shoots light out in my rifle.
I use the 150 FMJ Hornady's and 46gr of H4895 to get just over 2800fps, basically a M2 Ball load and my Garand shoots better than most bolt rifles.
Years ago l settled on 49.0 grs of IMR 4064 for around 2740fps. This was the older longer grained powder. I've noticed the newer stuff is a shorter grain and haven't tested to see if there's any difference.
@@bumblebeebob yeah it's funny how a powder that is the same brand and name can still change from one lot to the next. Either way with the new powder I'm sure your load recipe will still work great!
It hurts to watch you rest the rifle on the front hand guard. The bolt hesitation on closing is normal. Just shove the clip down until you hear the click and take your fingers and thumb out of the magazine well. Then a light tap of the rear side of the charging handle will close the bolt. Your clips are a little rough on the edges, and that will cause the bolt hesitation until the clips smooth out. HXP brass is inconsistent volume wise, but will last a long time. Segregate the brass by year date.
I originally set up my rest to sit on the stock but decided to just put it out on the handguard at the last minute. You're not the only one complaining. I won't do it again.
Would it not make sense to do your load development with the rifle rested on the handguard if that is how you intend to fire it? I'm not going to pretend to load for Garand but I personally beleive this comes in to play with many rifles. milspec handguards for AR come to mind which I have observed POI changes as well when fired rested on different locations(base of handguard/slipring, mag, and front of handguard.
I can only assume it can have an effect on harmonics but I Am interested to hear your findings with Garands and load development/groups, I really don't know enough about them besides commonality they share with all firearms.
@@JohnnysReloadingBench You are forgiven. LOL
@@savagereloader6699 The front hand guard is just there to protect the shooters hand from the moving parts and any heat. It is nothing like a standard handguard on an AR. Resting the rifle on the front handguard will produce variable forces on the barrel and gas cylinder and cause huge POI shifts. You will see the front sling swivel is behind the front handguard, and is meant as the most forward point of support pressure for shooting. The front handguard can be adjusted to provide some pressure between the sling swivel area and the end cap of the front handguard, and this will provide dampening of the barrel vibrations. Get this pressure correct and an M1 will go from a 4 MOA rifle to a 1MOA or less rifle. Like most wooden stocked military rifles these barrels are not free floated, but dampened by the stock if properly fitted.
I was also taught to not hold the weight of the rifle by the upper hand guard. But we were competitors trying to shoot MOA with 3 MOA ammo. Johnny, I still see 300fps less on the video than you are saying in the audio.
I just ran a test with 46gr IMR 4895, 175gr SMK, R-P Brass, and CCI LRP. I landed right at 2570 FPS. I always like it when my data lines up with what others are doing. I didn’t test it for accuracy though… hopefully i can squeeze into something under 6 inches 😂.
All jokes aside, I appreciate all your hard work! Thank you!
With my first Garand, 37 years ago, I didn’t know that you were supposed to use Garand specific loads. OOPS!! Now with years of reloading experience my current Garand is running much better. IMR4895 is the only powder I use for the Garand. At least I didn’t blow my face off!
Try resting your rifle on the stock and not the front hand guard, is is designed to fit loose and may be affecting accuracy.
In my M1A or Garand , its IMR 4895 or NOTHING , 60 years of reloading proves this in my rifles , and my RCBS partner is this going strong after 46 plus years , with all calibers 30-06 down to 222 Remington.
I don't remember my charge weight off hand but I've always had for luck with imr4064
@@deathsicon IMR4064 is my favorite 308 powder.
@@SSgt- I started on 308 2 years ago and it's been my go to for that as well I pick it up just about every time I see some at a decent price
I made up a dummy round out of a split case with just a bullet, no primer and painted blue.
I use that to remove my case mouth dents. Just insert and turn while they are in the loading tray. Perfect case mouths for sizing and quick to do.
It just goes to show how much shooting/hunting/defense equipment has improved over the last 100 or so years. I’d be willing to bet both of those bullet/powder combos could be made to shoot better in a more recently manufactured rifle.
I’ve been waiting for this video. I’ve reloaded some (M1 specific) for mine just using manuals and am set up for ladder testing but I haven’t got the chronograph and paper targets out yet.
Awesome video as always. A garand is definitely my next milsurp rifle. I really enjoy these older style long videos on older guns.
Thanks Johnny. I too have stuck cases in my Redding 30-06 die. I actually broke the die and had to buy another.
Well I’ll be darned a old school long form video from JRB… today has been a good day my 1 year old was over all not a pain in the neck. Had a good dinner and to top it all off a good long video from JRB…. Cool!!!!!!
For the sake of simplicity and not missing anything, when I run the single stage press I go straight from powder charge to seating the bullet in that case, stops any confusion on if I missed or double charged a case, and the time it takes to seat it lets my Frankford rig throw the next charge so I'm not waiting on it
48 minute video... I am 2.5 hours into this video and haven't finished cuz I am so enthralled I have to google every other word you use so I can understand it. LOVE IT.
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It was great to watch your videos again.
Best part; after spending $125 $300 hopefully you at the point you don’t care. cause you about to spend more. I just picked up some some 168s and this video is perfect. Thanks.
Dillon 550 RL over 30 yrs! Never any problems! Thank you Sir very good!
I know you are on a big shotgun kick right now but I would love to see one or two more parts to this video. I would like an economical load with a 150g FMJ and a load using some other powders we can actually buy. I couldn't buy 4895 or Varget right now if my life depended on it.
Loved this one all the way, thank you. Alot. Nice pase with the walkthrough. Loved the comment at 17:44! "Hopfully you don't care anymore"
Got love the ping sond of a m1 on empty clip. Nice long old school jrb video
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Love loading for my Garand. I can’t wait to see the results you got. You may want to try 125 grain Speer TNTs too with 3031. It’s a bit of a wildcat load but they are super nice to shoot.
I shoot 125's with charges of Benchmark out of my Garand. It's in the books and flies those 125 Noslers like a laser beam.
Now you're talking!!! This will work well in my all Remington P17
As usual, a great video, Johnny! One tip though for using Imperial wax on the inside of the necks: instead of using a Q-tip, just wipe your imperial covered index finger across the case mouth, and it will squeegee a little lube inside the case neck. Given, it won’t be all the way around the circumference, but the expander ball pushing in and out will spread it out nicely. Please keep up the great work Buddy. I love all your videos!!
Great video! I've had similar groups, may I suggest checking you front sight housing for lose fit and try moving the rest off the front piece and placing the rifles stock behind the the "Stacking Swivel."
Good choice using the Mighty Armory universal decapping die.
I have one, and it's particularly nice because it has a super strong pin and it's spring-loaded to ensure that the primer fully clears the case each time.
A back-to-basics video…refreshing
Thank you for posting
The front hand guard is a huge source of variation with the point of impact. Many Garand shooters lock the front hand guard down with a process called “unitizing”. They ream the front hand guard ring, screw and glue the hand guard to the rear barrel band. It free floats the barrel in front of the hand guard. Your use of the front hand guard to rest the rifle is probably going to cause huge variations in barrel vibration. When I unitized my Garand hand guard my 8 shot groups shrank from 3.5-4” down to about 2.5” . It is a lot more consistent.
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After reloading the same brass and other military brass I find the original rcbs case lube works way better.
I couldn't help laughing every time I heard the roosters in the background.
Good video, learned a lot. Thanks.
I just checked a couple days ago to make sure I didn't get unsubscribed or something because I hadn't seen a video in a while and this video you sound a little under the weather so I hope all is well man. Glad to get a full length video like the old days on this channel... LOL
One of my Garands was issued to PFC Lee Marvin.
I’ve been using the Lee threaded cutter and lock stud. Works with the same case length gauges and shell holders but you can screw the cutter into a motorized case prep center. So I can run my brass through the trimmer, primer pocket scraper, chamfer, and de-burr all in a matter of seconds. Works nice if you are doing larger lots of brass.
Much anticipated and much enjoyed. Cool video!
That’s too cool I just pulled out my M-1 Grand from the safe Perfect timeing
For what it's worth, Lyman sells a decapping rod that has a carbide expander ball that can be used to replace the decapping pin for certain dies, including RCBS.
It allows me to totally avoid contaminating the inside cases with a bit of lube inside the case mouth.
Just did 100 for the Garand tonight. I spray a few shots of the lanolin lube on folded t-shirt material that the case body fits perfectly. The neck/shoulder hang off the edge. A single roll is all it takes.
44.7 grains H4895, 44.6 grains n140, Varget. 168 grain hpbt. Keep it under 2600 fps and you won't bend or stress your op rod because they are expensive. Medium burn rate powders. I use the Hornady manual and have excellent results. The military brass is thicker, so you might want to reduce your charge by a grain.
I reload .30-06, 7.62x54R, and .223. I use the Lee Hand press, Lee Pacesetter (3 die) sets, and Lee case lube for all 3 calibers. I originally purchased Lee Loaders in all three calibers but ran into neck tension problems with 7.62x54R using PPU brass and .311 bullets (maybe .312 would have been fine but were unavailable for a while). The hand press requires a little upper body strength to use with the larger calibers but does the job. I think pretty much any bench mounted press would be fine for .30-06 as long as it has clearance.
Great video! I needed a reason to load some ammo for my M1 Garand. Maybe another video for M1A 7.62 x 51 loads? 😁. Thanks!
I've owned an M-1 Garand for over 25+ years, and I have used Sierra Palma 155 grains with 4895 type powders.
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I made the same choice as you with the CMP Garand. I have been using IMR 4895 and 147 or 150 grain bullets. It seems to like that combination and the velocity seems spot on.
I think the varget is a faster burning powder then 4895 but the doesn’t explain the difference between the two loads good video Johnny 😊
4895 is the traditional favorite for the Garand, and that's what I used to make up 100 rounds for my father-in-law's Garand.
There are others that are acceptable in that platform, namely 4064 and a few others.
You definitely don't want to use the slower powders that allow you to get a bit more velocity out of bolt actions, namely the likes of W760, H414, and any of the 4350 or 4831 powders.
I actually think a lot of folks think Varget is borderline as to being too slow of a powder. Would love to see 4064 and H4895 next if you do another with the M1. Maybe an M14/M1A if you can get your hands on one.
I use IMR 4064 and a 150 grain FMJ... absolutely great load
I use H4895 for both my m1 and m1a. Hornady match 168bthp with 46.5gr. Of H4895 in the m1 (30-06) and 42grn in the m1a (.308) I found these loads have been best for me. Both use the same CCi #200 primers as well.
Great video!
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Great video! Thanks!!! Sometimes you just have to give the op rod a bump on the first round…
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This is an excellent video even for a beginner like me. Could you please provide info on the target and velocity products you used at the range? Thank you.
His target looks like a 100 yard NRA high power target which would be correct from my understanding for this application. His chronograph looks like a doplar radar which is a good piece of kit to have. He has a shot mark system at his target using microphones to gauge muzzle velocity and bullet impact point that sends that data to his computer.
One minor critique, but you left out the important step of chamfering/deburring your brass after trimming it.
Also, that Lee trimmer is so laborious to use that you'll quickly buy one of the better bench mounted (I highly recommend the Redding) trimmer instead.
I've found H335 isn't that bad for Garand / 1903 loads with 150 grain projectiles. I think it was 45.3 grains or so which averaged around 2,650 fps or so.
Johnny, those replacement stocks need a little work to get more accuracy out of them. If you do a little research, there's some simple things you can do to help that rifle that are still considered "as-issued". The simplest one is sanding the channel to eliminate op rod rub. It would make a good video for the channel too.
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I litterly just loaded up some 150gr fmj with varget and 4064 yesterday for my garand! Small world!
How about an update video on the shotmarker? Pros, cons, whats went wrong, quirks, common problems, questionable readings, frustrations, replacement parts, etc. Im thinking about pulling the trigger on one but id like to know about your honest opinion of it now after you have been using it for a while.
"Some of these are taking a lot of force...". That is a reason not to buy a small press if you intend to size larger rifle cases.
For loading various loads I recommend charging a batch of cases, seating the bullets, then mark those loaded rounds. This way you don't run the risk of getting anything mixed up. You can use colored Sharpie pens to mark the primers for different loads.
My understanding is with an M1 Garand you push the cartridges in and the bolt should start to close automatically. If it doesn't then you bump it with the heel of your hand and it should close.
Oh heck yeah. Been waiting on this one a long time!!
'IF', one wants to find out about the M1 ammo to reload and shoot, read Gen Julian Hatcher's Book Of The Garand. There's a good page or so on the ammo that was on hand when Mr Garand was developing his great rifle. Then throw out ALL the hype on M1 'SAFE' ammo. Great vid dude... Newt, out here...
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Awesome. First video i would recommend [in fact i just did] for anyone considering getting into hand loading
I love this! But please do another video using some of the easier to find powders like blc2 or h335 ect....
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Redding sells a spherical carbide size button that replaces the stock one you showed. I find they work well and you don't have to lubricate the case neck
Thanks Johnny. Sounded like your rooster wasn’t happy about those 30-06 loads. Do you ever use that Franklin arsenal primer anymore? I shelled out some cash for a 21st century primer but wondering if the FA adjustable primer is a better deal.
I haven't used the FA primer in quite a while. My main problem is its weight. Really heavy!
I seem to always grab the RCBS universals because I know I won't have to mess with shell holders.
@@JohnnysReloadingBench have you had any issues with large primers with your FA priming tool? Just got one and it has too much play between priming pin and guide , it leans over and puts half moon dents in primers . Just the large , small is fine . Love the channel , keep it up!
I just had a case separate in my 30-06 today at the range. Blew the extractor off my Tikka bolt and debris blew in my face cutting my face. I must have missed case head separations on that case. It can happen.
Cool rifle
Just ran 53-54 grains of H380 with a 110 grain bullet in my M1.
The problem I run into with the hornady manual is there load data is to slow it doesn’t cycle my Garand. I had to go on the cmp website to the forum and ask people on there to get the proper load data. I also chrono my Greek 30-06 ammo because it functioned perfectly and it was hotter than hornadys load data.
I was also using 4895 and varget
Finally GOD's CALIBRE!
Not watched yet but a Thumbs up for the New Video 😜 as allways
Your chickens just don't give a damn. 🤣
I had trouble with the clip on the forth of July. I wonder if it was heat or humidity.
I only use 150 gr. Bullets and 4895 in all my military.30-06 rifles. I want to duplicate the standard loads.
Also what about to used 21st century expander for those necks?
Thanks, Shannon! 😁
Only thing I can say is where your front support was has historically for me caused the types of groups you are experiencing. Try moving the support back to the main part of the stock. Great videos!
That was an excellent video. Nice to see the step by step once in a while. Why no crimp?
IMR4895 is discontinued is it not? It gave very good consistency in my 7x64 Brenneke with 162gr bonded. I can't find any IMR4895 anymore.
Thanks!
It's a lot of work and a huge pain in the butt... But you could pull the barrel/action out of the stock, clean the inlet up and glass bed it... Might help tighten up those groups a bit.
Are you a believer that when you change bullets a couple of shots are needed to settle the gun?