BEST MOLD FOR GARAND

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Last Post 21 November 2010

Standard Member

Windflag posted this 19 March 2010

Ok....I've done a ton of research and am still at a loss deciding once and for all what mold to buy to feed my CMP M1. I will be using WW and probably IMR 3031 (because that"s whats on my shelf). I'm leaning toward Lyman but have good luck with several Lee pistol molds. Mold #'s will help as I'm not even sure what bullet weight is best. The rifle will hopefully be used for some in-house competition at our local club so accuracy is the objective. Any and all feedback appreciated!

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CBA Member

Ed Harris posted this 19 March 2010

If you want to shoot competition at 200 yards and farther, heavier bullets are better. I would look for something in the 190-210-grain range. The Lyman #311299 works very well in military '06s with slightly worn throats and barrels and is of a shape which will feed well in the Garand. I would use the lightest charge of 3031 which cycles the action reliably. I would try about 30 grains to start, and increase the load no more than necessary to get reliable function.

I expect you may need to go up to about 35-36 grains, which will give velocities around 1850-1900 f.p.s. At this velocity you will probably want to cast your wheelweight metal hot enough so that bullets will be uniformly frosted, and water-drop-quench them from the mould. I would size and seat gaschecks in a .311 die, full the lube grooves with 50-50 Alox-Beeswax and then give the entire bullet a light over-coat of Lee Liquid Alox, diluted 50-50 with mineral spirits, so that you have a nice film of lube on the bore riding forepart of the bullet.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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CBA Member

giorgio de galleani posted this 20 March 2010

I too have shot 30 cal Garands and 308 M14 with satisfaction using Ed's recipes,

I shot Loverin's 311467 cast in quenched WW with all grooves full of an Alox lube and with the lowest load of Vihtavuori 135 that cycled the actions.

The M1 were worn,but the new Chinese M14 was good enough to keep them all in the black at 300 meters.( I generously ignored the called flyers)

Hardened pointed bullets with plenty of lube will do the trick.

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roosterf106 posted this 20 March 2010

A few years ago, I was obsessed with getting a cast bullet to shoot, and reliably work the action, in my Harvester M-1. Also tried this in my DCM gun, a Springfield M-1.

The best bullet I found was the Lyman 311332,,,180 grain pointed gaschecked round sized to .310. I tried the 311466 (155gr Loverin), and the 311467 (175 gr Loverin)as well as the 311284 (220 gr, too long for the action).

The load which gave me 4.5 MOA was IMR 4350, 46.0 grains under the 311332 bullet. Never jammed, not once.

Not bad for a cast bullet. My mix was 1/2 linotype, 1/2 pure lead. Hornady gascheck. I fired 500 rounds of this load without cleaning, and never had a malfunction, never fouled the gasport or the piston. Fellow shooters told me “Ya can't shoot cast bullets in an M-1, you'll ruin it".

Like so many other hearsay issues in shooting, they were wrong.

Best wishes,

Rooster

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Windflag posted this 21 March 2010

Ed, thank you very much for the valuable info--I intend to run with it to start with. I'm not up on all the technical verbage used in this forum so could you please explain what is meant by “forepart” of the bullet? Via deduction I assume it's that part of the bullet that first comes in contact with the lands and grooves. If that is so then why is this more important than the rest of the bullet that follows behind?

While we're on the subject can you please comment on depth of bullet seating as it pertains to getting up close to the rifleing, using the bullet you mentioned?

Thank Ed.

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CB posted this 21 March 2010

I think Ed was just commenting on coating the entire bullet with LiquidAlox after you had lubed the grooves with Alox Bullet Lube from a lubrisizer.

Cast bullets do shoot better in rifles if the nose of the cb is lightly engraving into the rifling, BUT for shooting in a self loading rifle like the M1 Garrand, I would not recommend it. I'd load at least .10” from that point of engraving or as close to recommended load length for the M1 Garrand (M2 Ball).

When comments were made on 'reliable functioning' that also includes having the lugs lock up completely closed on each round, a must safety criteria.............Dan

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Windflag posted this 23 March 2010

That makes total sense. Thanks all for the replys--they are all printed out and in my “GARAND” file.

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josber posted this 19 September 2010

Be carefull what powder you feed your Garand.If you use a powder with the wrong pressure curve you will damage the op rod.Imr 4350 is not recommended.please research this before you move forward with this.

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72coupe posted this 19 September 2010

I have tried the Lyman 314299 sized to 310. It takes 33 grains of TAC to run the gun but it gives a velocity over 2000 fps.

It shoots 4 inches from prone with a sling at 100 yards. Of course half that group size is probably my lack of skill.

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CBA Member

tturner53 posted this 19 September 2010

The pressure issue is different with cast bullets, slower powders than 4350 are well used all the time with cbs in the Garand. I have had good accuracy with old 4831 and even WW860 and 200 gr. cast bullets in the M1. Those powders would be bad choices with jacketed bullets. I learned this from studying the results of other shooter's efforts, I don't actually have a lab to scientifically prove it's true. My op rod is ok so far.

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Windflag posted this 03 October 2010

Thanks for your words of warning re 4350--I will research further. Where do you shoot in Greenfield?

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nobade posted this 03 November 2010

I have been having great results with my M1 using the Lee 200gr. borerider, cast hot from wheelweights and water quenched. The load is 34gr. IMR 4895, which is the lightest load that would cycle it 100% of the time. This is on the ragged edge speed wise, it leaves very light lead streaks at the muzzle if allowed to get hot. But it has never really fouled out, and shoots into 1.5 MOA off the bench at 100M.

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Windflag posted this 11 November 2010

Thanks, but being a new-be I have to ask you to expand on what exactly you mean by

200 gr Lee "borerider". No clue what that means........thanks!

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nobade posted this 12 November 2010

The nose is long and casts out to .300", so rides in the bore on top of the lands. The body is relatively short , so it doesn't seat deeply into the case. A full diameter 200gr. bullet would seat way down into the case, but a bore rider design can hang out where it needs to be and still chamber.