Use of Commercial .30-06 ammo in the M1 Garand?

[Elliott R]

Is it better to get the adjustable gas plug to shoot commercial ammo or just load to M2 ball specs? thanks!

 

[jmd62]

Personally, I use the M2 Ball ammo but I also have an adjustable gas plug just in case. There's an endless debate on whether or not it's safe to use the hotter commercial ammo so the way I look at it, if I can get the M2 Ball, then I'll play it safe.

[Vanderbilt]

....or you can be like many of us. Due to range restrictions you have to learn to reload. My range has specifics on bullet type (lead only) and muzzle velocity (below 1500 fps) to prevent excessive damage to targets.

[mdk0911]

I use m2 ball ammo - no need to alter the gun then - take care of that OP rod

[Hummer]

You can run into M2 ball/tracer that is to be only fired in machineguns as the Browning is not gas operated.  Firing MG ammo in Garand will warp op rod quickly.  If you look at a propellant list you will find WC 852 SLOW and WC852 FAST.  

 

The SLOW propellant gives a lower chamber pressure butt he port pressure is out the roof.  Back in 91 time frame Jeff Bartlett got thousands of pounds of it and sold it.  Now that being said you should be OK to load it for a bolt action rifle but not a gas operated one.

[jmd62]

I only use M2 Ball ammo in my Garands, but for those using "hotter" commercial 30-06 rounds, they sometimes use a Garand Gear gas cylinder plug or the adjustable Schuster plug. Both will lower the pressure in the gas cylinder and put less stress on the Op Rod. 

[john1644]

an old shooter told me if firing commercial ammo change the recoil spring, that is shorten it.  Before he died he gave me the  shorten springs.  But never shot commercial ammo

as I have a supply of  GI ammo in clips....

 

Often heard the don't things to do.  In this case the old timer gave me a smokeless  powder load for the old trapdoors. Been shooting that load about 20  years  and none of

my trapdoors have blown up on me..............

[iron bender]

Me and my boys have shot hundreds of rounds of the M1 Garand labeled Hornady through a couple rifles (m1-D and a typical rifle). Great ammo and it adjusts well from 100-500 yards

[The Rooster]

I'm using 150 grain Privi Partisan made for the Garand.

Its also about the most reasonably priced I can find. For 500 rounds..........

with tax and shipping, its about $1.12 a round.

Which aint all that cheap! Its made for use in the Garand.

I wont be installing a different gas plug. Just will use this ammo only.

[Rhscott]

I have been using HornadyM1 Garland Match ammo.  Excellent results.

 

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/30-06-springfield-168-gr-eld-m1-garand#!/

 

 

 

[Elliott R]

WOW! This thread had a revival after 1 year haha. Thank you for yall's advice. I bought some PPU Garand specific ammo a couple months ago, but I only got like 60 rounds so when I go through that, I might check out that hornady to see if I can get better accuracy with it. 

 

[268th C.A.]

Reload your brass. 

[Jeremy2171]

On 9/9/2023 at 7:52 AM, Hummer said:

You can run into M2 ball/tracer that is to be only fired in machineguns as the Browning is not gas operated.  Firing MG ammo in Garand will warp op rod quickly.  If you look at a propellant list you will find WC 852 SLOW and WC852 FAST.  

 

The SLOW propellant gives a lower chamber pressure butt he port pressure is out the roof.  Back in 91 time frame Jeff Bartlett got thousands of pounds of it and sold it.  Now that being said you should be OK to load it for a bolt action rifle but not a gas operated one.

No such thing as mg only ammo.

 

All of that ammo is M2 ball and safe for all weapons.

[Jeremy2171]

On 9/22/2023 at 11:30 PM, john1644 said:

an old shooter told me if firing commercial ammo change the recoil spring, that is shorten it.  Before he died he gave me the  shorten springs.  But never shot commercial ammo

as I have a supply of  GI ammo in clips....

 

Often heard the don't things to do.  In this case the old timer gave me a smokeless  powder load for the old trapdoors. Been shooting that load about 20  years  and none of

my trapdoors have blown up on me..............

Whatever you do.... DO NOT shorten the oprod spring.  It needs to be at least 19.5" long.

 

I'd say your guy didn't know much about the garand.

[Jeremy2171]

Just an FYI...