Imr 4064

[Benny]

Anyone have a starting load for IMR 4064 with Hornady 155 grain Amax??? I've contacted Hornady and Hodgdon no help. I have the last three issues of Hodgdons loading data and Hornady's 9th and 10th editions of load data no 4064!!!

[Phil McGrath]

Use the starting data for the 155 SMK and work up your load, starting at 49.0grs and do not exceed 53.0grs. The only 155 I use is the Berger Hybrid, but then again my M1 is in 7.62x51

[lapriester]

It's not often I completely disagree with Phil but, honestly, I absolutely have to in this instance. Starting at 49gr would be, IMHO, a very high starting point and 53gr behind a 155 is FAR above what I would ever run in one of my Garands. Above what I would consider max by about 4-5gr of powder. Fact is, Hornady's MAX load in the bolt gun data for 4064 is 53.6gr for 150gr and that data isn't even close to being appropriate for an M1. Look at the 155gr data for Varget in the Hornady M1 section and use that as a guide. The two powders are very close and using Varget data will never get you into trouble with 4064. My personal standard match load behind a 155, with 4064 and/or Varget has been 46gr for many years and it shoots lights out in 200 yard matches with manageable recoil. I started my match load development at 44gr and worked up to 48gr. Above 46 my groups began to grow. At 48gr the recoil began to get excessive. I can't even imagine what 53gr would be like. Recoil is your enemy, especially in rapid and slow standing stages, when shooting in matches let alone the wear and tear on the rifle I believe excessive loads produce. In my 40+ years of reloading experience I've never found that hot loads and greater velocity produce better accuracy. You simply burn more powder needlessly, beat yourself to death in recoil and reduce the longevity of your firearm.

Some of the best, most manageable and lower recoil match loads for 200 yard shooting are being loaded with 110 to 125gr these days. The hottest 4064 load I load for any M1 is 47.5gr for use behind a 168gr bullet in my M1D for out to 600 yard shooting and that load is, and feels, plenty hot but, the extra weight of the rifle compensates for that and accuracy is excellent.

[Phil McGrath]

It's not often I completely disagree with Phil but, honestly, I absolutely have to in this instance.

That's ok, the starting load data I quoted was from the 2015 Hodgdon Annual Manual, I found my 2016 Annual Manual and it lists the same data. Truth be known 48.0 IMR-4064 +/- has been the long held NM accuracy loading for 168/173 bullets at 3.30 COAL for almost a eon, so your recommendation of 47.5 under a 168 isn't out of line not knowing your COAL.

But what I find odd is your thinking that a load of 1.5grn higher for a bullet weighing 13grn less is a high starting point? But If I do the math with your max listed figure of 53.6grn - 5.0 = 48.6grns starting and that's a whole .4 difference.... The 2015/16 manual lists 49.0grn starting load with a M/V of 2811fps @ 46.8k chamber pressure, USGI M2 ammo specs out 50.K chamber pressure with M/V @2750ish @78ft, so Hodgdon's starting IMR-4064 load data compares close too the original USGI M2 ball specs without the added chamber pressure, if one were extra cautious It never hurts too drop back another grn from the starting load data and work back up.

For Match shooing I've never played with the 110's @ 200yds but I have with 125TnT and the 125 Prohunters, both bullets will more than hold the 10 ring. I wouldn't shoot them past 200yds because they can get cought in the wind. For 300yds with light too no wind I use the 135SMK zip for recoil and they land deep inside the 10ring if you hold up your end of the rifle.

I've only been reloading for almost 30years, so here is a reloading safety word of caution with the 30.06 long slender case, running loads under 45.grn of almost any powder and you really need too pay attention too them as powder reversion can rear it ugly head. Dark sooty case mouths is a sure sign its not far behind.

[Prince Humperdink]

I don't use 155grn A-max,but I use IMR4064 for all of my 30-06/.308 loads,and I absolutely love it.I am also just a hunter,and not a match shooter.

[RAMMONT]

Hornady's 10th edition manual shows a load using IMR 4064 under 150 to 155 grain bullets in the 30-06 Springfield section but not the M1 Garand section. The starting load is 44.7gr using a COAL of 3.210" under their 155gr A-MAX and they list the top end as being 55.6gr. My thinking is that the starting load is probably just fine for the Garand but I'm assuming that as you increase the powder charge there starts to be a problem with the amount of pressure at the gas port on the Garand, probably too much pressure and Hornady doesn't want to exceed the recommendations of the designers. I'm not very familiar with the competition loads used for the Garands but if Phil says that 4064 was used then I wont argue about it. I'm sure that the top end loads using 55.6gr for a 30-06 is too hot for the Garand but I don't know where the safe cutoff would be between the starting load and the top end.

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after 50 years of wanting a garand I finally got a nm ive been experimenting with loads and so far 46 .2 grs of varget is the best in my rifle im 70 shootin iron sights but im gettin there im hooked now im thinking a m1 d