Which bullet to start with

[Hammer58]

Hello folks, this is my first post in this forum. I got my 1944 Springfield Garand last week and I am gathering information to start reloading for it. It is my understanding that the Federal American Eagle 150 gr fmj for Garand is safe to shoot based on pressures in the gas chamber based on tests results published on the Garand Gear web site. I plan to start with IMR 4895 powder. My question is what bullet is used in the ammo I referenced? Is it a flat base or boat tail?

Thanks for your expertise and any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Phil McGrath]

Who makes Federal's 150FMJ bullet is anyone guess but it is a BT. The Original M2 150grn bullet was a FB. And like any reloading endeavor start low and work up.

[RDS]

Phil
Is it the same bullet Lake City (Federal) uses in 7.62 Nato M80 ball rounds?

[Phil McGrath]

Phil
Is it the same bullet Lake City (Federal) uses in 7.62 Nato M80 ball rounds?

Ahhh its been so long since I've bought ammo, so I don't rightly know..... When I did buy AE 150's for the M1 there wasn't a calenture like the 7.62X51 147 had that I remember.. Now what there capping off either with today, I can't say.

[TJT]

You'll have to experiment and see what YOUR rifle likes. Some like lighter bullets, some like heavier bullets. Some like boat tail and some prefer flat base. That's the fun of reloading--finding what works best in your rifle. I have 4 M1's. Each one likes something different. Finding what it likes is a l-o-n-g, slow process but once you find its sweet spot it makes it all worth the effort.
Jon