Newbie Need some Amo Advice

[CryptoDave]

Hi everyone,

So I just got my CMP M1 Garand in a .30-06(1952) and was told to be very very careful with regard to what amo to fire through it or you run the risk of destroying the gun.

My question is what is the ideal brand/manufacturer for a 1952 era M1?

i bought some Hornady Custom Lite Rifle Ammunition but would like to know if it’s safe to fire?

Here are the specs for the Hornady:

Quantity	20 Round
Grain Weight	125 Grains
Muzzle Velocity	2700 Feet Per Second
Muzzle Energy	2023 Foot Pounds
Bullet Style	Polymer Tip Boat Tail

Thanks

Dave

[Phil McGrath]

Your fine, most 150grn ammo is M1 safe. Some do like too bemoan about Federal's American Engle 150's being on the warm side I've never had a issue. Shy away from any of the 180gn and up ammo or anything advertised as Light Magnum. Most any of the surplus is good to go however stay away from any of the Korean (KA and PS) or pre 57 FN threat them as corrosive.

Danish AMA(non-reloadable) and Greek HXP have given me pretty good accuracy both are loaded too M2 specs. LC has been fine however the later years (67 up) have been a little weak, case are great for reloading.

[CryptoDave]

Thanks Phil!

[lapriester]

The ammo you bought is not M1 specific ammo so you may be taking a risk shooting it. Also, 125gr ammo at only 2700 FPS sounds like very weak ammo and you may end up with function problems since almost all commercial ammo is built using slow powders. The M1 relies on a limited range gas pulse to function correctly and it's best produced by powders in the mid range burn rate. In your case, "light" ammo with light bullets and a slow burn rate may result in your rifle having unreliable function using it. Even with the right powders, light bullets require 3-4gr more powder in order for the ammo to produce the needed gas "punch" to fully operate the gas system. The only positive thing about your ammo choice is that, being a "light" ammo it probably won't harm the rifle at all. Hornady makes an M1 specific ammo as does Federal and S&B and Remington. Next time choose that ammo. If you feel you must shoot WalMart cheapy 30-06 commercial ammo (or any but M1 specific commercial) in your M1, take steps such as an adjustable gas plug or so called Garand Gear "ported" gas plug to protect the gas system components and preserve the longevity of your rifle.

[CryptoDave]

Thanks for the advice