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Commercial .30-06

CRMOREAU
Whats everyones oppinion on the best commerical .30-06 for my garand/1903? Ive always just used the surplus, but my supply is wearing thin and I may need to supplement, but have never used anything else. I heard somewhere that they dont issue out surplus at the cmp garand matches anymore, that its some commercial stuff now, anyone have any experience with that? Thanks guys
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  • Blairweescot
    Without an adjustable gas plug, I do not suggest using any commercial .30-06 that is not designed for your M1 rifle, and that does not say right on the box "For M1 Garand" or "for M1 rifle" or similar.

    The rifle was designed to fire M2 ball. Not even M1 ball or .30-06 government, and modern .30-06 uses a powder that is more powerful than the surplus ammo meeting M2 ball spec. You will damage the rifle. Not on the first shot, probably not on the 10th. But you will damage it, and receivers can break using improper ammo, even on a USGI M1 rifle, they are not indestructible.

    I suggest getting an adjustable gas plug before you start picking commercial .30-06. There are at least two types made, at the moment all I can recall is the Schuster one:

    http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=777146
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  • carolinashooter
    To answer your question about the issued ammo, The CMP issued Hornady Match ammo, that was specifically loaded for the M1 Garand rifle, at the Easterrn CMP Games this Summer at Camp Butner. This was wonderful ammo. Lots of high scores were shot with this ammo. I fired my all time personal best that day (Saturday) with my O3A3.
    Commercial ammo is a bad idea in a Garand. The overall chamber pressure is not the issue. The Garand reciever is very strong. The problem is port pressure. The gas system on a Garand operates safely in a pretty narrow range of port pressures. If you use a powder that is a little slower than what this system was designed for you will bend an op rod. Now many will tell you that they have fired lots of commercial ammo through their Garands with no problems. They might have. Some probably have bent op rods and do not even realize it yet. There are commercial loadings specifically for the M1 Garand. The issue is that surplus ammo is still much cheaper than the commercial ammo that is suitable. In fact the remaining surplus ammo is probably cheaper than any commercial ammo regardless of it's suitability. I have seen bent op rods. Some of them bent so bad that the rifles would not funtion. Slower powders than 4895 were the culprits. Do yourself and your rifle a favor and stick with surplus M2 ball ammo or learn to reload and mimic M2 ammo as far as powder type and bullet type.
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  • jonk
    The Hornady ammo is fine. Again, it will say "for M1" on the box. Federal also did a run that was fine for the M1 sometime back when CMP was using them. If you can find some.

    I'd recommend just getting some surplus though. If you are CMP eligible they have Greek HXP that is good stuff. Otherwise lots of sellers have it here on the auction side, and many dealers do too. It's still gonna be cheaper than the Hornady, which retail even in bulk will run you about $1.50/round.

    Now for your 1903 anything is fine from any of the reputable manufacturers.
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  • rsnyder55
    Be prepared to wait. It can take up to 120 days for them to fill the order.
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