M2 Ball

[Creeker]

Pulled 152 grain FMJ from Pat's Reloading, 47 grains of 4895 from GI Brass, Remington cases from a couple barrels purchased from a firing range & free CCI 200 primers from a LGS shipment which arrived wet. Cheap shooting for sure.

[Don McDowell]

Looks like somebodies garand is going to have a busy day..

[Creeker]

Don I'm probably one of the few without a Garand. These will go in my rebarreled '06. Edited this cause I don't have a Garand.

[Creeker]

This morning I added a few more to the range box.

I have many 168 grain HPBT bullets I purchased in bulk from Widener's Reloading. These aren't the best but I did sort them by weight. The last of these I tested the results weren't great. I'll give them another try.



The cases are Remington, fired 3 times, primed with Wolf LR primers & charged with 47 grains of surplus IMR 4895, the same powder as the M2 Ball loads above use. The powder is a slow lot with a burning rate closer to IMR 4064.



Made up 25 rounds seated to an 3.470" OAL.

[Creeker]

Went to the range Tuesday to fire the loads. It was a great day, not too hot maybe 78. I fired 5 shot groups. These bullets aren't much & I was hoping to obtain 2 inch 5 shot groups. I chose this powder charge wanting something around 2700 FPS. Anyway the results are below.

The range.


The rifle.


The load.


Made a sight adjustment but really don’t remember if I made the adjustment after the first or second shot, both of which are to the left of the bull. This is two 5 shot groups fired at the same bull.


A 5 shot group.


Another 5 shot group.


This is the last 5 shot group after making an elevation adjustment for a 2 inch high POI. The bull is 2 inches in diameter.


I planned to fire a few groups at 300 yards but after 2 shots it began to rain & not wanting to get wet I rushed the last two shots which I think caused the low shot. The upper 3 are in about 6 inches. I was using the 2 inches high at a 100 scope setting & held on the bull with my first lower mil-dot.

[Creeker]

Next up a fired the 168 grain HPBT bullets which aren’t much good either but they were cheap. I use these for practice & plinking. I found the load in the fourth printing of a 1967 Pacific Rifle/Pistol Cartridge Reloading Manual. These are 5 shot groups at 100 yards.

The Load.


First 5.


Second 5.


Third 5.