Want to start reloading for my Garand, but don't know a thing about how to do it.  I know there are kits out there for the beginner, but don't know which one to purchase.  

At this time, I only want to reload .3006.  Also, which powder and bullets would you recommend?

Thanks again.

vmax84

I would reload .30-06 if I were you.

I'm not sure .3006 would work in a Garand.  

Quoted: I would reload .30-06 if I were you. I'm not sure .3006 would work in a Garand.

   This gun thing is so confusing!!  

vmax84

RCBS Rockchucker Master Reloading Kit.

It has almost everything you need to get started.

Great little single-stage press that is a great intro to reloading, and it's fairly simple to use.  If you find after a while that you're going to stick with it and do higher volume, you may want to upgrade to a progressive loader.

Quoted: RCBS Rockchucker Master Reloading Kit. It has almost everything you need to get started. Great little single-stage press that is a great intro to reloading, and it's fairly simple to use.  If you find after a while that you're going to stick with it and do higher volume, you may want to upgrade to a progressive loader.

I'll second that.

Buy two reloading manuals- read read read.

Hoard brass that doesn't have crimped-in primers.  Keep your brass separated by at least make.  Crimped military brass works, but getting the crimps out is a drag.  Be careful of range pickup brass.  Some of it has been reloaded a good number of times.  Case head separations are a goddamn NIGHTMARE.  Better to keep the brass YOU shoot.

Think single stage press, not progressive, to start.  Sure, you could use a progressive from day one, but you will need a single stage press anyway.  Every serious reloader I know has a single stage press in their "arsenal".

RCBS and Redding both make good quality equipment that will last long enough to pay for themselves.  Lee products are OK but don't hold up.  You will end up buying something else in the end, so buy the RCBS or Redding from day one.

The operating rod on Garands is the "fragile" part.  There are a few established recipes out there that will keep you from damaging your rifle.  Every rifle is it's own beast- some loads work well and some don't.  Change one component at a time when you are working with a load.

Watch your brass life.  When in doubt THROW IT OUT.  Cases get pretty beat up in an autoloader, and you will go through them pretty quickly.  It is difficult to keep track of how many times a case has been reloaded (it helps if you separate your brass by make).  Loose primer pockets are a good indicator of a case that needs to be retired.  In fact, when you are priming the case and it goes in "too easy", well, adios the case.  Don't be cheap.  Adios the CASE and that lovely new primer you put in.  Case neck tension and resulting bullet tension are important factors to prevent bullet setback in the case (that's bad).  Crimping is an option.  All of this will be gone over in detail in your reloading manual(s) and from specific instructions on reloading your Garand you can find on the web.  The DCM/CMP has a site that can help you.

Reloading will make you a better shooter.  It is true!  When you worry less about the $$ of shooting you shoot more.  You also get to know your rifle more intimately.  

Best of luck,
Cheese

As for you saying you will only load .30-06, well, I'll bet you a set of .220 Swift dies (for which I haven't owned a rifle in a decade) that ain't gonna stay that way....

 

.3006?  Can I film you shooting it?  

Seconding the single-stage press recommendation. Best way to get started, best way to preclude any dangerous mistakes.
Speer's reloading data books are excellent. All the press manufacturers offer reloading How To videos.
Best advice to any new reloader - NO DISTRACTIONS. Kids, pets, TV, etc., clear them from the AO.
PAY ATTENTION to what you are doing. The single-stage process is a good way to force the learning of proper habits, by requiring you to perform the work in seperate stages.


147-150gr .308 SBT FMJ, over 47.5gr of IMR 3031 has been my 'standard' Garand loading for over a decade. Lots of variations / personal favorites out there - anything that closely approximates the performance of M2 Ball will serve you well.

Quoted: Seconding the single-stage press recommendation. Best way to get started, best way to preclude any dangerous mistakes. Speer's reloading data books are excellent. All the press manufacturers offer reloading How To videos. Best advice to any new reloader - NO DISTRACTIONS. Kids, pets, TV, etc., clear them from the AO. PAY ATTENTION to what you are doing. The single-stage process is a good way to force the learning of proper habits, by requiring you to perform the work in seperate stages. 147-150gr .308 SBT FMJ, over 47.5gr of IMR 3031 has been my 'standard' Garand loading for over a decade. Lots of variations / personal favorites out there - anything that closely approximates the performance of M2 Ball will serve you well.

+1 NO DISTRACTIONS - PERIOD!!!


There are a some very good powders for the M1 - .30-06. M2 Ball is loaded with a 150gr FMJ at right around 2740fps. Sporting 150gr is loaded at 2900fps. That much extra is hard on the M1. Use starting loads for you M1.

I use around 49.0 grs of IMR 4064 and Sierra 150gr GameKing flat based bullets. IMR 4895 is what is used in the M2 Ball ammo and it would be hard to go wrong with that powder as a starting point for a beginner.

Good luck and enjoy!

Get some reloading manuals (books) first. Get one from RCBS/Speer and Lee at bare minimum. This will acquaint you with basic reloading procedures and equipment, as well as providing you with load data that tells you what powder,primers and bullets you may need. Amazon or Barnes and Noble will also have good basic reloading knowledge books such as "ABC's of Reloading".
Do some research in the reloading forums here and on other boards before buying equipment. Do some window shopping for equipment here: www.midwayusa.com
RCBS and Lee make great beginners kits with varied levels of quality and price.
For an all around powder for the Garand, I'd recommend IMR or Hodgdon 4895 powder. Any bullet under 180grs will work fine in the Garand.
First though, learn about reloading in the books and what you will want for your needs.

Do you guys have any ball powder load recommendations?  I HATE extruded powder for any sort of mass production.  I would shoot the garand a lot more if I could crank out 100 rounds or so whenever I needed to.  

NEVERMIND...I took my own advice and googled...seems AA2230 or will work fine...and as 2230 is my favorite powder for .223, it'll come in handy for that too.  



vmax, check this place out...very good starting point.  

www.reload-nrma.com/

I reload for the M1.  Some general guidlines for it I've learned are:

Stick to IMR4895 powder.  It is the closest to the powder used in M2 ball.  The closest load will be 47gr of 4895 under a 150gr pill.

Stick to bullets around 150gr, and do not exceed 170gr.  


You can do other things, like other powders and other bullets, but only if you use an adjustable gas system.   Without it, you could risk bending your op rod.   Do not shoot factory loads, unless they specify they are M2 equivalents (I think only PMC makes a .30-06 load marked M2 substitute)

Ditto with pretty much what has already been posted here.

This website is an excellent source for reloading info...

www.reloadbench.com

particulary if you decide you want to get into the finer points of reloading for more accuracy.

I'd recommend the Lee turret press. It has all the advantages of the single stage but the turret takes the hassle of swapping dies all the time. Plus its like having three single stage presses in one. Do dump the auto index though, its useless.

It is best to start with a turret press or a single stage until you get the hang of reloading. Even after getting a progressive press, the old press will still be useful so don't worry about starting of with something basic.

Lee is cheap, simple and works good. Their progressive presses can work well, but are cantankerous. If you move up to a progressive and have the money I'd recommend a Dillon press, but if you are willing to fiddle with it the Lee progressives are not bad.

Lee products are OK but don't hold up.

I have had less trouble with Lee than with RCBS. When I first started, I used RCBS dies and kept breaking the damn feeble decapper so I replaced it we a Lee die set which has a much better design (although Lee stuff is uglier).

ETA -
Both Midway and Natchez are good places to buy reloading equipment.

Dillion AT500, cheap but okay digital scale (PAST?), dillon case lube, midway case cleaner kit, Wilson case length gauge, any decent dial caliper, any of the trimmers you can use a cordless drill with.

Powder= varget 100%, almost as good as 4064 with none of the problems or time

The Hornady Reloading manual 5th edition Vol.1 has a Garand-specific section.

I woudl go with a Lee kit. Cheap, but works great.

Not the best for loading match ammo, but for the price, it's a great deal. I've had good luck with mine.

Quoted: The Hornady Reloading manual 5th edition Vol.1 has a Garand-specific section.

Have to check that out.

Forgot to mention above - I started on a Lee single stage, hand-priming tool, scoops, the low-end works as a cheap way to get started. Not long afterward, I went with a Dillon 550B progressive. Been using it for 16-17yrs. Great machine, great company, great customer service.

The worst thing you can do, IMO, is follow the advice here and waste your time and money and start with a single stage press.  

Unless you like to be bored, are too stupid to read, vote Democrat or are otherwise mentally disabled, there is no reason you can't start out with a progressive from the get-go.  Remember that most progressives can be used to learn on as a multi-single stage press (i.e. one round going through all processes at a time).  A single stage is just that:  do all the case prep, do all the case priming, etc.  And oh, by the way, be forced to readjust the dies everytime you change to another operation (althoug some new single stage have die sets that don't require this).

However, this advice only applies if you think that you even have a smidgen of desire to reload more than just 30-06.  The fact that you are only asking for one caliber is proof of nothing: shooting and reloading have a way of increasing your hobby, not dimishing ti.

I used a single stage about 2 hours once; it almost killed my desire to reload.  Thankfully, a friend talked me into a Dillon RL-550B.  Excellent choice.  9mm, .308, 7.62x39mmm, .40, and bunch of others, the RL -550B will do it all.  The AT-500 would be a good choice too since it's upgradeable to a progressive.  

I made a bunch of mistakes with my Dillon and I still have those examples (now that I have a DC I should post some pics).

Another piece of advice: go read the various reloading discussion forums.  Read what the Dillon owners say, then read what the other reloader owners say; this will speak volumes about the Dillon product.

Dillon has the best product, IMO and there is no question that it has the best customer service.

Let us know what you decide and why.

Merlin

*  dillon 550b or rcbs rock chucker
*  IMR4895 or H4895
* 150 or 168 gr sierra matchkings (for target shooting)


edited because i read too fast..........

If you prefer a pregressive, I'll second the Dillon 550.  It's pretty much the standard, and for good reason.

One thing to add to the reloading book advice:

Get at least 1 book from a bullet maker (ie Speer) and at least one book from a powder maker (ie Hodgedon).  That will give you a good range of information on multiple powders (in the bullet book) and multiple bullets (in the powder book).

Wow, thanks for all the good info!!  Now I know for certain what my girlfriend will be getting me for Christmas!!  Whooo hoooo!!!!!!!!!!!    OH yeah, and a reloader, too

I appreciate all the good advice and knowledge.  I've printed this thread off and stuck it in my Garand file.  

Thanks again.

vmax84

One more question.........what is the difference between .3006 and .30-06?

I don't know about the advice about a single stage being useless.  I have not just one, but two Hornaday Pro-jectors on my bench and I use my rockchucker most of the time.  The Projecters are set up for 38 special and 45 Auto.

I also do small runs of rifle ammo - 100 rounds tops of everyhting other than .223.  I am more a rifle shooter than a pistol shooter, and smallbore at that.  100 rounds lasts me a long time.  100 rounds of .30-06 is a lot of ammo.

I enjoy reloading as a hobby.  Try before you buy, if possible.

Quoted: One more question.........what is the difference between .3006 and .30-06?

-




:)

These are good people to get to know, MidwayUSA.  They have loadbooks for a single caliber.  It will have usually the latest loads from all powder, bullet, case and primer manufacturers so you can see different loads from all perspectives.  The URL for the 30-06 Springfield (it's fomal name, BTW) loadbook in included below.

Still get the reloading manuals since they will go over the basics of what you need to know.  

www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/207435

Good luck.

Merlin

Quoted: I would reload .30-06 if I were you. I'm not sure .3006 would work in a Garand.

I was about to post the exact same thing till I saw you beat me to it.

We gun owners can be such assholes

You wont go wrong with a Hornady Lock N Load single stage press. The lock and load inserts make it a snap to switch out dies. Buy an extra three pack of bushings. Horandy makes a great press. The RCBS rockshucker is an old standard, and you can get the Lock N Load conversion kit for these! You wont go wrong with either one of these.

For a scale, I would go with the Lyman Autoscale. It is inexpensive, and is great for working with sitck powders (they dont meter well in a powder measure). The auto scale automatically meters out a perfectly weighed charge with a puch of a button. The autoscale costs as much as a standalone digital scale.

Hornady, and RCBS make good powder measures. However, I would go with the LEE perfect powder measure for twenty bucks. They work great, and cost a little.

Dies... Hornady, RCBS, and Redding make great dies. No matter what you do, order an extra decap pin/rod with your die sets, they do ocasionally break.

Case lube (you will need this when resizing) Go with imperial sizing die wax. This stuff works great and 1 $3.00 can will last you thousands of shells.

Trimmers. I would go with the basic Hornady trimmer, as it uses the shell holder from the press.
RCBS also makes a good one.  RCBS and Hornady shell holders are interchangable. Get a deburring tool to go with this, I use a Lee deburring tool, which works great.

Primer tool, get a Lee auto prime, they are cheap (around 15 bucks) and they work great. I have two of them for each primer size.

Buy a universal powder funel, and a loading block to hold the shells.

I started with a progressive, but I quickly bought a single stage press for loading rifle rounds with stick powders. They both have there uses. I use the single stage more than the progressive.

For the M1 Garand: You cannot go wrong with IMR 4895, as this is the propellant that was predominately used for that gun. Also, it produce the correct pressure cruve for the gas system.

Bullets: I like the Sierra 168 BTHP matchking, or the 155 Hornady AMAX.  The 168 AMAX is another possibility.

Bottom line, you will save a LOT of money, and learn a LOT from reloading. It is an addictive hobby!

Oh yeah... go to www.midwayusa.com You can buy all this stuff there at a good price, and they ship it FAST!

just skip go and get a Dillon,  only a little more and WAAAAY more ammo production.

serious. trust me.