I've read in several places that the standard NRA Highpower load is 41.5gr of 4895 and 168gr SMK.  Does anyone know ehere I could get this data in a printed form?

I'm not a fan of that bullet.  It was the standard, yes, when the M1A went out of fashion over 15 years ago, and it does shoot great. But, you don't need the recoil on the short line (say goodbye to gobs of points when it rattles your sitting position to shreds) and pretty much every other match bullet you pick will do noticeably better against the wind at 600yds.





I shoot a 125gr TNT at 200 and either a 155 or 175 the rest of the way.
168gr, IMR4895, 2.8", LC case with a Win or Rem primer.  If your rifle doesn't shoot that well, it needs to go back to the smith.  There are .pdf's of the Am. Rifleman article on match M14 loads floating around.  zediker.com website has some under the Handloading->Articles section.  NJhighpower website... m14tfl.com...  jarheadtop.com





 

You don't just follow someones load and ASSUME that it'll be RIGHT for you and your rifle.

YOU will normally need to do some "adjustment."  

Anyway, consider this (service rifle loads are about half way down the page)..............

http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm

Aloha, Mark

OK.....

This site is not specific for "service rifles" (they actually used a bolt gun to work up these loads).  But, it might be of some help............

http://www.6mmbr.citymaker.com/f/Sierra308Win.pdf

Aloha, Mark

That's even better because I'll be working up some loads for my bolt gun as well.  Thanks!

41.5 grains is for Winchester cases, 40.5 grains for Lake City match.  These are maximum loads in the M1-A, but most people shoot them because they work.

42 grains of IMR-4064 in Winchester cases, 41.0 grains of IMR-4064 in Lake City brass works wonders too.

These loads were staples before many common day powders ever hit the shelves. Varget, Reloder-15, and the VihtaVuouri lines were not conceived yet. They work well too.

AA2520 had a pretty good following as well, if you can find any.

If you or anyone else for that matter want an excellent source for M1-A .308 load data, comb gun shows for old NRA literature. The book in question is called "Semi Auto Rifles" it's an official NRA publication compiling several articles over the course of a decade or two. Ballistician, C.E. Harris, performed test on thousands of loadings for two articles specific to the M1-A. The were gleaned from the American Rifleman magazine around 1984. He covered Lake City brass and Sierra Match Kings, using IMR-3031, IMR-4320, IMR-4895, IMR-4064, H-4895 and WW-748. He tested different primers too. The tests included port pressure, chamber pressure, velocity and accuracy. Winchester primers were used in the bulk of the testing to simplify the process.

I think it's out of print, but the information is classic. This is the most extensive test ever published for public consumption.  

Good info. in this.
Past loads have been:
M118 42.6 grs IMR 4895. Gun Digest,1968.
M118 and M852 42 grs. IMR 4895 and a load for a Win. powder I've never heard of as well.  9th Ed. Cartridges of the World.
The primers you and I use will not be the same.  So you'll need to work up when changing any component.
Mexican Match was made by pulling M118 bullets and replacing with 168 SMK's
458

Sir, if you lost "gobs of points when it rattles your sitting position to shreds" it was not really due to the recoil of the rifle, your position sucked!  I shot this load across the course with an M1A for many years until Sierra came out with their 175gr SMK and I started using that bullet at 600 and 1K with a slightly different charge weight.  I never did see this load published anywhere in print except on various forums like this once I dicovered the internet.  The 41.5gr charge of IMR 4895 will flatten primers used in LC brass so it's good to back off a bit if that really concerns you.  With once fired M852 brass this load has worked quite well for me for many many years.  FWIW, I've used Nosler, Hornady, JLK, Barnes, and Berger match bullets in addition to the Sierras.  In my humble opinion to say that any particular brand of match bullet is better than another is simply a matter of personal preference and entirely subjective.  JMHO, 7zero1

Amen to that.  The light bullets are a heck of a lot more forgiving though, especially in sitting.  If your position give way with the 168, you're hard-pressed to salvage a lackluster score out of the string.

Sir, just poking fun at you.  I'm pleased you understood that.  It took me a while to learn how to shoot the gun adequately to consistently clean the rapids.  Due to the peak pressure limitations required to operate the gas system lighter bullets will only go so far to reduce recoil.  My M1As are heavy enough the difference with lighter bullets is negligible.  Shooting cleans in sitting is all about position, even when I'm using a mouse gun.  JMHO, 7zero1.