jpwilly
Member
I've have an M1 Garand with a 1-12" bbl and DPMS LR-308 with what I think is a 1-10" bbl. I know it's a loaded question but what do you all think is going to be the most accurate bullet to load for target practice at 100-300yrds?
Most accurate bullet for 100-300yrds.
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Shoney
Member
.308 bore in 1/12 should shoot any bullets from 130 to 180 with very good accuracy, while the 150 -170 would be close to ideal, the tastes of the weapon will tell..
.308 bore in 1/10 should shoot 150 - 220 would get very good accuracy. but any bullet in between will do better according to the tastes of the weapon.
Good Shooting!!!
.308 bore in 1/10 should shoot 150 - 220 would get very good accuracy. but any bullet in between will do better according to the tastes of the weapon.
Good Shooting!!!
ArchAngelCD
Member.
My favorite match bullet is a Sierra MatchKing. I use a 168gr HPBT .308" MatchKing (Part #2200) for my 30-06 1903A3 and a 150gr HPBT .308" MatchKing (Part #2190) for my M1 Garand. I must admit, I only use a Sierra bullet in my M1 when it counts. Most of the time for practice I use a surplus 147/150gr BT bullet in the Garand because the Sierra bullets are too expensive to shoot in the numbers the Garand can digest. 
When the MatchKings are too hard to find I substitute a Hornady HPBT Match bullet. They are a close second IMO.
When the MatchKings are too hard to find I substitute a Hornady HPBT Match bullet. They are a close second IMO.
Grumulkin
Member
I've gotten the best accuracy in my Garand with 168 gr. bullets using Nosler or Sierra BTHP match bullets.
Some say that using heavy bullets (say the 220 grainers) can damage the Garand's op rod; I don't know since I don't use those weights. A Garand expert I spoke with says Garands were engineered for 150 gr. bullets and recommend Remington Core Lokt loads with 150 gr. bullets though I've never tried them.
Some say that using heavy bullets (say the 220 grainers) can damage the Garand's op rod; I don't know since I don't use those weights. A Garand expert I spoke with says Garands were engineered for 150 gr. bullets and recommend Remington Core Lokt loads with 150 gr. bullets though I've never tried them.
I wore out a couple Garand barrels shooting on a military team. We used 7.62 NATO versions with 1:12 twist barrels from Springfield Armory in New England. These barrels had .3075- to .3079-inch groove diameters and would shoot .3082-in. diameter Sierra Match Kings and military .3086-in. diameter M2 172-gr. FMJ boattail as well as Lapua's 185-gr. .3092-in. match bullets very accurate.
These barrels were broach rifled and a new broach made larger diameter grooves. When the broach wore down from use, groove diameters got smaller/tighter. A rifling broach looks much like a tap used to thread holes but the rows of teeth match the rifling pitch. Each set of teeth would be a few ten-thousandths inch larger than the ones in front. An excellent, accurate and fast way to rifle barrels. But making good rifling broaches required the finest tools and machinists around. Military shops making match grade M1 and M14 rifles air gaged these barrels and used the tightest ones for competition.
Both 30 caliber and 7.62 NATO Garands with standard service barrels with somewhat larger groove diameters from .3080- to .3085-in. shot the military match bullet better than Sierra's. These barrels also shot the .3092-in. diameter Lapua 185-gr. match bullet very accurate.
If you can slug your barrel with a .310-in. diameter lead ball pushing it down the barrel with a semi-flexible rod then measuring it with a calibrated micrometer, use bullets a few ten-thousandths inch bigger for best accuracy. Weights should be 170 to 180 grains for the 1:10 twist barrels; lighter ones typically get spun too fast. If your barrel's on the tight side, Sierra 175 or 180 grain HPMK's may shoot the best.
The standard service bullet used when the Garand was developed was the 172-gr. FMJ boattail developed in the early 1920's for long range machine gun fire. In the late 1920's, it replaced the 150-gr. bullet first used in 1906 for the M1903 Springfield. But recoil with that heavier bullet was a bit much for use shooting accurately standing up (offhand) as judged by the generals running the Army and Marine Corps. So in the late 1930's, that machine gun bullet (also loaded then in .30-06 match ammo) got designated the M2 bullet and replaced by the original 150-gr. flat based version designated as the M1 bullet.
These barrels were broach rifled and a new broach made larger diameter grooves. When the broach wore down from use, groove diameters got smaller/tighter. A rifling broach looks much like a tap used to thread holes but the rows of teeth match the rifling pitch. Each set of teeth would be a few ten-thousandths inch larger than the ones in front. An excellent, accurate and fast way to rifle barrels. But making good rifling broaches required the finest tools and machinists around. Military shops making match grade M1 and M14 rifles air gaged these barrels and used the tightest ones for competition.
Both 30 caliber and 7.62 NATO Garands with standard service barrels with somewhat larger groove diameters from .3080- to .3085-in. shot the military match bullet better than Sierra's. These barrels also shot the .3092-in. diameter Lapua 185-gr. match bullet very accurate.
If you can slug your barrel with a .310-in. diameter lead ball pushing it down the barrel with a semi-flexible rod then measuring it with a calibrated micrometer, use bullets a few ten-thousandths inch bigger for best accuracy. Weights should be 170 to 180 grains for the 1:10 twist barrels; lighter ones typically get spun too fast. If your barrel's on the tight side, Sierra 175 or 180 grain HPMK's may shoot the best.
The standard service bullet used when the Garand was developed was the 172-gr. FMJ boattail developed in the early 1920's for long range machine gun fire. In the late 1920's, it replaced the 150-gr. bullet first used in 1906 for the M1903 Springfield. But recoil with that heavier bullet was a bit much for use shooting accurately standing up (offhand) as judged by the generals running the Army and Marine Corps. So in the late 1930's, that machine gun bullet (also loaded then in .30-06 match ammo) got designated the M2 bullet and replaced by the original 150-gr. flat based version designated as the M1 bullet.
1858rem
Member
nosler 168 BTHP are pretty good/cheap and hornady BTHP 168's suprised me at how well they shot, for 18$/100.....maybe that was the old sticker still on the box!
jpwilly
Member
I've found Midsouth has 1000rnd boxes of Nosler 168 BTHP. Sounds like these might would work well for both rifles.
ForneyRider
Member
I'm having more luck in accuracy department with Nosler Accubond and Nosler Ballistic Tip over SMK. But the price difference is almost double with the Accubond.
jpwilly, is the barrel in your Garand an original GI .30-06 one?
If it it, then it's a 1:10 twist. The only GI 1:12 twist government Garand barrels made were the 7.62 NATO ones from the govenment's Springfield Armory in MA during the early to mid 1960's and used by the USAF and USN.
If it is really a 1:12 twist .30-06 barrel, it'll be an aftermarket one. But the good news is it's a far better twist for Garands and the bullets it shoots best; 135 - 180 grains.
If it it, then it's a 1:10 twist. The only GI 1:12 twist government Garand barrels made were the 7.62 NATO ones from the govenment's Springfield Armory in MA during the early to mid 1960's and used by the USAF and USN.
If it is really a 1:12 twist .30-06 barrel, it'll be an aftermarket one. But the good news is it's a far better twist for Garands and the bullets it shoots best; 135 - 180 grains.
Howard B
Member
168 Sierra Matchking. But as with so many things, this is personal preference.
30Cal
Member
I like the 125gr Speer TNT for short range. They're cheap, super accurate and low recoil.
jpwilly
Member
Bart, My Garand has a new Wilson Arms .308 Win 1-12" bbl. I've been shooting 150gr pills through it at 100-200yards with pretty good results but nothing amazing. I may get a box of FGMM for it just to use as a baseline for my handloads.
Redneck with a 40
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I shoot the Sierra 168 SMK's out to 300 yds, but I just got a box of 1000 Nosler 168 HPBT's, the first 20 shot pretty darn good, and they are 10 cents/round cheaper than the Sierra's.
jpwilly, your most accurate round with that 1:12 twist barrel will probably be a Sierra 180 HPMK in a new commercial case with a mild primer (RWS-5341) and about 43 grains of IMR4064.
This assumes the barrel's groove diameter is no larger than .3078-in. If it's bigger, then you might try to find some old military match 172-gr. FMJ boattail match bullets.
This assumes the barrel's groove diameter is no larger than .3078-in. If it's bigger, then you might try to find some old military match 172-gr. FMJ boattail match bullets.
In my DPMS .308, the most accurate load I've found so far is a Lapua 155 grain scenar bullet with Varget behind it.
The next, seems to be just about any 125 grain bullet.
As far as factory loads go, Black Hills, 168 grain match beat out Federal 168 grain match.
Your results may vary. Every barrel seems to have its own likes, and dislikes.
The next, seems to be just about any 125 grain bullet.
As far as factory loads go, Black Hills, 168 grain match beat out Federal 168 grain match.
Your results may vary. Every barrel seems to have its own likes, and dislikes.
jpwilly
Member
Thanks all. I'm going to try the 180gr bullet you recommened Bart.
For the M1 and for the DPMS RH what do you think of the Hornandy 155gr pills?
For the M1 and for the DPMS RH what do you think of the Hornandy 155gr pills?
30Cal
Member
Odd choice. I've never seen that bullet at a highpower match (in the past 10 years). It's on the heavy end of what you can put in an M1 and I'm skeptical that a 1:12" will spin it adequately without a lot of fuss.
For short range, I'd pick a different bullet. I wouldn't shoot it at long range anymore either.
Redneck with a 40
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My Remington 700 SPS will put factory Winchester 180 gr power points into an inch at 100 yards, its a 1:12 twist.
KINGMAX
Member
270 = jmoho
My Remington 700 ADL in .270 using a 130 gr. round. That is for the common man. Higher on the food chain = 338 Lapua Magnum.
My Remington 700 ADL in .270 using a 130 gr. round. That is for the common man. Higher on the food chain = 338 Lapua Magnum.
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