nettlle
Contributing Member
I have a M14 ordered and being a reloader I have been doing some reading on loads for 308 in a M14. One of the things I have read is case life for 308 in a M14 is 4 firings. Does this sound correct?
Reloading 308 for a M14
- Thread starter nettlle
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loadedround
Member
Best powder for your M14 will take several fats into consideration such as bullet weight, type of case 308 Win or 7.62, twist rate plus several other factors. So having said that and owning a Springfield NM M1A rifle, I've used 4320, 3031, and 4064 powder with good results. However lately I've been playing with Varget powder and 168gr target bullets and have been getting under 1 '' groups at 100 yds. I suggest you give a pound of Varget a try. Good luck with your new rifle.
See Glen Zediker: http://www.m14.ca/reloading/14_loading.pdf (The handful&toss advocate)
See Slamfire: https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6580329&postcount=11 (The min-resize and lube advocate)
I tend toward the Slamfire & the paperclip if you're really comfortable/experienced in what you're doing -- but Zediker as failsafe default
See Slamfire: https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6580329&postcount=11 (The min-resize and lube advocate)
I tend toward the Slamfire & the paperclip if you're really comfortable/experienced in what you're doing -- but Zediker as failsafe default
lightman
Member
I use military cases in mine. I've used 4895 and 4064 with good results. Target should work great but I haven't tried it. All semi-autos are rough on brass and the M1-A is is no exception. Cases will be pretty beat up after 4 firings.
Charlie98
Member
It depends on what you are doing with your handloads, and your particular rifle's headspace.
Brass: Rule of thumb is commercial cases can be thinner (Iighter) and can stretch excessively from the violent cycle of the M1a rifle, so most avid M1a reloaders use thicker military brass (Lake City (LC) or, now Winchester (WCC) or some of the other brass known to be heavier (Prvi, for example, which is commercial, but can be reasonably heavier.) Personally, I'm making the transition away from LC brass, and relying on my stash of Prvi factory ammos for brass. I have had issues with fired military brass, so it's not for me, but others swear by it (not at it, like me...) and it's OK, too. 4 reloads is a reasonable expectation, with reasonable handloads, in a rifle with proper headspacing. Some get more, some get less.
Case stretching: Fired brass will stretch.... and just trimming may not be enough, you will need to check for thinning of the brass in front of the case web. I use a bent paperclip as a feeler gauge...
This is what you are looking for...
...with practice, you can detect it.
Powders: If you start in the neighborhood of IMR4895 (and it's contemporaries...) you can't go wrong. Others, like myself, go to slower powders for heavier (168-175grn) bullets, like IMR4064, but some go as slow as Varget, et al. Because my M1a has a 16" barrel, I've actually dropped down to IMR3031 with 150grn bullets with good results.
Maintenance: This is the handloading section, so I won't go off the rails on maintenance, but if you are serious... look at the suggestions MEHavey made for references, and have a look at how to take care of your M1a, and the special tools that will help you.
Brass: Rule of thumb is commercial cases can be thinner (Iighter) and can stretch excessively from the violent cycle of the M1a rifle, so most avid M1a reloaders use thicker military brass (Lake City (LC) or, now Winchester (WCC) or some of the other brass known to be heavier (Prvi, for example, which is commercial, but can be reasonably heavier.) Personally, I'm making the transition away from LC brass, and relying on my stash of Prvi factory ammos for brass. I have had issues with fired military brass, so it's not for me, but others swear by it (not at it, like me...) and it's OK, too. 4 reloads is a reasonable expectation, with reasonable handloads, in a rifle with proper headspacing. Some get more, some get less.
Case stretching: Fired brass will stretch.... and just trimming may not be enough, you will need to check for thinning of the brass in front of the case web. I use a bent paperclip as a feeler gauge...
This is what you are looking for...
...with practice, you can detect it.
Powders: If you start in the neighborhood of IMR4895 (and it's contemporaries...) you can't go wrong. Others, like myself, go to slower powders for heavier (168-175grn) bullets, like IMR4064, but some go as slow as Varget, et al. Because my M1a has a 16" barrel, I've actually dropped down to IMR3031 with 150grn bullets with good results.
Maintenance: This is the handloading section, so I won't go off the rails on maintenance, but if you are serious... look at the suggestions MEHavey made for references, and have a look at how to take care of your M1a, and the special tools that will help you.
W.E.G.
Member
This has been my experience.
Accuracy load is 168 SMK.
I use 41.1 grains of TAC, or 41.5 grains IMR 4895.
The M1-A plays nicely with all medium-burning rifle powders.
OP
OP
nettlle
Contributing Member
Debating on whether to reload the 308 or buy factory loads. From what I am reading FL sizing is required. Light loads are better.
Do have most of the reloading gear including the dies.
Although I reload and shoot a lot of pistol it's been decades since I have reloaded rifle. A little bit of sticker shock from both the ammo and reloading components. I have enough factory ammo to last me until this gets figured out.
Do have most of the reloading gear including the dies.
Although I reload and shoot a lot of pistol it's been decades since I have reloaded rifle. A little bit of sticker shock from both the ammo and reloading components. I have enough factory ammo to last me until this gets figured out.
AJC1
Member
Fortunately the military ball is usually the cheapest, and will leave you with the cases you want. Check rmr for bullets if you want cheap blamo. they pull down rounds and sometimes have primed unfired cases.
Charlie98
Member
Too light a load and the action may not cycle.
FWIW, you size your brass just like any other cartridge... a small-base die is generally not required, although some will recommend it. There is plenty of data available to start with, plenty of components available.... except, perhaps, primers... and it's nothing out of the ordinary to work up a load. Nothing to be afraid of. Not that I don't recommend a stash of factory ammos... as I mentioned, I use my factory ammo stash as my source for my reloading brass.
1KPerDay
Member
FL Size and gauge to the lower step on a Wilson type gauge. Seat primers flush or below. Check for internal grooves with a dental pick or paper clip each time. I’ve gotten more than 5 loadings but the rims take a beating. Mashing them into the Wilson gauge helps iron them out but IME that’s your weak point.
Nature Boy
Member
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I learned a lot from Zediker’s published guidelines but he also said no more than 3 reloads with an M1A before you should discard the brass.
I have a batch of NATO brass fired through my M1A that had 14 reload cycles before I retired them with only minimal sign of case head thinning.
He also said Varget was too slow to shoot through an M1A and doing so would risk damaging your op rod.
I shot a lot of Varget through my M1A, as have many others, and never heard of one single person damaging their rifle as a result.
Pulldeaux
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Love the m1a ,168 gr any bullet medium burn powder ,a grain or so under max ,Mounts for glass can be a
problem ,got 3gen. mount from SA ( no problems) have not tried the 175 grs (why,1/2 inch @100 yd makes
me happy!sholders bump to minus 1 or2 -1000 in.I will get 3/4 reloadings or until primer pockets feel loose
That’s enough times to r l .is it the perfect gat no ,weighing in @ over 13 lbs in the NM ,have others and they
have different applications,like the socom 16 and the standard mod.all sholders set the same the same.
Have a friend stripped the lugs off his bolt ,he gave me the ammo ( what a pal),measured the sholders
they all were +2 to5 / 1000 Inch OVER ,the bolt was out of battery when fired ,! ,dangerous !!
problem ,got 3gen. mount from SA ( no problems) have not tried the 175 grs (why,1/2 inch @100 yd makes
me happy!sholders bump to minus 1 or2 -1000 in.I will get 3/4 reloadings or until primer pockets feel loose
That’s enough times to r l .is it the perfect gat no ,weighing in @ over 13 lbs in the NM ,have others and they
have different applications,like the socom 16 and the standard mod.all sholders set the same the same.
Have a friend stripped the lugs off his bolt ,he gave me the ammo ( what a pal),measured the sholders
they all were +2 to5 / 1000 Inch OVER ,the bolt was out of battery when fired ,! ,dangerous !!
Driftertank
Member
Used to load a lot of ammo for an M1A and a PTR-91. Both gave pretty good results with a 165-168gr bullet in LC brass over 42gr Varget and a CCI 200.
Both started to hammer the actions before finding the next node up. Neither Garand Op-rods nor HK roller-locks like excessively hot loads without modification to the operating system. Neither is very kind to brass.
We could get 3-4 loads from military brass pretty consistently. Maybe we could have gotten more, but rims and shoulders started to get kinda bad beyond that.
As usual, work up your own, safe in my guns, YMMV etc. But it may give you a ballpark to play around in.
Both started to hammer the actions before finding the next node up. Neither Garand Op-rods nor HK roller-locks like excessively hot loads without modification to the operating system. Neither is very kind to brass.
We could get 3-4 loads from military brass pretty consistently. Maybe we could have gotten more, but rims and shoulders started to get kinda bad beyond that.
As usual, work up your own, safe in my guns, YMMV etc. But it may give you a ballpark to play around in.
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