308 Garand

[Viking Guy]

Gents,

I haven't posted in a long time but with my retirement effective this coming Friday I hope to be more active.

A work buddy just got a 308 Garand. I've not seen it yet but from his description (he's not familiar with Garands nor with proper nomenclature) it sounds like a possible match prize rifle. The sights and other parts are NM. He purchased it from a fellow who apparently got it in the mid to late 60's...no paperwork exists. Of course, he's itching to shoot it. As an owner of several 30.06 Garands I am well aware of the burning rate of powders and the need to have proper ammunition to prevent possible op rod bending/breaking. He is not a reloader, and I don't reload 308/7.62.

My question: Do the same ammunition cautions exist for the 308 Garand? If so, what, if any, commercial ammo is considered safe? For the .06, we have Privi and a few others readily available but I.ve not seen and am not aware of any ammo designated for the 308 like you see for the 06.

TIA,
VG

[gwp]

NATO spec M80 Ball type ammunition should be OK. Federal American Eagle would be a good choice.

https://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-ammo-sale/308-win-762x51-ammo

[Viking Guy]

Thanks much! I'll pass that along.

VG

[tanker trash]

Federal Gold Medal Match ammo is also a good choice, if not pricey

[remus]

Get a set of .308 dies and load a 150 grn bullet to about 2600fps, or a 168 to about 2550fps. The load will be in any good reloading manual. Works in my .308 Garand, and both shoot well.

[lyman]

if you reload shoot me a PM with your email and I'll send you pdf of Dunlaps Loading .30 Cal Match Ammunition
it has a lot of good reloading info for 308 and 30.06

[Cosine26]

- - - Updated - - -

A word of caution. Dunlap's loads are for the BOLT gun not the M1. I used to shoot with Roy Dunlap and I have an autographed copy of Loading .30 Cal Match Ammunition. A few years ago, a couple of us were going to reissue this loading manual so I contacted Roy and asked his permission to do so. He said OK, just send him a copy. Nothing ever came of this effort. All of these loads were with the old IMR powders and I do not know how the modern powders compare with them. There is one load that cannot be used in the M1- he has one load that recommends 48 grains of IMR 4350 with the 180 SMK in a 308 case. This load requires the use of a special Western Match case which is very thin-it weighs 30 grains less than any other 308 case. That load will result in excessive port pressure in an M1 and the M1 will tear those thin cased up.
FWIW

[lyman]

Thanks for the comment,

I have used a few of the loads with modern IMR's without issue in the Garand,