anybody made lighter loads for an M1A

[Former Cav]

Reason I ask is health issues.
I don't want to give up my M1A
if you have, what bullet, powder, primer, case etc did you use?
TIA
Bob

[Roadkingtrax]

41-42gr of 4064, 125SMK or TNT bullet, Any Case, and a CCI #34.

Very light recoil, the heavier the rifle the better too!

[S.A. Boggs]

Reason I ask is health issues.
I don't want to give up my M1A
if you have, what bullet, powder, primer, case etc did you use?
TIA
Bob

Is recoil the issue or something else? There are some ways to tame recoil while maintaining the same load. Let us know what the issue is please.
Sam

[Former Cav]

I had triple bypass surgery, 2 "silent" heart attacks and a high risk stent.
I'm on blood thinner. and my bones hurt, I have arthritis. so recoil has become an issue. I hurt for like 3 days after shooting my m1a with surplus ammo, or my reloads that are "7.62 Nato spec" that is 150 grain bullet 2760 FPS. Very accurate load, and the SD etc is way better then the surplus or commercial ammo.!
I used this rifle to get me started in the NRA highpower game. It is a low mileage rifle even though I bought it in 1980 and hate the thought of selling it.

[Sunray]

The blood thinner is the 81 MG of ASA. No big deal. It gets better anyway. Had a quad by-pass 6 years ago. Still take a fist full of pills every morning for breakfast.
The arthritis is more of an issue. I'd be thinking 110's, 125's or 130's. (You do not need CCI #34's. Those are just magnum primers.) Mind you, even those at max loads are running over 50,000 PSI. A 125 at 2675 FPS out of an 8.75 lb rifle(an M1A runs about 9 lbs.) has 9.0 ft-lbs. of recoil energy. That's compared to a 150 at 2800 FPS out of a 7.5 lb. rifle's 15.8 ft-lbs.
Your rifle have a wood or synthetic stock? Wood will add a bit of weight. My Winchester M-14 has the issue fiberglass and still weigh 9 pounds empty.

[nf1e]

What type of shooting and at what range do you prefer?
Me thinks we can come up with a simple solution for you.

[Former Cav]

I'm not doing NRA highpower anymore.
be more like 100 yds or less and home defense in case the "balloon goes up" is all.
If I can't handle it, I make one my my AR's in either a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 !!
I'm going to go test it next week sometime.
I ordered a recoil pad and that darned thing is harder then a hockey puck. it is a stock extender NOT a recoil device.

[Sunray]

The slip on recoil pads sold by Pachmayr will fit. And they work. Used one on my '03A4, briefly. Adds about 1" to the LOP though. $15.50 direct from Lyman.
Never tried or used their Decelerator slip on, but they're $19.99 from Brownell's.

[nf1e]

I use shoulder Limbsaver pad with an extra shop towel folded up inside.
My rifles are pretty heavy so I don't have a lot of recoil in .308 with a 136 gr FB bullet.

[Andouille]

41-42gr of 4064, 125SMK or TNT bullet, Any Case, and a CCI #34.

Very light recoil, the heavier the rifle the better too!

I've been using the 125-grain Speer TNT for almost all my 308 and 30-06 for some time now and that's pretty much my load, except for using Winchester large rifle primers. I've found they fly real well out to 300-yards, maybe farther but that's the farthest I've used them. Beyond that I'm using something else. They're a flat-based hollow point varmint bullet and are economical when bought by the 500-count box.

If you don't mind some additional weight, somebody maybe Creedmoor or Champions Choice sells lead weights for M1 Garand that fit the butt trap or you can buy steel rod at the hardware store that you cut to length and they also mitigate recoil quite a bit.

[Former Cav]

I sold both my m1a's.
I just put together a 6.5 grendel. Hopefully will get out to test it next weekend

[p246]

Good luck, hope it works out for you.

[Former Cav]

It's working. worked up some loads using the 123 hornady ELD bullets and the 120 grain SST
used powders in various loads,
So far I've used 8028, Varget, and BL-C2
1 inch group with a varget load and another with the 8028.
I just loaded up 5 test loads using AR-comp.
Will keep you posted.
so far, I am shooting for group size, once I get that DOWN below 1 inch... then I will chronograph it and tell you about it.
Using a Bear Creek Arsenal upper with 1 in 8 twist barrel. I swapped out hte bolt with a Brownells bolt as the BCA one was a cut (after heat treat), The brownells was machined to the proper diameter before heat treat. I'm talking about the extractor. YOu can tell becasue the BCA one is shiney where they cut it.
The Lower is a Rock River Arms that I used to use in NRA highpower. has a nice timney trigger in it and an A2 stock.
NO BRUISING on the WIMP!!!! Yipppeee