Ammo for mini300/garand build

[Baltimoreed11754]

At first I thought that I had built a $$ manually operated semi auto garand but after some tinkering with the op rod springs and spring guide I’ve gotten it to eject 100% but only American Eagle 150gr will reliably feed the next rd. ??? Does anyone know the actual powder that Federal uses in these cartridges? I’ve been trying to duplicate it with H110 and CFE Black and have good ejection but can’t quite get the next rd to feed. I have opened my port from .070 to .099 to .111, tried bullets from 110 gr to 170 gr. I’ll try some heavier stuff next time I play with it. I’m sure I’ve loaded something that was 2000 fps per the manual. Remember, this is a garand with the gas port only 1/2 inch from the muzzle. Appreciate any input from the forum.

[dellet]

Post load data you have tried.

Hopefully you have at least one round of the federal that worked. Measure overall length and base to ogive of the bullet, then pull it apart. Measure bullet length and again base to ogive. Weigh the powder and take a good photo.

Barrel length would be helpful. Powders on hand to try.

First thought would be that CFE BLK should work, but there are some others that are a bit off the normal path that could be better.

Do you have a way to post photos?

This could be an interesting project to see working after all these years.

[Baltimoreed11754]

Per your suggestion dellet I pulled one American Eagle rd apart with my inertia puller in 2 whacks so not a tight crimp. OAL is 2.20. Bullet was a 150 gr FMJ-BT with a crimp groove. The powder weighed 19.0 gr and looks a lot like H110 or CFEBLK. I dumped it back into the case only came as high as the bottom of the neck. My mini/garand has a 24 inch bbl with a .111 gas port about 1/2 in from the muzzle. I tried a couple of experiments with creating space in the gas cylinder, appears that my smith erred and the end of the op rod obdtructs the gas port which keeps it from cycling at all. Using a spring to open up the space between the op rod and gas plug it bumps the bolt but thats all but with a 3/8 in steel ball bearing in the gas cylinder it ejects the aguila 150 gr [but doesn’t move the bolt quite far enough to feed the next rd]. I want to find a couple of different sized bearings just out of curiosity. I can’t lighten the op rod spring or I’ll have issues with forward bolt lock up. The key is the powder. What does Federal use? I pulled an aguila 150 gr load [2.150 oal] apart and it had 16.0 gr of the same looking powder, bullet looks the same. As far as my loads, I’m all over the map. I load 2 go out on my deck and fire them at my 35 yd steel containment to see if they feed the next one and then try it again. Nothing I’ve handloaded has worked yet. I’ve been trying to figure out imgur but haven’t yet. I post photos on my other forums fine.

[Baltimoreed11754]

Experiment; added 2.0 gr of H110 to the powder in a pulled apart aguila rd, powders look identical, put it back together. Great ejection but no feeding.

[dellet]

Per your suggestion dellet I pulled one American Eagle rd apart with my inertia puller in 2 whacks so not a tight crimp. OAL is 2.20. Bullet was a 150 gr FMJ-BT with a crimp groove. The powder weighed 19.0 gr and looks a lot like H110 or CFEBLK. I dumped it back into the case only came as high as the bottom of the neck. My mini/garand has a 24 inch bbl with a .111 gas port about 1/2 in from the muzzle. I tried a couple of experiments with creating space in the gas cylinder, appears that my smith erred and the end of the op rod obdtructs the gas port which keeps it from cycling at all. Using a spring to open up the space between the op rod and gas plug it bumps the bolt but thats all but with a 3/8 in steel ball bearing in the gas cylinder it ejects the aguila 150 gr [but doesn’t move the bolt quite far enough to feed the next rd]. I want to find a couple of different sized bearings just out of curiosity. I can’t lighten the op rod spring or I’ll have issues with forward bolt lock up. The key is the powder. What does Federal use? I pulled an aguila 150 gr load [2.150 oal] apart and it had 16.0 gr of the same looking powder, bullet looks the same. As far as my loads, I’m all over the map. I load 2 go out on my deck and fire them at my 35 yd steel containment to see if they feed the next one and then try it again. Nothing I’ve handloaded has worked yet. I’ve been trying to figure out imgur but haven’t yet. I post photos on my other forums fine.

Always hard to say what powder a manufacturer uses, but can give a good guess.

The Federal load I would expect 1680 or something similar. 19 grains and close to 2000 fps in a 16" barrel. A 24" you should pick up 150 fps.

The Aguila is more likely something like H110.

Both of those would be on the higher end of the load range. 19 Grains of H110 and a 150 bullet could get interesting, but working up to 18+ should not be a problem. You will probably want to move the bullet out some. Just watch out for the lands, a few of the 150 FMJ bullets will jam before they reach 2.260"

Any chance of a mechanical issue on the feeding problem?

I know that some loads in Garands can bend push rods and they operate on pretty low pressures. I wonder if there is a chance for over gassing?

[45r]

For 150 grain cast powder coated loads I use 17.3 grains 300-mp sparked by cci 450's.
Getting 2035 fps with my DCA 16 inch upper and 10 shot groups can be covered by a quarter at 50 yards.
This load is accurate in several 300blks that I've tried.

[Baltimoreed11754]

Just tried 21.0 gr of CFEBLK and a 123gr .310 zmax and got ejection and feeding! I thought that I tried these before but maybe that was with H110. I’m wondering if the .310 vs .308 is giving me that extra bit of pressure needed to make the magic happen? Just tried 110 rn and 130 gr hp .308 and they ejected and fed the next rd. I had tried CFEBLK and pc bullets before but wasn’t using enough juice for this rifle I guess.

[dellet]

Didn't you also change something with the push rod and ball since the last time out? This where detailed notes really help figuring out what the problem was.

If CFE is working for you and you are using 150 grain and less bullets, just stuff as much powder in there as you can. You really won't run into pressure issues.

With H110 and 110-130 grain bullets 20-21 grains might be starting to get warm.

Glad to hear it's working.