Winchester M2 ball replica ammo

[Ponder_MD]

Just FYI- I saw an ad from Winchester stating that they're going to make M2 ball replica for M1 Garands starting this year.
No idea what it will cost and commenters mercilessly mocked Winchester for price gouging but I figured it was worth mentioning.

Right now, PPU M2 replica is selling for a little over $1/pew on Ammoseek so you'd think that Winchester would price it at least around that price.

 

[SKIP]

I'll stick to my Lake City.

 

[Ponder_MD]

Giggity! That's nice.
Some of us are late to the party and trying to get our act together.

 

[brianns]

The new stuff will probably be from Lake City since Winchester runs it now correct?

 

[chale127]

The new stuff will probably be from Lake City since Winchester runs it now correct?

Correct

 

[lazarus]

I'll stick to my Lake City.

That is all corrosive guys. He is going to have to spend a lot of time cleaning his rifles if he is shooting all that.

So we can sit here smug and superior not having thousands of rounds of surplus in our closet.

That is going to be the thought that lets me sleep better at night even if it isn't true.

On the Winchester stuff, I have 3 boxes of it when they were selling it in the collectible wood boxes 3 years ago (I think it was 3 years ago? 4?). I have yet to shoot any of it. Back when ammo prices were low, I want to say it was $25 a box for the 20 rounds and "collectible" (made in China or Mexico probably) wood box. I assume it is identical, but not with the nice cardboard and wood boxes.

 

[ken792]

The new stuff will probably be from Lake City since Winchester runs it now correct?

Correct

Why would Winchester set up a .30/06 live ammo production line in a govt owned facility for comparatively small quantities when they already have perfectly good .30/06 production in East Alton, IL, including FMJ, prior to this rebranding?

 

[SKIP]

That is all corrosive guys. He is going to have to spend a lot of time cleaning his rifles if he is shooting all that.

So we can sit here smug and superior not having thousands of rounds of surplus in our closet.

That is going to be the thought that lets me sleep better at night even if it isn't true.

On the Winchester stuff, I have 3 boxes of it when they were selling it in the collectible wood boxes 3 years ago (I think it was 3 years ago? 4?). I have yet to shoot any of it. Back when ammo prices were low, I want to say it was $25 a box for the 20 rounds and "collectible" (made in China or Mexico probably) wood box. I assume it is identical, but not with the nice cardboard and wood boxes.

It is all LC69 and non corrosive.

 

[Qbeam]

Would be interes6ting to see the price point. Right now it's PPU and S&B for me. Pretty decent accuracy out to 600yds.

Q

 

[lazarus]

It is all LC69 and non corrosive.

DO NOT SPOIL MY FANTASY

 

[Red1917]

Cool, also curious to see price. The more out there the better

 

[Ponder_MD]

Would be interes6ting to see the price point. Right now it's PPU and S&B for me. Pretty decent accuracy out to 600yds.

Q

I also found Norma Whitetail to be within the specs but the bullet is a softpoint hunting bullet.

Norma .30-06 SAME DAY SHIPPING 150 Grain Whitetail Soft Point - 20 Rounds (Box) [NO TAX outside Texas] - KIR Ammo

Brand Norma Caliber 30-06 Model 20177392 Bullet Weight 150 Grain Bullet Type Jacketed Soft Point Case Type Brass Quantity 20 Muzzle Velocity 2789 FPS Muzzle Energy 2590 ft/lb

kirammo.com

 

[brianns]

Why would Winchester set up a .30/06 live ammo production line in a govt owned facility for comparatively small quantities when they already have perfectly good .30/06 production in East Alton, IL, including FMJ, prior to this rebranding?

Will it be coming from East Alton?

 

[Allen65]

If you want accuracy from a Garand with its 1:10 rifling, you need heavier projectiles than the 150s in M2 Ball. 168-173 is the sweet spot. All of mine do well with 168gr SMKs or TMKs over ~46.5 grains of 4064. But commercial 168 grain match rounds also give smaller groups than any M2 Ball equivalent load I've tried.

At the time the Garand was designed and first fielded, M1 Ball was the standard, with a 174 grain bullet. M2 was introduced because it was less expensive, and because there had been problems on some military ranges with rounds that went over berms carrying on outside the exclusion zones behind.

M2AP, also a round commonly used by the military in the Garand, had a 165 grain bullet.

 

[Ponder_MD]

At the time the Garand was designed and first fielded, M1 Ball was the standard, with a 174 grain bullet.

Question: Do we have formulas for powders with that weight of bullet?

I made replica M2 using 47.5 gr of H4064. I'd like to make some M1 ball.

 

[ken792]

Question: Do we have formulas for powders with that weight of bullet?

I made replica M2 using 47.5 gr of H4064. I'd like to make some M1 ball.

M72 is basically the same as M1 Ball, just without a cannelure or crimp.

IMR 1185 was developed for M1 Ball. I’ll have to look at my Hatcher book again, but I believe the pre-war National Match ammo used a variety of powder other powders too that no longer exist. Many modern powders are close though.

M72 was nominally 50gr of IMR 4895 (the bulk grade, not the modern stuff blended for consistency), with each lot being different. It was to get 2647 FPS measured at 78ft, I believe out of a test barrel rather than an actual rifle.

Modern accuracy loads for 175gr SMKs or Nosler CCs are around 46-48gr of a 4895, 4064, Varget, RL-15, etc. Just load to what’s accurate and don’t try to clone the original specs at the expense of accuracy, especially if using modern bullets anyway.