Good load for 7.62x51 mil M80 ball?

[VonRundstedt]

Just scored a bonanza in 7.62 brass....and 147 gr ball bullets are pretty cheap, so you guys would know....what powder and what size charge has been equal to the spec USGI M80?

[Kali Komrade]

Hey Von I did reloads the other day and I chrono'd them too at around 2650 FPS 12 feet distance from the chrono... Im using 4895 IMR need to check on the amount of grains used will do so today... I've used the gov. surplus win ball powder and have not been totally impressed so switched up to the IMR 4895 surplus and the 1919 was running slicker than snot on a door knob... If I had to compare my 748 reloads to any ammo out there I would say they are most simular to wolf ammo... and my 4895 loads I believe are cycling my gun better than the SA surplus I was buying...
I've also found the IMR to burn a little cleaner seems to be a little easier on the cases too...

I think I am in spec at 2650 I'd like to know what the specs are exactly on the M80 ammo as well I might make a small adjustment...

As an expirement I also ran my powder loads in civilian cases and they still cycled the action just as well as the military brass....

[VonRundstedt]

One of the secrets of early M16 failures in the field was that Colt designed the gun to function with clean burning IMR powders but the military insisted that all rifles must use the standard ball powder of the day, so they had all the ammo loaded ball, which burned dirty, which fouled the gas tubes and bolt carriers and gummed things up badly....

I like IMR.

I don't think that US M80 is much hotter than the high 2600's, but 2800 would be super cool as long as it was reliable.

Don't compare anything to Wolf. I used to buy and shoot tons of it, just because you could get tins and cases for close to nothing of the stuff, but it was sooty, dirty, and some runs had a pretty harsh recoil. I stopped buying it.

So where did you begin working up your IMR loading for .308? IMR 4895 is it? What's the load at 2650 fps? Using 147 gr bullets?

[Kali Komrade]

My load I'm running is 42.5 grains of IMR 4895, it skewed a little higher and a little lower running it on the dillon 650 so I'd say my grains averaged + or - .5 grains which is not to bad with extruded powder...

I started a little lower because I want to run a mix of brass the civies and the mil surp... Let me know what kind of luck you have with it... I also ran this stuff though my FAL with no problems ejected cleanly and smoothly...

[VonRundstedt]

Using Lake City brass and either 147 gr ball or M61 AP the 4895 is the shit. It is technically 30-06 powder with a little slower burn than 844 ball powder. I've gone 43 on the 152 gr AP and 44 on the 147 gr ball. I don't have chrono gear but it runs crisp and isn't tearing up stuff, so I think I'm in a good zone. Max load is 46 gr on a 150 gr bullet, but that would be too stressful for my comfort.

[VonRundstedt]

BTW: If you FIND a stash of IMR 4895 let me know. Everybody is out.

[Kali Komrade]

yeah that sounds good... I've been looking but haven't found any IMR 4895 yet :cussing: I'm gonna keep my eyes open though... I'd rather run the IMR than the WC ball powder... So your seeing the difference on the reloaded ammo too huh... What an absolute joy... :hail: If I find some I'll PM you Von... Seems like the only think I'm running into is WC ball powder...

[VonRundstedt]

Which ball powder? The 844 or 846? If you're talking about Pat's they can't ship for weeks.