As most Garand shooters know new factory hunting ammo in 30/06 is loaded with too slow a powder for best use in the 30/06 Garand.
I have not had any problems with factory hunting loads in 308 Garands, but I have had high pressure signs and failures to extract with new made 30/06 hunting ammo in '06 Garands.
Most experts say the best powders for a 30/06 Garand are from IMR 3031 on the fast side to IMR 4064 on the slow side with IMR 4895, as possible the best all round.
When I wanted to develop some hunting loads for my 30/06 Garand I took a look and the old recommended Match loads.
Since I have a lot of IMR 3031 that is the powder I chose to use.
I have never had any feeding problems with standard lead pointed Spitzer bullets in any Garand or M1-A.
However there is one bullet I have used a lot for hunting in the 308 WCF both in Bolt rifles and semiautos. I have killed a lot of game from turkeys, to deer, to coyotes, to bobcats, to antelope, from close up to over 550yards on antelope with perfect results.
This bullet is the Sierra 165 gr HPBT. This is a Gameking hunting bullet, not a Matchking, but is shoots as accurate as the Matchking in most rifles.
Sierra rates this bullet a little tougher than their 165 gr Spz Gameking.
It has given, me excellent kills, great expansion, great penetration. I have never recovered one.
The main advantage to this bullet, especially for a Garand, is that it has a rugged Hollow Point, instead of a lead point.
It is a large Hollow Point and not likely to be pluged up buy hair, etc. when it hits an animal.
This HP is not easily damaged like a lead tip can be. This is important for a Rifle like the Garand where when loaded in 8 round clips the tips of the bullet are left unprotected.
These bullets feed great in not only Garands but also in M1-A's H&K 91's, and FN-FAL,s as well.
Other rugged tipped bullets to take a look at, are Barnes X bullets and the Plastic tip Bullets.
I have not had any problems with factory hunting loads in 308 Garands, but I have had high pressure signs and failures to extract with new made 30/06 hunting ammo in '06 Garands.
Most experts say the best powders for a 30/06 Garand are from IMR 3031 on the fast side to IMR 4064 on the slow side with IMR 4895, as possible the best all round.
When I wanted to develop some hunting loads for my 30/06 Garand I took a look and the old recommended Match loads.
Since I have a lot of IMR 3031 that is the powder I chose to use.
I have never had any feeding problems with standard lead pointed Spitzer bullets in any Garand or M1-A.
However there is one bullet I have used a lot for hunting in the 308 WCF both in Bolt rifles and semiautos. I have killed a lot of game from turkeys, to deer, to coyotes, to bobcats, to antelope, from close up to over 550yards on antelope with perfect results.
This bullet is the Sierra 165 gr HPBT. This is a Gameking hunting bullet, not a Matchking, but is shoots as accurate as the Matchking in most rifles.
Sierra rates this bullet a little tougher than their 165 gr Spz Gameking.
It has given, me excellent kills, great expansion, great penetration. I have never recovered one.
The main advantage to this bullet, especially for a Garand, is that it has a rugged Hollow Point, instead of a lead point.
It is a large Hollow Point and not likely to be pluged up buy hair, etc. when it hits an animal.
This HP is not easily damaged like a lead tip can be. This is important for a Rifle like the Garand where when loaded in 8 round clips the tips of the bullet are left unprotected.
These bullets feed great in not only Garands but also in M1-A's H&K 91's, and FN-FAL,s as well.
Other rugged tipped bullets to take a look at, are Barnes X bullets and the Plastic tip Bullets.