I've been using 150gr M1 ball by PPU with okay results.   I have not put the rifle on bags yet, so I can't say what the best accuracy I can get is, but I have been happy with it so far.   Shooting from a sitting position I can get around 3 MOA.  I'm curious to see what ammo others are using in their Garand, and what kind of accuracy they getting.  I guess 150gr is the standard, but I see Hornady makes a 168gr match with an ELD bullet.  Has anyone used that and is there a big difference in accuracy?  How about reloaders, have you cooked up any good recipes?

3 MOA is pretty good with PPU ammo.  I've never shot PPU 30-06 but in other calibers their ammo is not particularly accurate IMO. My Garands (all stock no accurizing) will shoot that or a little better with Greek HXP or my reloads. The field grade I have with a Danish VAR barrel will consistently shoot 2 MOA with HXP.  Better ammo will reduce the size of your groups but not by that much.

IIRC I read somewhere that 4 MOA was acceptable in a Garand.

Try some different ammo.  Remember the M1 was intended to be a precision rifle.  It was intended to sling quantities of lead faster than a bolt action and it does that well.

There are a lot of things you can do to accurizing a Garand but you'd have to spend a lot of money get a M1 shooting 3 MOA down to 1 1/2 MOA.  A lot of those things aren't permitted in Service Rifle competition.

59 minutes ago, GRIZ said:

3 MOA is pretty good with PPU ammo.  I've never shot PPU 30-06 but in other calibers their ammo is not particularly accurate IMO. My Garands (all stock no accurizing) will shoot that or a little better with Greek HXP or my reloads. The field grade I have with a Danish VAR barrel will consistently shoot 2 MOA with HXP.  Better ammo will reduce the size of your groups but not by that much.

IIRC I read somewhere that 4 MOA was acceptable in a Garand.

Try some different ammo.  Remember the M1 was intended to be a precision rifle.  It was intended to sling quantities of lead faster than a bolt action and it does that well.

There are a lot of things you can do to accurizing a Garand but you'd have to spend a lot of money get a M1 shooting 3 MOA down to 1 1/2 MOA.  A lot of those things aren't permitted in Service Rifle competition.

Crazy, I was just looking at this yesterday.  Was quite surprising to learn that 4 MOA was acceptable!  

PPU Match Ammo is supposed to be quite good but if you are getting 3 MOA out of PPU, awesome.  Their loads sometimes run a tad hot however it is pretty well priced ammo and always a great source for brass for when you plan on reloading for yourself.

If you are able to reload, do so, you will always be able to find a load that works for you. 

4 hours ago, GRIZ said:

3 MOA is pretty good with PPU ammo.  I've never shot PPU 30-06 but in other calibers their ammo is not particularly accurate

TBH, I got about 3.5 MOA with the PPU 30-06 in my single best 3 shot group.  Most of the other groups were larger. Funny, I was avoiding Greek ammo thinking it was probably junk.

3 hours ago, Maksim said:

Crazy, I was just looking at this yesterday.  Was quite surprising to learn that 4 MOA was acceptable!  

Yep, 4 MOA was the mil standard back in the day.  I dunno, it still may be.  WW2 was a game changer in tactics, trench warfare and long range marksmanship became passe, volume of fire replaced precision.   A lot to discuss about the evolution of warfare.

I was buying PPU .223 75gr OTM for the brass and improved accuracy (over M855 and M193) but it turned out to be more accurate than my expectations, so I've been sticking with it.  It's almost as good as Hornady match ammo.  I have a decent pile of brass to reload now :D

@Scorpio64 you'll shrink those groups a little shooting from a bench.  Shooting from a bench you get to see how good your rifle really shoots.  The Army uses the foxhole position for the same effect.  I know some don't think much of bench shooting but it's how you see how your rifle and ammo perform by eliminating as many variations as possible.

If you're reloading for serious competition you need to tailor the load for the rifle you're using.  That makes sense.  I don't seriously compete now and work up a load in one rifle and it works pretty good in others I have in the same caliber.  I know guys that have 5 different loads in a caliber for their 5 different rifles.  That's not me.

FWIW M2 Ball specs are 2700 fps, my reloads are 2800 fps and HXP 2900 fps in my rifle through a chronograph.

You can chase the accuracy thing a lot of ways.  Modifications to the rifle. Experimenting with different powders, bullets, loads.  It all boils down to what level of accuracy makes you happy.  I'm happy with a Garand that shoots 2" with service ammo.

1 hour ago, GRIZ said:

I know some don't think much of bench shooting but it's how you see how your rifle and ammo perform by eliminating as many variations as possible.

Almost of all the shooting I do is off a bench with bags or a bipod.  For some reason though, it it seems like using a bench with the Garand is somehow wrong.  Like it somehow dishonors the men that carried it in defense of our nation.  As soon as I get a decent mat, I'm going to try prone with the sling and with a bag.

1 hour ago, GRIZ said:

You can chase the accuracy thing a lot of ways.  Modifications to the rifle. Experimenting with different powders, bullets, loads.  It all boils down to what level of accuracy makes you happy. 

I'm not going to go crazy with reloading.  It's the only 30-06 that I own, so once I get a good recipe, I'll just stick with it.  No plans on doing any mods.  Like you, if I can get 2MOA I'll be pleased as punch.

11 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

Almost of all the shooting I do is off a bench with bags or a bipod.  For some reason though, it it seems like using a bench with the Garand is somehow wrong.  Like it somehow dishonors the men that carried it in defense of our nation.  As soon as I get a decent mat, I'm going to try prone with the sling and with a bag.

I'm not going to go crazy with reloading.  It's the only 30-06 that I own, so once I get a good recipe, I'll just stick with it.  No plans on doing any mods.  Like you, if I can get 2MOA I'll be pleased as punch.

Do you feel the same way about shooting an AR?  Don't get all philosophical about shooting any gun.  I guarantee any soldier or marine that was attempting a difficult shot with any rifle  used whatever they could for an advantage.  They would have used a bench if one was available.

16 hours ago, GRIZ said:

3 MOA is pretty good with PPU ammo.  I've never shot PPU 30-06 but in other calibers their ammo is not particularly accurate IMO. My Garands (all stock no accurizing) will shoot that or a little better with Greek HXP or my reloads. The field grade I have with a Danish VAR barrel will consistently shoot 2 MOA with HXP.  Better ammo will reduce the size of your groups but not by that much.

IIRC I read somewhere that 4 MOA was acceptable in a Garand.

Try some different ammo.  Remember the M1 was intended to be a precision rifle.  It was intended to sling quantities of lead faster than a bolt action and it does that well.

There are a lot of things you can do to accurizing a Garand but you'd have to spend a lot of money get a M1 shooting 3 MOA down to 1 1/2 MOA.  A lot of those things aren't permitted in Service Rifle competition.

I believe that 4 MOA is still the acceptable standard for the M16/M4 as well.

Many here are already aware of this, but you shouldn't be feeding an M1 ammo that deviates too far from military ball ammo specs--you'll risk bent op rods and such.   Seek out reloading data specific to the M1--there is a lot of it online, like these links to oldies-but-goodies, used as a starting point for load development by a generation or more of high-power competitors.

Loading for the M1

Master Po's M1 Loads

 

2 minutes ago, 10X said:

Many here are already aware of this, but you shouldn't be feeding an M1 ammo that deviates too far from military ball ammo specs--you'll risk bent op rods and such.   Seek out reloading data specific to the M1--there is a lot of it online, like these links to oldies-but-goodies, used as a starting point for load development by a generation or more of high-power competitors.

Loading for the M1

Master Po's M1 Loads

 

I use a Schuster adjustable gas plug on one of my Garands.  Very easy to use and eliminates risk of bent op rd.

...assuming certain things....  ummmm  maybe ur skills need honing ?

Seems there are MANY FACTORS some of which is ammo that effect accuracy...  not saying it doesn't matter  ... 

Barrel wear and maker of barrel will affect also.