Request Load Info For An M2 Carbine

[galtjunk]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a full auto load?

Can I shoot lead bullets?

Can I shoot plated bullets?

Whose dies should I buy?

Should I buy a carbide die?

Do I need to lube the cases for a carbide die?

Any suggestions on setup?

GIBrass has collet pulled bullets for $45 a thousand. Is this a good price?

I will be loading on a Dillon 650.

TIA

[lmccrock]

Never shot nor reloaded an M2. But M1 carbine was the first cartridge I reloaded. Lead is not recommended due to the lube and lead clogging the gas system. Plated bullets might work, cheaper than normal FMJ, but if those GiBrass pulled bullets are FMJ (which is normal for GI bullets) those look to be a good bet.

As for dies, etc., you might check with Dillon, since you are using a 650. I lubed the cases, but my die was not carbide.

I loaded the cases twice before they needed to be trimmed. By "needed to be" I mean they would not chamber since they stretched in my RCBS die. I bought a trimmer (that was 3 moves ago; it has since disappeared), and it was a pain to manually trim those cases. If you intend to use the brass more than 1 or 2 times, figure on getting a case trimmer. In contrast, I have never trimmed handgun brass, even with several loadings on some of them.

Lee

[tightloop]

Military brass is very tough to resize. Use a carbide sizer and lube the cases. Two firings and you will have to resize, although with an M2, you probably won't find many of them. use the pulls and get out cheaply as you can. It is not an accuracy cartridge so who cares. 4" at 100 yds is super.

Have fun.

Better to buy surplus by the thousand and leave them on the ground after you shoot 'em.

[benos]

M2 carbines were my first rifle love. I shot zillions of rounds through many guns. I even had a receiver wrench to build them myself.

For full auto work, I found it beneficial to download - it dramatically improved controllability. My favorite load was 100 grain Speer "Plinker" (it's a jacketed bullet with an exposed lead round nose) bullet over a reduced load of H110. (Can't remember how much.) (H110 is the perfect powder for the M1 Carbine. I noticed it burns considerably cooler than WW 2400.) Also, the flash hider accessory, which really worked like a muzzle brake, was very effective. I could put a 30 round mag into an 8" circle at 10 yards with this setup. With my "standard" 110 jacketed round nose load (with max load of H110) I could barely keep a 30 round mag on the entire IPSC target at 10 yards.

And yes, definitely do not use lead bullets.

be

[Patrick Sweeney]

Brian, you're making me jealous. As for loading a Carbine, try 14.0 gr of H110. 110 is one of those "don't load it down" powders, so you don't want to be trying reduced loads with it (despite our hosts experience)

If you load cast bullets you're in for a miserable experience, and the burning need to find a gas system wrench.

[galtjunk]

Thanks for your input.

I received 4000 110gr pulls, 2000 pieces of pulldown brass and 8 pounds of powder from GIBrass.com

I have finished building my reloading bench.

I've been waiting 3 weeks for Dillon to ship my 650 so I can get started on this.

Brian, Is it on it's way yet?

This should keep me grinning like an idiot for a little while.