M2 bullets

[Merc]

I sat down to reload a bunch of .30-06 using the M2 military 150 gr FMJFB bullets I bought a while ago. Up until now, I’ve been shooting the 150 gr commercial FMJBT bullets. Here they are side by side.

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The commercial bullet FMJBT is on the left. Both are .308 but the ogive on the M2 is much different. Sierra’s specs indicate the overall length of the cartridge with the commercial bullet should be 3.250” while all the military surplus cartridges with the M2 bullet that I have from the 1950s all measure .075” longer at 3.325”.

Does anyone have the overall length specs for a cartridge with a M2 FMJFB bullet?

[Parashooter]

M2ballHatcher.jpg

The BT bullet pictured in post #1 is designed for the 7.62 NATO cartridge, saving some overall length by placing more of the projectile inside the neck. M2 ball cartridge, a close copy of M1906 ball, has bullet seated only part-way in neck to preserve same OAL as M1903 ball cartridge for reliable feed from M1903 rifle magazine.

[Merc]

So, the proper OAL for a cartridge fired by a M1903 and a M1917 rifle is 3.34”?

[Parashooter]

So, the proper OAL for a cartridge fired by a M1903 and a M1917 rifle is 3.34”?

That would be the maximum length, a limit imposed by magazine dimensions. With some bullets, that length can't be achieved with adequate seat depth for reliable tension and alignment - a shorter OAL is then "proper". For example, if we seat that Sierra 150 BT to 3.34" OAL, we only have some .13" of shank bearing inside the neck of a 2.494" case. That's not really adequate to keep the bullet firmly in place - we have to seat it deeper. (This is reflected in the locations of the cannelures.) Check the Sierra data for some of their longer bullets, like the 175 MK, and you should find the OAL listed as 3.340".

A handy general rule is that we like to see at least one "caliber" of bullet shank (not counting the tail of a BT) seated inside the neck. For instance, .3" for a 30 caliber and .22" for a 22 caliber. There are lots of exceptions for special circumstances.

[Tuna]

And the bullet for the M2 round should be a flat based bullet. While the one in your photo on the right is closer to an M2 bullet is not a true flat base. If I remember right 3.34 is the Maximum over all length for the 30-06.

[Merc]

So, an OAL of 3.325” should be safe with a M2 bullet. It is the OAL of the old cartridges from the 1950s.

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The above label was on the package of M2 bullets that I bought.

[Sunray]

.30 M2 used a 152 grain, flat based, bullet not a 150. A 150 is close enough though. Two grains either way won't matter. There's a tolerance given in Hatcher's Book of the Garand. .30 M1 ammo used a 174.5 grain BT bullet at 2640 FPS. The M1 Rifle was designed to use and tested using .30 M1 ammo. However, the ogive makes no difference of any kind.
.30 AP used a 168 grain bullet and was used in the same weapons as .30 M2.
3.340" is the Max OAL for .30-06. It works out of any .30-06 rifle. Minimum OAL according to SAAMI(that came after the U.S. Ordnance Board set the dimensions), is 2.940".
3.325” will be perfectly safe. I think that box of bullets may be from some place other than the U.S. though. Don't really think it matters either. The milsurp 147's made for 7.62Nato work just fine out of a .30-06 too.

[Merc]

3.325” will be perfectly safe.

I’m glad to hear that since I already hand loaded about seventy .30-06 cartridges with M2 bullets using that OAL spec.

[JOHN COOK]

It works out of any .30-06 rifle. Minimum OAL according to SAAMI(that came after the U.S. Ordnance Board set the dimensions), is 2.940".
3.325” will be perfectly safe. I think that box of bullets may be from some place other than the U.S. though. Don't really think it matters either. The milsurp 147's made for 7.62Nato work just fine out of a .30-06 too.
Last edited by Sunray; 08-07-2019 at 02:05.

Sunray, please feel free to correct me becayse I maybe reading this wrong. Isn't the 2.940 dimension actually the cartridge case length ???? I don't think the 2.940 refers to OAL ( over all length))

john in SC

[Merc]

John,

The 30-06 case length is 2.494”. I seem to only reload 30-06 these days so that dimension is firmly etched in my brain.

Merc