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M118lr

timmy61

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 30, 2013
16
0
37
North Carolina
I'm new to reloading and i was wondering if anyone knew the powder used in the Lake City M118LR Head stamp 05' ? if yall could help me i would greatly appreciate it .

Tim
 
Reloder-15, try 43.1,43.7,44.3 until you get what you want. The actual pull down powder was available not too long ago. Shot great. It's a little more stout than off the shelf RE15 but the loads above with RE15 in LC LR cases matches the three different lots and years of M118LR that I had. I think 43.7 was 05...
 
There is a thread here that identifies Re-15 as the M118 LR powder, and IMR 4064 for the improved ammo known as MK316. I don't have it bookmarked, but someone here might be able to point it out.
 
Timmy, You're going to put an eye out. You're not going to know with 100% certainty as what the powder actually is in the M118LR. It may be a non canister grade of Alliant Reloader 15, but I would not trust it as it is and then use loading data for a 30/06 with reloader 15. Since you are new to reloading, it is not worth the risk.
 
Timmy, You're going to put an eye out. You're not going to know with 100% certainty as what the powder actually is in the M118LR. It may be a non canister grade of Alliant Reloader 15, but I would not trust it as it is and then use loading data for a 30/06 with reloader 15. Since you are new to reloading, it is not worth the risk.

can i still use the bullets and primers in it minus the powder? here in NC everything to do with reloading is slim to none on the shelves , i get lucky every once in awhile and find some IMR-4064 at the local sporting goods store but thats about it though. and would you happen to know the OAL for the bullets if they can be used ?
 
You can use the bullets. As far as the primers, since you have to deprime the cases and depending on the amount of force from your decapping pin will do to the anvil in the primer, You could ruin the primer and make it useless or cause it to be more sensitive. I just don't see the good sense in that. I'd only use the 175 grain bullets and use new powder and primer in the 30/06. Just seems a waste of good M118LR.

If you have to ask about what COL you'd need in the 30/06, you need to get a reloading manual or a good,reliable, published source on the net. It's out there for the 175 grain Sierra OTM used in the 30/06. IMR 4064 powder will work well in the 30/06.

It just seems you're doing everything on the fly and that can cause bad accidents.

EDIT** Your answers are here using Hodgdon's on line loading data *** http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp ***

Go on the site to Rifle data and pick the 30/06. They have loading data using IMR4064 and the Sierra 175 OTM.
 
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Timmy,

you're getting good advice here, and you need to heed it completely. You can trade the M118LR for 30-06 if that's what you want. Pretty popular stuff, and I'm sure someone will be willing to cut a deal with you.
 
Can the powder be identified by a mass spectrometer? I always see posts about trying to figure out certain factory loads and wonder about that. I guess I watch NCIS too much, but I would love to duplicate FGMM ammo also.
 
If you're wanting a load to shoot at your girlfriend's parents' house... I don't know what your problem with them is, but you should really try to talk before start to shoot at the house.
 
Ok, easy enough. Two options.

A. Get 308 rifle.
B. sell or trade M118LR ammo for components. They are out there.

If you REALLY have to load the 30/06 with 175's, you have everything you need.

The old school Long Range match load for 30/06 is....... (Drumroll...)

48.0 IMR 4064 and 180 Sierra MK... ( the 175 is a refined version of the 180)

It will probably shoot to your rifles capabilities if assembled correctly and consistently. And for you garandies out there, this will work in an M1 with a shuester plug or drilled out Kermit the frog eye old type GI plug. ( or a normal one... For a little while..)
 
If you're wanting a load to shoot at your girlfriend's parents' house... I don't know what your problem with them is, but you should really try to talk before start to shoot at the house.


i shoot targets in their field , im going there in july to MS and i just wanna target practice there because im moving there in december and i wanna hunt there , im not here looking to get harassed just from info to help me .
 
You could probaby trade M118LR 2 for 1 for .30-06 hunting ammo with a suitable bullet. You're better off with a 150 GameKing, there are heavier Gamekings if needed.

On a related note I wouldn't trust a reused primer wit a good deer in the sights.
 
"im not here looking to get harassed just from info to help me ."

Don't bite the hand that feeds-you're getting solid advice from a pretty savvy crowd. Buy yourself some fresh components and a good loading manual. The $ saved in trying to reuse all but the bullets would be far exceeded by the cost of damage to weapon or yourself from use of improper data. Measure twice...cut once.
 
"im not here looking to get harassed just from info to help me ."

Don't bite the hand that feeds-you're getting solid advice from a pretty savvy crowd. Buy yourself some fresh components and a good loading manual. The $ saved in trying to reuse all but the bullets would be far exceeded by the cost of damage to weapon or yourself from use of improper data. Measure twice...cut once.

sorry, i didnt mean to sound hateful , i didnt like the way that was worded i commented on, i respect all of your advise and i take it to heart, im going to gander mountain tomorrow to see what powder they have available because here is slim to none.
 
The old school Long Range match load for 30/06 is....... (Drumroll...)

48.0 IMR 4064 and 180 Sierra MK... ( the 175 is a refined version of the 180)

Not really. The 175 was a completely original design, and in no way related to the 180 SMK, either new or old version. The old version 180 was pretty good at 1,000 and was widely used by a lot of Service Rifle shooters. Sierra redesigned it to economize (using the same tooling) by using the same BT punches as the 168 SMK, and totally ruined it in the process. Won't stay supersonic at 1,000, and virtually no one has used them since. Which was why they had to come up with the 175 when LC approached them about a bullet that met specs of the proposed M118 modernization program, which eventually became the M118LR.