bigger than 30.06 by that much

[SF18C]

Okay I need a little help.

A guy I work with bought a beauty of an M1 Garande several months ago, then went on the hunt for some bulk ammo to shoot and finally gets a deal on 400 rounds of 30.06. Well, he gets his order and well the bullets are just a tad too long! They wont chamber properly.

The casing even looks slightly different and has the markings of H X P 77. My google fu says they are a Greek variant with some mixed reviews.

Any idea what this is and what it is for? He wants to send it back but I guess the place he ordered from says it is 30.06 and all sales are final.

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp31/SF18c/IMG_0795.jpg (http://s395.photobucket.com/user/SF18c/media/IMG_0795.jpg.html)

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp31/SF18c/IMG_0796.jpg (http://s395.photobucket.com/user/SF18c/media/IMG_0796.jpg.html)

And of course since I was SF I must know about every bullet and variation ever made so he came to me! I told 'em I was freaking Charlie and my Bravos didn't want me to handle any guns! HAHAHA

[SF18C]

Greek ammo shot great when I had my Garand. Very accurate. Have him get his chamber checked with a go/no go gauge or at least try to slip a factory unfired case into the chamber. The Navy re-chambered a lot of Garands in 308 and used them until very recently so it is posable that might be the problem.

Yeah we talked about that but a 308 round is much smaller than the 30.06.

First round in the below pick is the HPX 77, next is a 30-06, next some of my .308 rounds (180 gr and 150 gr)

[The Reaper]

You are correct, it is Greek 77 headstamped .30-'06 ammo.

I'll take it and expend the bullets for him, if he wants. :D

TR

[Peregrino]

The Greek ammo I've used is as MILSPEC as any other. CMP sells pallets of it. If the Garand was rebarrelled with a short chamber and not properly headspaced with a finish reamer that might explain the problem. Have him take it to a (competent) gunsmith with go/no go gauges and get it checked. (Your comment about "a beauty of a Garand" is an indicator that it has probably been refinished.) Aftermarket barrels are usually 10thousandths short so they can be headspaced by the gunsmith. I wouldn't recommend he shoot it until it's been checked. Attached is a photo of some .30 carbine brass I found at my local range. I thought I'd discovered a bonanza of once fired brass until I looked at it. After discussion with my gunsmith, he verified my assumption about it having been fired in a weapon with bad headspace. Hopefully the knucklehead didn't damage the carbine in the process. I would emphatically recommend against trying something similar with a 30-06.

[Badger52]

You are correct, it is Greek 77 headstamped .30-'06 ammo.

I'll take it and expend the bullets for him, if he wants. :D

TRBeat me to it; guess I'll have to continue with my own ample stash of HXP, also bought en masse from CMP.
Dx: un-finished chamber likely.
That chamber in proper dimensions (it's ogive, not an overall length issue) should have no issue with HXP ball, nor even the old 163gr long-ish AP which was its standard wartime meal. Mine eats both with gusto.