Varget may not damage the op rod, but is a bit on the slow side for the M1 IMO.
http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html
Hodgdon Burn Rate Chart Listed From Fastest to Slowest:
1 NORMA R1 74 Hodgdon H322
2 Winchester WAALite 75 Accurate Arms 2015BR
3 VihtaVuori N310 76 Alliant Reloder 10X
4 Accurate Arms Nitro 100 77 VihtaVuori N130
5 Alliant e3 78 IMR, Co IMR 3031
6 Hodgdon TITEWAD 79 VihtaVuori N133
7 Ramshot Competition 80 Hodgdon BENCHMARK
8 Alliant Red Dot 81 Hodgdon H335
9 Alliant Promo 82 Ramshot X-Terminator
10 Hodgdon CLAYS 83 Accurate Arms 2230
11 Alliant Clay Dot 84 Accurate Arms 2460s
12 IMR, Co Hi-Skor 700-X 85 IMR, Co IMR 8208 XBR
13 Alliant Bullseye 86 Ramshot TAC
14 Hodgdon TITEGROUP 87 Hodgdon H4895
15 Alliant American Select 88 VihtaVuori N530
16 Accurate Arms Solo 1000 89 IMR, Co IMR 4895
17 Alliant Green Dot 90 VihtaVuori N135
18 Winchester WST 91 Alliant Reloder 12
19 IMR, Co Trail Boss 92 Accurate Arms 2495BR
20 Winchester Super Handicap 93 IMR, Co IMR 4064
21 Hodgdon INTERNATIONAL 94 NORMA 202
22 Accurate Arms Solo 1250 95 Accurate Arms 4064
23 IMR, Co PB 96 Accurate Arms 2520
24 VihtaVuori N320 97 Alliant Reloder 15
25 Accurate Arms No. 2 98 VihtaVuori N140
26 Ramshot Zip 99 Hodgdon VARGET
27 IMR, Co SR 7625 100 IMR, Co IMR 4320
28 Hodgdon HP-38 101 Winchester 748
29 Winchester 231 102 Hodgdon BL-C(2)
30 Alliant 20/28 103 Hodgdon CFE 223
31 Alliant Unique 104 Hodgdon LEVEREVOLUTION
32 Hodgdon UNIVERSAL 105 Hodgdon H380
33 Alliant Power Pistol 106 IMR, Co IMR 4007 SSC
34 VihtaVuori N330 107 Ramshot Big Game
35 Alliant Herco 108 VihtaVuori H540
36 Winchester WSF 109 Winchester 760
37 VihtaVuori N340 110 Hodgdon H414
38 IMR, Co Hi-Skor 800-X 111 VihtaVuori N150
39 IMR, Co SR 4756 112 Accurate Arms 2700
40 Ramshot True Blue 113 IMR, Co IMR 4350
41 Accurate Arms No. 5 114 Hodgdon H4350
42 Hodgdon HS-6 115 Alliant Reloder 17
43 Winchester AutoComp 116 Accurate Arms 4350
44 Ramshot Silhouette 117 NORMA 204
45 VihtaVuori 3N37 118 Hodgdon HYBRID 100V
46 VihtaVuori N350 119 VihtaVuori N550
47 Hodgdon HS-7 120 Alliant Reloder 19
48 VihtaVuori 3N38 121 IMR, Co IMR 4831
49 Alliant Blue Dot 122 Ramshot Hunter
50 Accurate Arms No. 7 123 Accurate Arms 3100
51 Alliant Pro Reach 124 VihtaVuori N160
52 Hodgdon LONGSHOT 125 Hodgdon H4831 & H4831SC
53 Alliant 410 126 Hodgdon SUPERFORMANCE
54 Alliant 2400 127 Winchester Supreme 780
55 Ramshot Enforcer 128 NORMA MRP
56 Accurate Arms No. 9 129 Alliant Reloder 22
57 Accurate Arms 4100 130 VihtaVuori N560
58 Alliant Steel 131 VihtaVuori N165
59 NORMA R123 132 IMR, Co IMR 7828
60 VihtaVuori N110 133 Alliant Reloder 25
61 Hodgdon LIL'GUN 134 VihtaVuori N170
62 Hodgdon H110 135 Accurate Arms Magpro
63 Winchester 296 136 Hodgdon H1000
64 IMR, Co IMR 4227 137 Ramshot Magnum
65 Hodgdon H4227 138 Hodgdon RETUMBO
66 IMR, Co SR 4759 139 VihtaVuori N570
67 Accurate Arms 5744 140 Accurate Arms 8700
68 Accurate Arms 1680 141 Hodgdon H870
69 NORMA 200 142 VihtaVuori 24N41
70 Alliant Reloder 7 143 Hodgdon H50BMG
71 IMR, Co IMR 4198 144 Hodgdon US869
72 Hodgdon H4198 145 VihtaVuori 20N29
73 VihtaVuori N120
As has been stated, 4895 is the optimum powder for the M1. 47 gr. of 4895 duplicates USGI M2 ball velocities using 150 or better yet 168 gr. SMK's.
46 gr. 4895 behind the 175 or 180 gr. SMK's closely duplicates USGI M72 Match ammo which was issued to military AMU's for match shooting in the Garand and pushes a 173 gr. FMJ bullet @ 2640 fps.
Have shot lots of both through both personal M1's and gov't issued without any signs of op rod damage. Note, 46.3 gr IMR4895 w/180 gr. and 47.8 r. w/168 gr SMK is listed as max. in Sierra manual so start low and work up.
Of course, you can get an adjustable gas cyl plug and w/proper setting not worry about using slower powders. Port pressure is what damages op rods, not breech pressure.
Regards,
hm
