Where is cheapest place to buy m1 garand ammo?

Build it.

Yep, loading your own will definitely be a lot cheaper. If you have to buy maybe try CMP, but IDK if they are cheaper than everyone else or not.

Well I have a Dillon now. I guess I need to look up basic/common loads. Any suggestions on bullet or powder?

You'll need to use either Garand or 30-06 Service rifle data. It's lower pressure than the standard 30-06 data. You can find this data in most manuals.

IMR 3031, IMR 4895 which was the original Garand powder, or IMR 4064 which is my favorite Garand powder, varget will also work and I'm sure many others. Any of those behind a 150 grain to a 168 grain bullet is pretty nice. Also Google Master Po's Temple. There's a lot of NRA data on there, it will be an older site probably, but has good information. I know Hornady has Garand specific load data and I think hodgdon does as well.

One other cool thing to do with a garand is use lead bullets. With jacketed bullets you usually end up in the mid 40s on amount of powder, but you can take something like a 170 or 180 grain lead with a gas check and load in the mid 30s and have a really nice cheap round to shoot that is easy on the gun. I generally use a lead flat nose meant for a 30-30 and with all the powders I listed above, it seems like around 35 grains cycles the action real good and shoots proper velocities for the lead. Of course your mileage may vary. Good luck

Great info on handloading M2 ball.

I load 30.06 for our deer rifles using IMR4895 and 180 grain slugs. My concern about M2 ball would be the rifle beating up OEM brass. Does it?

H-4895 and 168's are what we loaded for my stepson Garand. Ended up putting three in an inch at 100 yards with irons. I called it good there.

And yes, lower pressure than what you'd load a bolt action. Plus his has the upgraded operating rod.

Using progressive press, use W748 ball powder. Works well in the M1.

google "the Load" at Castboolit.com it's 13 grains of Red Dot powder,with a 150grain bullet most of us use only cast bullets but the load works well in my M1's and !903 Springfields with both cast or jacketed bullets.

You guys inspired me. Have the projectiles i need to build em in hand.

I've got a good Varget load for 165/168 gr bullets. PM me if you want it.

I made 24 of these with 150 grain Hornaday slugs + IMR 4895 And will test out in the next week or so. I also picked up a Schuster gas plug for the Garand and will install that just prior.. Will report back.

Looks great. I’ve just run the same in my M1 with IMR4064 and had decent accuracy.
I have better accuracy with the 150gn FMJ BT bullets. I wonder if the lead tips are getting deformed on chambering.
Next time I shoot the soft points, I’ll chamber some and extract before firing to check for tip damage.

M1s are great fun.
I just finished prepping about 750 pieces of 30-06 brass. Now time to load!

I also do reloading for my M1. My go-to powder is IMR4064 but there are other great options too. IMR4166 sure does look promising. For projectiles I like the 165gr Hornady SST and 165 Sierra Gamekings. With the Hornady SSTs I've shot the rifle out to 600 yards with good results. Hornady was making M1-specific loads utilizing their 168gr AMAX bullet and I've a lot of good about those but I think they got lost in the madness for now.

I appreciate you guys weighing in. Very cool indeed on your different approaches. 750 pieces of brass? I worked on 250 a couple weekends ago... time consuming...

Gotta feed the M1!