130 grn Norma

[ramslammer]

G'Day
Has any one tried the Norma 130grn Golden Target bullets yet https://www.norma.cc/us/Products/Com...Match-Bullets/ and if so what loads/results? I've got a 1000 of them and need a starting point.
Thanks
Juddy

[kmon]

I haven't used that bullet but with 130gr Berger s and 129gr Accubond Long Range bullets 30 to 30.6 gr of CFE 223 at COAL 2.227 has been great in my 2 Grendels. I am giving a spread there as with 2 guns there is a little difference in what they like. Both shoot anything I load in that range under an inch easily with most groups being sub 1/2 MOA in the boltaction and half to 3/4 in the AR

[StoneHendge]

You should be able to use any published data for 129/130s and work your way up. Norma needs to get in the game and put some Gendel data on their site. You'd think that the company that still makes 7.7 Jap brass (Mr Narikawa is actually getting out for the first time this year today ) would acknowledge Grendel exists.

Do you know what the G7 is on those? I've never seen them before but the price is pretty attractive vs other 129s. Did some googling and only saw people claiming a G1 on both sides of the Berger VLDs. I'm a big fan of Norma products and put a box in my Midway cart for the next time I place an order.

Edit: Ha! Just checked my Hornady book and they have data for 129s and Norma 202. Starting charge of 23.7 and max of 27.5 going 2350 out of an 18er. Another project for the list.....

[Kilco]

I believe that's the same bullet Prime uses in their 260 Rem match ammo, and people rave about that stuff.

[StoneHendge]

Wow - Prime calls it a G7 of .289 @ 2850 and .283 at 1150 so call it .285 which on par with the Nosler ABLR the Berger 130s. Not bad for a 30 cent bullet!

Ramslammer - what's the OAL of the bullet? I don't see anything on Norma's website. It appears to have a relatively short ogive for the weight.....

[LRRPF52]

Norma 130gr GT is a great bullet. Bwild97 has done a lot of work with them and posted all his data several years ago.

Practically, the BCs on it are interchangeable with 130gr VLD in my experience. It's a very well-designed bullet shape and ideal weight for .260 Rem, 6.5 CM, 6.5x47L, and also a great bullet for LR for 6.5 Grendel.

[Bwild97]

I ran out of 130g Norma GT long ago! But if I remember correctly 30.8 of LVR was magic! As was 30.8g of CFE223 under a 129 SST for my 24" tube. My 18" tube on the other hand is a completely different animal, it is not doing well with near max loadings, if you are going to push 130g Norma GT from your 18" tube with CFE223 I would recommend that you start loading at 28.5g and work towards 31g. I think you will find an accuracy node around 29.5 - 29.8g of CFE223. At about 2360fps.

[LRRPF52]

I just ordered some more 130gr Norma GTs from Midway with birthday pricing, as well as 130gr ELD-Ms.

[StoneHendge]

I just ordered some more 130gr Norma GTs from Midway with birthday pricing, as well as 130gr ELD-Ms.

Ha! I just ordered 200 of the Norma GTs 30 minutes ago and was just swinging by to say so.

(Happy Birthday!)

[StoneHendge]

The postwoman was bearing gifts today. Call the 130 gr Norma Golden Targets 1.375" long which is a tad longer than the 129 gr ABLRs at 1.370", BUT the ogive is much shorter. I'm reading 2.290" to the lands in my JP vs. 2.400" for the ABLRs. Hope to get a ladder worked up with Norma 202 for the weekend.....

[StoneHendge]

6.5 Swedel

Got these out today and was pretty happy with the results. Everything from 26.7-27.5 gr of Norma 202 gave me 5 shot MOA or better groups out of my JP 22er with the Magnetto strapped on and all SDs were single digit. First three shots were 0.3" with 27.1 gr befor I pushed the fourth; velocity was 2420 and sd was 5. 27.5 gr gave me 3/4" (which will tighten up sans Magnetto) and velocity of 2449 with sd of 5.

Running those numbers through my ballistics program, range and wind deflection differences are negligible from my 123 scenar @ 2550 load, but the 130s do drop more. Then again, they're cheaper . And I've got several lbs of Norma 202 that gave me decent results in 308 from the days when the store powder shelves were empty......

Going to follow up with a bunch at 27.1 and 27.5 for more testing. Then I'm going to try it with AR Comp too see how similar the results are

(Brass was Lapua; primers were GM205M. Did have an occasional slightly flattened primer, but that will go away using the harder GM205ARs)

[LR1955]

G'Day
Has any one tried the Norma 130grn Golden Target bullets yet https://www.norma.cc/us/Products/Com...Match-Bullets/ and if so what loads/results? I've got a 1000 of them and need a starting point.
Thanks
Juddy

Juddy:

Too bad you don't live in the USA. You would have another couple hundred for the cost of shipping!

I bought some about six or eight years ago and for the life of me have never been able to get them to shoot well with either the Grendel, .260, or 6.5 Creedmoor. Used moderate and hot loads with the bigger cases, seated into the lands, soft seated, and off the lands. At 100 yards with the Grendel things looked promising. At 300 they were so bad that I stopped trying. Same with 600 yards using my .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor match rifles.

I guess that I should have looked to see if anyone won anything with them in the past. I doubt it but if you find something that works with them at distances from 300 out to 1K, tell me please!

LR55

[StoneHendge]

Kinda disappointing with the 27.1 charge. Couldn't get much better than 3/4 to 1 MOA. The lower right was the last group and is 7 shots. The top 2 in that group were shots 1 & 7. Think the powder has some temp sensitivity as the group centers did shift down.

image.jpeg

[LWP]

That's the bullet that comes in the Prime 6.5 Creedmoor, along with the Norma bullet you get Norma brass and powder. Great factory ammo. The head stamp is Prime but the owner assures me that it is Norma brass, just produced for Prime. Very good price for loaded match ammo. Purchased the Norma Golden and Black Diamond (moly) for my Creedmoor. I thought that they may be too heavy for the Grendel,but if you guys are trying them maybe I'll give it a go.

[StoneHendge]

That's the bullet that comes in the Prime 6.5 Creedmoor, along with the Norma bullet you get Norma brass and powder. Great factory ammo. The head stamp is Prime but the owner assures me that it is Norma brass, just produced for Prime. Very good price for loaded match ammo. Purchased the Norma Golden and Black Diamond (moly) for my Creedmoor. I thought that they may be too heavy for the Grendel,but if you guys are trying them maybe I'll give it a go.

Those were pretty dissapointment groups for my barrel which does Hornady black around 1/2 to 5/8 MOA and < 1/2 with my 123 scenar / CFE load. The higher BC / lower velocity vs. 123s is a wash and the 130s probably end up with smaller danger zones. I gave it a try since I had the Norma 202 and it's listed as one of Hornady's higher velocity powders for 129/130s. I'm probably going to save what bullets I have left for when I finish my 6.5 AR10 in the fall.