Factory Load Info

[ty_hooper12]

[LRRPF52]

Tons of data for those.

With the ideal powders for speed, you'll get into the upper 2400fps, low 2500fps.

With small stick powders, you'll usually be in the high 2300-mid 2400fps range.

These will answer all your questions and more. I personally like CFE223 under 123gr Hornady bullets. Hornady has data for them with that powder, as well as AA2520, BL-C(2), H335, TAC, AA2460, Norma 201, Varget, RL-15, and Win 748.

[Bigs28]

I think he's asking the velocity of factory sst and eld-m from his 18" barrel.

[Sticks]

Mid 2400 to low 2500 with factory ammo and 18"

[RMiller]

The factory ELD M in my 18" barrels were around 2450. One barrel just under and the other just over.

[ty_hooper12]

Thank all of you guys for the info so far, I really appreciate it!

[muvef]

Hornady Black averaged 2415 fps.

Hornady Custom Competition averaged 2450 fps.

This is out of a 18" JSE Surplus barrel at 70*.

Let us know how your ARP barrel performs. I'm thinking about picking one up.

[ty_hooper12]

[Londerko]

What barrel is it?

[ty_hooper12]

[LRRPF52]

17.6" Lilja barrel:
123gr Hornady SST factory 30JUN2015
2441
2467
2477
2489
2481

18.5" Lilja barrel:
123gr Hornady SST factory 30JUN2015
2468
2441
2421
2495
2453

16" AA/Shaw barrel:
123gr Lapua Scenar Precision Firearms factory 03APR2012
2447
2451
2454
2450

123gr Hornady A-MAX factory 25MAY2013
2365?
2470
2422
2470
2460

These have all been with a Chrony Beta model, 15ft from the muzzle. The 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks have a ton of data and barrel length estimator graphs.

68.2˚ to 74˚ F Temps, beautiful day

Lilja 318 barrel (I had mine cut to 17.6", basically an 18")

90gr TNT
2882 2886 2875 2878 2883

2900 2922 2903 2893 2904

AVG: 2893 fps

120gr American Eagle OTM
2441 2494 2492 2506 2491
2339 2460 2505 2501 2466
2473 2495 2470 2504 2494
2522 2530 2474 2488 2539
AVG: 2484fps

LaRue 18" Stealth 2.0 and 123gr American Gunner from Hornady that I bought for 55 cents per:

Temp: 60˚F range thermometer, beautiful day
2436
2406
2463
2479
2465

2441
2438
2428
2446
2439

2444fps average

[ty_hooper12]

[1Shot]

Yes 2440/50 would be a good velocity to aim for with 18" barrel with 123 gr bullets. You should be able to get there or better with 28 grs IMR 8208. Numerous data resources list 28.5 grs IMR 8208 as a MAX with 123 gr bullets. Back off a couple grs and work up slowly. Some bullets like the 120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip topped out for me at 28 grs with IMR 8208 with 2530 fps from 18" barrel. Different bullets have different bearing surface and will show pressure quicker than others.