You guys were right about 8208 XBR...

[DIANEB]

A couple of 3 shot groups at 100 yards...
120gr ELD with 26.9 grains of 8208 OAL 2.245...
120gr ELD with 27.5 grains of 8208 OAL 2.245... 20250404_105551.jpg 20250404_105548.jpg

[A5Blaster Number 2]

Good job, nice groups.

[biodsl]

Girl, you aren't even real. You shoot like nobody's business!

[DIANEB]

Good job, nice groups.

Thank you 😊

[DIANEB]

Girl, you aren't even real. You shoot like nobody's business!

I'm real and I can't help it the rifle shoots great...
Thank you...

[rickt300]

You have inspired me to shoot a few round through my heavy barrel 6.5 upper. Bot sidetracked with the 6 Grendel and 22 ARC.

[rickt300]

You have inspired me to shoot a few round through my heavy barrel 6.5 upper. Bot sidetracked with the 6 Grendel and 22 ARC.

[SDW]

Very nice shooting. I think that's a little better than how my 20" DMR-profile barrel did (with me at the trigger) using the Hdy 123s over 8208. This top pic here is my group with 27.3g, which is in the ballpark of your loads. The group wasn't bad. Sub MOA for sure. But no holes touching.

However, the velocity was not what I'd hoped for this load. My workups went to 28.2g, but when I got to my 27.9g loads, things really opened up, brass starting getting flung at 2 o'clock, and the extractor broke three rounds in! (Standard extractor, not one of BFT's). Oops. Too hot. At least for my rifle and the conditions of the day. Brass showed notable pressure signs too.

I've read of many people going up to and even a little over 28g with 8208 + 123gr bullets and have done fine shooting with it. But others tell us not to go that high with 8208, and I found out why.



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[LRRPF52]

I think 8208XBR has gotten more energetic when I look at Hodgdon’s data. Max loads changed quite a bit from before.

[grayfox]

The other thing about xbr, as with all powders, is they do vary from lot to lot.
I had one lot I could go to 28.3 with 123's/120's, but then my next lot I had to stay 27.4. Same MV's but differing from lot to lot.
On your lot, or any new lot, work up carefully over a chrony to ensure you stay in bounds.

edit to add, this latest one I got, now seems much slower than my current lot, so more energetic... idk, my 2 cents.