The latest chapter!

[lrgrendel]

Began shooting at 8.00am and shot till noon. Feeling much better after today then last week. It shot pretty well at 1000 yds but the photos of 610 yds don't look as good but still are "OK" with room to improve.

I brought 25 rounds of 29.4g and 30 rounds of 30.0g.
Funny the 30.0g is a little better on paper and it was this load that got me to the 1000 yd mark.

We began at 500 then went to 1000 and then back to 610. The wind may have picked up slightly by the time we starting shooting at 610. The mirage also got pretty bad as it got later.
Also from 1000 yds we shot one shot each in a form of "round robin" in a line of about 6 guys and I may have taken my time. The 10 shots I shot at the paper were shot one after another and pretty quickly.
This may be the reason the results from 1000 yds are a little better than from 610 yds.

The extra 0.6 g of powder seems to have got me over the hump at 1000 yds but I still have some work to do.

Learned some more!
The "splats" on the steel targets at 1000 yds are much smaller and harder to see than say the 308 WIN or the 300 WIN MAG that were being shot. It is much easier if you shoot at a freshly painted target!

I will be able to measure from the "lands" in a couple of days so the next job is to experiment with that and load longer than mag length as was suggested here.

My AA 2520 is just about gone and I am moving on to IMR 8208 soon and the whole process has to begin again! But at least I know what minimum velocity I need.

With my Geissele trigger on my wish list and the Lapua Scenars coming I should get a little better results. That is assuming the IMR 8208 will perform similarly.

The first photo is a steel target at 1000 yds.

BTW
Sea Level. 85 deg. 55 humidity. 30.10. 24" barrel.

[cory]

Great shooting.

Why would you want to load 123gr projectiles beyond mag length in the Grendel?

As I understand it this is done with the .223 using 80gr projectiles, because it allows you to load more powder. This isn't an issue with the Grendel.

In my experience shortening the OAL results in higher velocities, which makes since as this should result in higher pressures.

[lrgrendel]

Hey Cory

Here are a couple of posts from last week's range report regarding loading longer than the mag length.



" Nice results, except the erratic fliers in ES are what will screw you downrange often, while not showing up at 100yds in the groups. See if you can load out further to 2.275" or longer without jamming the lands. Your brass looks textbook, without any measurements on the case head and possible expansion. Are the primer pockets still tight?

I would do some really attentive loading of the 30.0gr load, checking your scale, and double-checking your loads to wring out that .2gr error most digital scales have. These extreme spreads don't give me a warm and fuzzy, especially when I see ES's in the single digits sometimes with my Grendel. The ES's in the 50+fps are probably telling you that you're close to the edge. 50fps ES can mean a lot at distance, which is why we long-range guys like as small of an ES as possible.

You can play around with the seating depth and other factors, but I think 600yds will be a better range to fine-tune a good load. Go for as low an ES as possible, with the most accurate load at 600yds. I'm interested to see what LR1955's advice is as well, but don't expect to get into .260 Rem velocities and have a bolt last long on you."

[lrgrendel]

Cory.
LRRPF52 also posted this.
I hope he does not mind me quoting him?

I will have a Grendel modified case and sleeve very shortly to use with my Hornady comparator. I only single feed so will begin experimenting loading from the ogive to the lands so length does not matter.

"Every Grendel mag I have will accept 2.300" COL, whether CProducts or ASC, so bullets with more secant ogives can usually be loaded way long. I start with a 2.300" COL dummy cartridge (no primer), then drop it in my chamber to see where I'm at, using a marker on the bullet shank-to-ogive transition area. I then will turn the die down a little until the desired result is found with at least a 1/2 turn more to ensure bullet variance doesn't bite me.

If you take advantage of your chamber's leade, you can get a full case with minimal compression on the charge, giving a longer burn without erratic pressure/velocity behavior."

[cory]

Do you know what your max oal is for the round you're using?

[lrgrendel]

If you are not limited by your magazine there really isn't a max OAL....
Saying that you need to be very careful on jamming into the lands.
As you can read I am new to the Grendel but have loaded a lot with the 308 WIN.

EXTREME CAUTION WHEN READING THIS.
1. You load at a length just "off" the lands.
2. You load "on" the lands.
3. You load jammed "into" the lands.

Different bullets like different things and each rifle is unique. I will be loading than the normal mag length as soon as I have that modified case.
You may have known this already but I though I would just mention it.

[cory]

If you are not limited by your magazine there really isn't a max OAL....
Saying that you need to be very careful on jamming into the lands.
As you can read I am new to the Grendel but have loaded a lot with the 308 WIN.

EXTREME CAUTION WHEN READING THIS.
1. You load at a length just "off" the lands.
2. You load "on" the lands.
3. You load jammed "into" the lands.

Different bullets like different things and each rifle is unique. I will be loading than the normal mag length as soon as I have that modified case.
You may have known this already but I though I would just mention it.

I believe you're thinking COL. I was asking about your max OAL.

My Max OAL and COL for the 123 SST is 1.665 & 2.241. Loading to mag length has me in the lands.

[Whelenon]

Great range reports, keep'em coming.

[lrgrendel]

I believe you're thinking COL. I was asking about your max OAL.

My Max OAL and COL for the 123 SST is 1.665 & 2.241. Loading to mag length has me in the lands.

Hey Cory

As mentioned before I am waiting for the modified case and sleeve for my Hornady comparator so have only loaded to a length of 2.25" and when I upped the powder to 2.26". I have only shot the 123 AMAX.
I have no idea where my lands are.

[NugginFutz]

Hey Cory

As mentioned before I am waiting for the modified case and sleeve for my Hornady comparator so have only loaded to a length of 2.25" and when I upped the powder to 2.26". I have only shot the 123 AMAX.
I have no idea where my lands are.

Or you could get the Sinclair tool, and avoid waiting any longer. I've had the modified grendel case on order for over two months. Got tired and bought this:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/measuring-tools/bullet-seating-depth-tools/sinclair-bullet-seating-depth-tool-prod35491.aspx

[lrgrendel]

Or you could get the Sinclair tool, and avoid waiting any longer. I've had the modified grendel case on order for over two months. Got tired and bought this:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadin...prod35491.aspx

The modified case just arrived. I will have the sleeve tomorrow or Wed.
On the Hornady comparator set up a buddy said you don't even need the 6.5 sleeve, just use the next smaller size down.....

[dave102269]

I think your buddy is right!

[lrgrendel]

I think your buddy is right!

Haha!! That didn't take long.