My BCA upper doesn't like Hornady SST load

[Jeepster18_88]

I just got back from the range and I've only had the chance to shoot a box of Wolf through the Grendel beforehand. I've been very anxious to get back out and see what it would do with some quality ammo. I'm having trouble uploading the pictures at the moment, but I can honestly say that I have never shot any rifle that "grouped" like this. I've even had a Mosin Nagant that didn't appear to have any rifling left shoot pretty decent and once all the rust blew out, it's shot some 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards which shocked me. My first plan was to shoot a three shot group and fine tune the scope so I could do some hunting when I get back to Texas. First shot was just a little above bullseye, followed by 7 shots very loosely scattered across the target and silhouette backer and one completely missing that. Can't really call a group size without finding all the shots so I'll just chalk it up to 12"+. I was thinking about just tossing it in the trash can but I decided since I have one box of the ELD match, I would fire a few down range real quick and move on to the next gun, which I have been waiting to try test strings with. To my surprise, three rapid shots didn't look bad so I loaded 6 more and ended up with two tight 3 shot groups and 3 shots not to far away. Probably 3" but not bad considering that I wasn't really trying to group with the first few shots. I thought maybe the barrel just needed a little more gunk in it and tried six more SST rounds which landed in roughly a 10" pattern. If Hornady shoots this bad, how bad is the tons of Wolf going to shoot? Well, I loaded up 9 rounds of Wolf and ended up putting them in about 4.5". I've heard that the barrel might take a while to break in and every gun I've ever shot did better to some degree with handloads, but I'm dumbfounded by the results of the Hornady SSTs. As I said, I've never shot a gun or a factory cartridge that wouldn't shoot less than probably a 5" group. I have really been a fan of the SST and use it in several cartridges as well as ML because they kill and shoot great. Now I'm not sure if I should waste time trying to find a load with the SST or just avoid it like the plague in this rifle. I guess I'll just pull the bullets from the other boxes and try them out when I get home. I'm so glad that I didn't order 10 boxes of bullets last night like I had planned to. The jury is still out on the upper at this point but at least it functions.

[VASCAR2]

Unfortunately it really is luck of the draw with BCA. In my personal experience high quality barrels shoot everything pretty decent but the cheaper barrels are usually more inconsistent. I haven’t shot any recent production 6.5 Grendel 123 grain Hornady SST but most users report 2.5” or less @ 100 yards with current production 123 grain SST.


I suggest you do the usual inspection on the crown, ensure the barrel nut, flash hider and optic mount are tight. At the current ammo prices I think it is cost effective to spend a little more money on a better barrel. If the barrels accuracy proves dismal it can’t hurt to contact BCA CS.

[Jeepster18_88]

I don't expect this to ever be a shooter, but I'm extremely confused by the difference between the SST load and the ELD load. I wouldn't be surprised to see one shooting half the size groups as another, but at least 4 times the size is something I've never experienced. I'm no stranger to cheap guns and I only own one rifle that costs more than the barrels that some of the guys here are using. By comparison, my 2 Radical firearms uppers in 7.62x39 shoot the Russian stuff about 2 1/2" and the Hornady SST factory about the same with 5 shots. They shoot 20 shot groups of handloads about 1/2 that. There possibly is something wrong with the gun itself that's keeping it from shooting better, but I'm not convinced that I didn't get a bad batch of ammo either or just one that doesn't jive with my barrel.

[Rosecrans1]

Very timely post. Just yesterday I headed to the range to try some 300 savage I loaded and then it was time to shoot the Grendel. I had Hornaday Custom SST 123gr factory and the Hornaday Black 123gr that uses the ELD Match.
The Hornaday Black gave me me a 0.70" MOA at 100 yards. very happy with that!
But........The Hornaday Custom, (SST), was terrible! Over 3" MOA at 100 yds.
That is a huge difference between 123gr bullets at the supposed same velocity of 2590 ft/sec at the muzzle.
It isn't a flook either. The Hornaday Black shoots very consistent and very accurately in this 20"PSA barrel of mine. I was dumbfounded at how bad the SST did.
So now as I continue to break this barrel in and start to reload for it, I have to start looking for some loads with the SST's to see if it will shoot them under MOA. I also have some Nosler's and a bunch of GameKings to play with also.
Just don't be too discouraged by what you saw at the range. My trip to the range yesterday was a real eye opener.

[1Shot]

Neither of my Grendel's like the SST bullet period, weather factory or hand loads. My BCA barreled rifle will not shoot this bullet period under 1 1/2" with any load and factory runs in the in the 2 1/2 to 3" range. My Oden Works barrel will average 1 1/2 to 2" with factory and I have gotten it between 1 and 1 1/2" with handloads. BUT, both of these rifles will shoot sub MOA with other bullets and hand loads. The BCA is picky about what bullets it will shoot really well but it is a solid under MOA with what it likes. The Oden Works will shoot sub half MOA with hand loads. The Hornady 123 SST is the only factory ammo I have shot so I do not know about other ammo. When I got my 20" BCA upper it shot everything like you described yours shoots with the SST. Sent it back for a re-barrel and after around 60 rounds down the barrel it started to shoot consistent groups with the hand loads it likes. Until that 60 round count it would shoot 3 or 4 sub MOA but somewhere along the 5 shot group in a random pattern I would get one shot 1 to 2" out of the group. I thought it was my shooting form or something but after the 60 round count it went away so it had to be something with the upper. While I was playing UPS tag with BCA I jumped in with both feet and just built me a complete rifle using an 18" Oden Works barrel package.

[Rebels010]

I've got a few hundred round of SST I have saved for hunting that I never do...I need to take my 5 grendels out and try it in all of them and see how it does. The black and old amax shoots very well in all my rifles. All factory ammo as I still don't reload at this point.

[LTQZ]

Morning Horde,

I think it is unfortunate that a bullet "specifically designed" for the 6.5 Grendel does not perform well in many Grendel platforms.
I bought 100 rds of the 123 SST just to see how it works. I have shot about 60+ rounds of factory loaded 123 SST and they seem to be accurate in my 20" BCA upper.
I say "seem" because I have only shot inside at 25 yards, it has been too cold to go outside up here in Wisconsin, but that is changing and I will be hitting the 100yd range ASAP.
I have about 20 factory loaded Hornady rounds (123 SST) then I will be trying some 120gr SP Federal Fusion, which did not print as well inside.

I will get info to you as I can, at this time I do not have a chronograph.

[Jeepster18_88]

Thanks for the responses. It appears that this might be another Hornady load that either does great or horrible depending on the particular gun. I emailed BCA last night and I'm waiting to hear back from them. I was going to just try to find a handloads for this but considering that my bow shoots better than this at 100 yards with the SST and even the match ammo didn't shoot into a group that was consistent enough for 200 yrd shots, I think I better just let them fix it or refund it and start over. My only reason to buy a Grendel in the first place was to outreach the 7.62x39 but I can't do that without it being able to shoot accurately. I'll keep you posted on what BCA decides to do.

[CaptnC]

My 18" BCA doesn't like them no matter reloaded or factory ammo. The 20" BCA it is my bullet of choice....

My BCA 7.62X39 doesn't like 123 SST (0.310 bullets) either. I will be hand loading those bullets pretty soon so we shall see how that turns out.

Next couple weeks I will see how my new 24" BCA 6.5 Grendel barrel likes them. I'm hoping they need more barrel to stabilize.

Let me define "doesn't like" 3" to 4" groups at 200yds. 7.62X39 shoots 3" to 4" at 100yds.

[Jimla]

You may be experiencing short chamber causing accuracy problems on your BCA upper. Easy way to check, load a 123 SST round and try to eject it without firing the round. If the round won't eject easily the bullet is getting stuck in the lands.

[Sinclair]

You may be experiencing short chamber causing accuracy problems on your BCA upper. Easy way to check, load a 123 SST round and try to eject it without firing the round. If the round won't eject easily the bullet is getting stuck in the lands.

I spent nearly half my life in factories, the last 25 or so years as a Tool and Die Maker, quality control is not that big a deal, if you follow some basic rules/procedures! It really gripes me that we have put short term profit ahead of quality product. Reminds me of the days of if it said "made in Japan" it was junk! The kick in the butt is that Japan solved their quality issues by adopting the procedures that WE taught them! Now look at where we have sunk too! Shame on us, shame on BCA.

[Sinclair]

......I think I better just let them fix it or refund it and start over. My only reason to buy a Grendel in the first place was to outreach the 7.62x39 but I can't do that without it being able to shoot accurately.

Jeepster18_88, I think that you are making a wise decision. You can not make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Years ago I had the same dilemma over a gun that I felt guilty for buying in the first place (family first). As it turned out, the company gladly replaced the "experimental barrel" with a new one plus extras! Let us know what the final outcome is and good luck.

[Jeepster18_88]

CaptnC, I wasn't real impressed with my reloads in 7.62x39 until I tried Reloder 7. Instantly, all the bullets that wouldn't group began shooting great. It didn't matter the charge, it didn't matter the bullet, everything between .308 and .310 between 100 and 150 gr, it just worked. I don't have my load data but Alliant has a load to base it off of and so does several other manufacturers. If you have any trouble, try Reloder 7.

[Mad Charlie]

Just a comment regarding your exp. with Rel 7 in 7.62x39, that is the second powder I tried in 7.62x39 back around '85 or '86. I don't remember the first. I was getting 1-1/4 or slightly larger groups @ 100 with a stainless Mini 30 and Leupold 2-7 scope, 123gr fmj .310 bullets. Never tried any other powder in that cartridge.

[1Shot]

Jeepster If BCA will not take your upper back and refund you do have them replace the barrel. You may and I say MAY get one that will shoot. If it does not shoot then I suggest that you get one of the group buy barrels from this site and just replace the barrel using the BCA parts. You can't get those parts cheaper separately.

About RL7. I bought two pounds of it with some other powders and bullets from a guy that was "liquidating his a**- ets" before he went to divorce court. Got this stuff CHEAP. I hade never use RL7 before and got it because I knew I had seen it listed for some 223 loads. Turned out to REALLY shoot great with 55 gr. bullets in a couple 223 ARs I have. I don't shoot my SKSs in 7.62x39 all that much any more but may some day give RL7 a try. They really shoot good with H322 and 123 Hornady SP bullets.