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6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Cajuntransplant - 10-20-2017
Brosome Wrote:27.6gr of AR comp behind something 123grs really does seem to be the sweet spot. I had similar results with the Nosler CCs but for the life of me I couldn't get them to shoot well. MOA or just over was the best I could get. Good for cheap practice on steel though I guess.
Also: Cajuntransplant, you must be high up there in elevation, 2522 seems pretty quick for an 18" barrel and that much AR Comp. I'll second that I'd love to see some of those .23 5 shot groups though that's some slick shooting.
No not high in elevation. I’m in Sioux Falls area of South Dakota. About 1700’ is all. I thought the numbers were high too compared to what I have read. Maybe the omega with flat end cap makes enough of a difference? I should see what it is in my notes without the supressor.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Dave_H - 11-13-2017
Cajuntransplant Wrote:No not high in elevation. I’m in Sioux Falls area of South Dakota. About 1700’ is all. I thought the numbers were high too compared to what I have read. Maybe the omega with flat end cap makes enough of a difference? I should see what it is in my notes without the supressor.
I ran two 10-shot strings of the same load over my chronograph today. I'm at about 960 feet elevation and it was a calm, 40 degree day. Unsuppressed I only averaged around 2410 fps out of my 18" Lilja 319 barrel. MY ES spread was very tight on one string and opened up to around 43 fps on the other thanks to two rounds that were down around 2370-2375 fps. I didn't have a lot of time, so I didn't take my can with me and I didn't shoot groups. I just shot steel at 400 yards to get some chrono data. I think I'm going to run some of my ammo back through a Lee FCD and compare them with loads not crimped. I'm thinking maybe the FCD will improve my consistency and lower my ES.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - trigrtym - 11-26-2017
tucansam Wrote:Exact same barrel here. 20" PF Criterion, 1:8. Looks like it was built in a NASA lab, its very pretty. Only took 18 months to arrive. I'll never do business with PF again, ever.
Won't group factory Hornady to save its life. I'm hoping reloads will work better. Very surprised that it doesn't shoot considering the hype around this barrel when I bought it two years ago, and the price I paid for it at the time.
Hey guys. I'm new to this forum but have been reading for awhile trying to get a few ideas to load my PF Lothar Walther barrel with. It took over 8mo to get it after numerous emails. So far it's a solid 3moa shooter if anything. I sent it back for them to look at it and that took 6mo to get it back and with no correspondence and no reply to what they did to it, if anything b/c it still won't shoot and I paid over $500 for it. Horrible barrel, horrible service. DO NOT BUT FROM PRECISION FIREARMS. I just a Ballistic Advantage barrel and anxiously awaiting on it. Surely it will be better
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - VASCAR2 - 11-27-2017
The Sierra 120 grain Match King usually will shoot good in about any barrel. Popular powders are IMR8208XBR, CFE223, AR Comp, Accurate 2520 and TAC. I use CCI 450 primers and some forum members use Remington Magnum primers and match primers like BR4.
Id probably start with IMR8208XBR another bullet Id try is 107 SMK with 8208.
My Son in Law has a 22 Lothar Walther 1:9 twist 6.5 CSS and it shoots 129 grain SST accurately, I think he was using BLC2 but I cant remember for sure. Between work and three young sons he doesnt have time for reloading and shooting.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - tucansam - 11-29-2017
trigrtym Wrote:Hey guys. I'm new to this forum but have been reading for awhile trying to get a few ideas to load my PF Lothar Walther barrel with. It took over 8mo to get it after numerous emails. So far it's a solid 3moa shooter if anything. I sent it back for them to look at it and that took 6mo to get it back and with no correspondence and no reply to what they did to it, if anything b/c it still won't shoot and I paid over $500 for it. Horrible barrel, horrible service. DO NOT BUT FROM PRECISION FIREARMS. I just a Ballistic Advantage barrel and anxiously awaiting on it. Surely it will be better
Same. I'll put a few weeks' time into this barrel, if it doesn't shoot, its getting sold. And I'll never do business with PF again, ever, even if the barrel does shoot, based on my prior experience (and yours). Their comms were terrible at the time, too, and I don't care to find out if they've improved or not, there are plenty of other vendors out there who want my business.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - tucansam - 12-07-2017
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10349[/ATTACH]
Well, my PF barrel shoots after all. The very top, smaller hole is an errant 223. There are four shots in the clover and one flyer. BUT this was five shots out of a clean, cold bore. So the flyer could have been the initial fouling shot (I wasn't paying attention). These are rounds 21-25 out of this barrel. Factory Hornady 123gr SST. 100 yards.
My friend fired another five rounds of the same at rocks at 100 yards and busted them up pretty good. Since I need some factory ammo to break in and test the 12" Faxon, those ten rounds were the only ones fired through the PF barrel today.
Right now I am happy, going to order a bag of brass and start hand loading.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - JASmith - 12-07-2017
tucansam, welcome aboard!
You will find reloading for the Grendel a rewarding and educational, if occasionally frustrating, experience.
One of the serious strengths of this forum is the number of highly experienced, knowledgeable and helpful reloaders.
If you havent already done so, pick up a set of 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks. These will help with a lot of your questions. They also have extensive discussions about the Grendels utility as a medium game and general purpose cartridge.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - jpistolero02 - 12-24-2017
I found a new load hunting load with 120 ballistic tips.
27.3 8208
Lapua Brass
CCI 450
120 Ballistic Tip
2.25"
![[Image: 24385434797_206ca18410_c.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4731/24385434797_206ca18410_c.jpg)
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Crusty - 12-27-2017
I read all the earlier posts about the 123gr/27.5gr AR-Comp load and decided to give it a try for my first OCW spread and I did indeed find an accuracy node at 27.5gr at 2.260" OAL. Looking at my primers though they were all flattened and there were ejector marks on some cases, which I take to be signs of over pressure.
Subsequent to this, I finally found a published load at Speer for AR-Comp in a Grendel using a 120gr bullet (published AR-Comp loads for Grendel have been rare so far) and I see in it that the max load is listed as 25.3gr of Ar-Comp so the 27.5gr load is nearly 9% over that max with a 120gr bullet, and even more with a 123gr bullet.
What's y'alls opinion of the 27.5gr load based on these facts? I'll attach the Speer doc if I can.
In that same document there's a max load listed using Power Pro 2000-MR which looks very interesting because it has a MV about 40fps higher than Hornady ELD-M ammo, which is the top factory 123gr load as far as I know. I've loaded an OCW spread using it based on that max charge but I haven't shot it yet.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - VASCAR2 - 12-27-2017
What barrel/length and bolt are you using Crusty? I noticed Speer and Sierra both used 24” barrels in universal receivers. I like Hornady because they tested their loads in actual AR-15 6.5 Grendel barrels. Nosler’s 6.5 Grendel load data seems very conservative as does Speer & Sierra who don’t post actual pressure. I rarely load close to max and don’t hot rod my reloads especially with the 6.5 Grendel. I haven’t tried AR Comp or Pro Varmint but would like to test them.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Niles Coyote - 12-27-2017
Crusty Wrote:I read all the earlier posts about the 123gr/27.5gr AR-Comp load and decided to give it a try for my first OCW spread and I did indeed find an accuracy node at 27.5gr at 2.260" OAL. Looking at my primers though they were all flattened and there were ejector marks on some cases, which I take to be signs of over pressure.
Subsequent to this, I finally found a published load at Speer for AR-Comp in a Grendel using a 120gr bullet (published AR-Comp loads for Grendel have been rare so far) and I see in it that the max load is listed as 25.3gr of Ar-Comp so the 27.5gr load is nearly 9% over that max with a 120gr bullet, and even more with a 123gr bullet.
What's y'alls opinion of the 27.5gr load based on these facts? I'll attach the Speer doc if I can.
In that same document there's a max load listed using Power Pro 2000-MR which looks very interesting because it has a MV about 40fps higher than Hornady ELD-M ammo, which is the top factory 123gr load as far as I know. I've loaded an OCW spread using it based on that max charge but I haven't shot it yet.
When I started my load work up two years ago I to began seeing signs of pressure as I entered the 27+ range The load I settled on was 26.8 under 123's and it works well across three barrels measuring 16, 18 and 20". The node there is quite wide, about .5-.6 tenths of a grain.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Crusty - 12-27-2017
Now that's better - when I start seeing ejector marks I start sweating. I hate to give AR-Comp up completely because it's performed so well for me, and I'll load some up at that weight and try again.
The Power Pro-2000MR is interesting to me too because it's a flattened spherical powder which measures a lot more accurately than an extruded powder, and it comes closer to filling the case. Even though I throw pre-charges and trickle to my final weight I don't like the occasional crunch of extruded grains. Thanks for the info - I'll put it in my logbook.
Here's my latest 10@100yds with AR-Comp. The dot is 1". Could have been better because my eyes were fuzzing out and my aiming went crappy.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10564[/ATTACH]
I looked briefly and couldn't determine what barrel length Speer used and I've assumed it's the standard 24" until I learn differently. I'm using a Satern 18", 1:8, 5R stainless barrel. My bolt is a Maxim. I really wish Alliant would run some Grendel load tests.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Drillboss - 12-27-2017
Crusty Wrote:Now that's better - when I start seeing ejector marks I start sweating. I hate to give AR-Comp up completely because it's performed so well for me, and I'll load some up at that weight and try again.
The Power Pro-2000MR is interesting to me too because it's a flattened spherical powder which measures a lot more accurately than an extruded powder, and it comes closer to filling the case. Even though I throw pre-charges and trickle to my final weight I don't like the occasional crunch of extruded grains. Thanks for the info - I'll put it in my logbook.
Here's my latest 10@100yds with AR-Comp. The dot is 1". Could have been better because my eyes were fuzzing out and my aiming went crappy.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10564[/ATTACH]
I looked briefly and couldn't determine what barrel length Speer used and I've assumed it's the standard 24" until I learn differently. I'm using a Satern 18", 1:8, 5R stainless barrel. My bolt is a Maxim. I really wish Alliant would run some Grendel load tests.
Speer used a 24" test barrel. It's on their website, but you have to dig a little.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - cb4017 - 12-27-2017
I've been an advocate of AR-Comp and have shot a lot of it. 27.6 gr behind 123 gr bullets loaded to around 2.260". They have shot great in my Grendels. The chronograph 2490 to 2500 fps in my 18" LaRue.
My latest Labradar chronograph session has me scratching my head. I was checking velocities through my new build 20" Proof Research barreled upper. Velocities with factory AMAX ran 2491 fps. A load with 28 gr of TAC ran 2459 fps. These were about what I expected. Velocities with my AR-Comp loads ran about 80 - 100 fps higher than I expected at 2580 fps and I was seeing slight ejector swipes. I think I'm going to back it off a little to get the velocity to about 2500 fps.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - fdbyrne78 - 12-27-2017
Crusty Wrote:Now that's better - when I start seeing ejector marks I start sweating. I hate to give AR-Comp up completely because it's performed so well for me, and I'll load some up at that weight and try again.
The Power Pro-2000MR is interesting to me too because it's a flattened spherical powder which measures a lot more accurately than an extruded powder, and it comes closer to filling the case. Even though I throw pre-charges and trickle to my final weight I don't like the occasional crunch of extruded grains. Thanks for the info - I'll put it in my logbook.
Here's my latest 10@100yds with AR-Comp. The dot is 1". Could have been better because my eyes were fuzzing out and my aiming went crappy.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10564[/ATTACH]
I looked briefly and couldn't determine what barrel length Speer used and I've assumed it's the standard 24" until I learn differently. I'm using a Satern 18", 1:8, 5R stainless barrel. My bolt is a Maxim. I really wish Alliant would run some Grendel load tests.
I'm just beginning work on an AR Comp load for 123 SSTs with my 20" Satern. There are a lot of people in this forum with more experience than me, but I'd ask how far off the lands you are. My throat is very short but I didn't notice until I burned through 100 rounds of factory SSTs and started loading my own. I started seeing pressure signs much earlier than I expected. When I went back and checked the factory loads they were well into the lands. My handloads were too and it was causing pressure problems.
My most accurate load so far with the SSTs is over 28gr of AR Comp running about 2550 fps out of my 20" barrel. No pressure signs on the brass. I did back way off when I started seating them deeper and worked back up.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Bwild97 - 12-27-2017
fdbyrne78 Wrote:I'm just beginning work on an AR Comp load for 123 SSTs with my 20" Satern. There are a lot of people in this forum with more experience than me, but I'd ask how far off the lands you are. My throat is very short but I didn't notice until I burned through 100 rounds of factory SSTs and started loading my own. I started seeing pressure signs much earlier than I expected. When I went back and checked the factory loads they were well into the lands. My handloads were too and it was causing pressure problems.
My most accurate load so far with the SSTs is over 28gr of AR Comp running about 2550 fps out of my 20" barrel. No pressure signs on the brass. I did back way off when I started seating them deeper and worked back up.
What was the OAL for your loads?
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - fdbyrne78 - 12-27-2017
If I load the SSTs any longer than 2.215" then I'm in the lands.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Crusty - 12-27-2017
At 2.260" OAL I'm still more than .050" off the lands with 123gr ELD-M bullets. I run out of mag length (@2.296") before I can get into the lands. I shot a spread of bullet seating depths to fine tune the load, and surprisingly 2.260" OAL (1.690" to the ogive) had the least vertical dispersion.
Something I'm still scratching my head over is that I also reset the bullets in a box of Hornady Black ELD-M factory ammo with the seating depth on my die unchanged, and the rounds all came out .010" shorter (OAL and to the ogive) than the rounds I had just loaded with the exact same bullets. I'd be surprised if there was that much variation between runs of these bullets but I'm coming to believe that must be the case.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - VASCAR2 - 12-27-2017
Crusty the tips on A-Max and other match bullets have quite a variation on length and is noticeable when seating. A more precise way is to measure off the ogive of the bullet instead of the tip. Once I started measuring off the ogive I saw that the bullet seating depth was consistent and the nose of the bullet varied. I watch the overal length of the bullet’s tip to ensure my rounds fit in the mag but tend to focus more on the ogive length.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Crusty - 12-27-2017
I guess I was expecting them to be more uniform with the plastic tips. I'm going to pull those bullets again and reset them to the same ogive length because my groups open up as the OAL gets shorter.