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+--- Thread: 6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads (/showthread.php?tid=3705)
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Zeneffect - 04-15-2022
Seeing that hook in the 2nd picture is so encouraging... Sadly you are probably over pressure already.. as said before, if it were a bolt gun different story and I'd be tuning this load.
There is a contrary thought that knowing the bolts are going to give eventually, plan for failure and jdgaf? Seems unsafe to me but then again I've never broken a bolt lug so don't know how that failure scenario plays out exactly or it's permutations.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Smtimelevi - 04-15-2022
Maybe its time for a 6.5 G bolt gun then, lol
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - MikeyMosin - 05-05-2022
had great luck with 123gr SST - cci 450 - 28.5gr Accurate 2520 - COAL 2.250 - Lapua Brass - .30" 3 shot group at 50 yards, It was my first time grouping handloads and I was having trouble with the chronograph. Next time I go, I plan on only shooting to the 100 yard line, so hopefully I will have better data....pics to follow, I couldnt figure out how to resize mine correctly yet to get them up here...
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Sammy - 05-24-2022
Worstletter Wrote:You can remove the post that won't offend me. I have shot with CFEBLK in a long barrel as well with 123gr projectiles. ... If you don't believe me try it.
Tried it. It works. I worked up a load w/120gr ELD in Howa 20" bolt gun but could not find any good low-ES nodes. In the end, the best I could get was 1.5 MOA. As you said, this is not an easy powder to work up a Grendel load for. If in a powder drought, CFEBLK will work but don't expect miracles.
For comparison, something like 223CFE, at 29.8 gives me low ES(<10) and easy 3/4" MOA in the same rifle. Pressure signs begin around 31gr but by then, the case is pretty much full.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Smtimelevi - 05-28-2022
130 ELD-M 31.0 gr LeverEvolution Avg Speed. 2432 ES-28, SD-10.7 99* Ambient. 18" Odinworks Barrel Ar Platform. Magneto Speed Sporter. Had some trouble getting the chrono to read these. When accuracy testing was done these grouped just under 1" @ 100 yd
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Hollis - 06-05-2022
After reading the last few posts, I decided to give Lever Revolution a try since there was a 1lb jug of it that no one was buying at local Bass Pro Shop. I have 200 129 gr Hornady Soft Point Interlock bullets that I got from Hornady as a rebate when I bought some dies. These are cheap bullets, so I wasn't expecting that much, but I did get sub-MOA for a few of the charges. This is the one I liked best that I'll try out when I reload again.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18878[/ATTACH]
Shot with 20" Group Buy barrel, Starline annealed brass, COAL 2.28" (started smaller but higher loads were compressed and a bit longer). Velocity measured with Magneto Speed chrono (as well as ProChrono DLX which was consitently 20 or so fps slower since further downrange):
3 shot group: 129gr Hornady SP Interlock, LVR 33gr, average 2660 fps, SD 9.6, ES 18.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Hollis - 06-05-2022
I'm running out of my favorite 6.5 Grendel powder, IMR 8208 XBR, and can't find it anywhere. H335 has been readily available, so I was using that for my 223 loads and saw that this powder gives some top velocities for 123 gr bullets in 6.5 Grendel. So, I took a second mortgage on my house and bought an 8 lbs jug of it. Worse case I would just use it for 223, but I was hoping I can use this also with my 6.5 Grendel. I loaded a bunch up using new Starline brass for lower charges and several times shot and annealed Nosler and Hornady brass. (I was told that you should "break in" new brass at lower charges for longer life.) Despite the variety of brass (each group was shot with same stamped brass), everything shot spectacular. I had 2 sub-1/4" groups with the best at my highest charge tested (29gr) using 123 gr Hornady SST bullets. The COAL was approximately 2.25" (only recorded CBTO using Hornady 350 comparator, but from the notes I took, 2.25" should be close).
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18879[/ATTACH]
3 shot group, 0.21 MOA, 2612 fps (muzzle speed with Magneto Speed), SD 5.6, ES 11.
I'll be fine tuning this load and hopefully forget about having to find IMR 8208 XBR powder.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Gator08 - 06-07-2022
Hornady shows a max charge of 26.4 for h335 and hogdgon is max of 28.7. Brass all look good? What barrel length? Bolt action?
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - sundowner - 06-07-2022
My H335 load with 123SST is 28.7 , works great out of my 20" at 2542fps .
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Hollis - 06-08-2022
Gator08 Wrote:Hornady shows a max charge of 26.4 for h335 and hogdgon is max of 28.7. Brass all look good? What barrel length? Bolt action?
I saw that same data and slowly worked up to 28.7 and saw no problems. I had 29gr load on hand to try if only no pressure signs at 28.7. All looked good so I went ahead and shot it with no serious signs of overpressure. The primer was not as rounded, but not flat, and there was a very slight mark from the ejector on one of the rounds but not the other two. So, it looks good for me but I DO NOT RECOMMEND this load for anyone who doesn't take all precautions regarding safety in load development procedures.
I have 20" Group Buy barrel in semi-auto AR15 platform.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Hollis - 06-08-2022
sundowner Wrote:My H335 load with 123SST is 28.7 , works great out of my 20" at 2542fps .
My group at 28.7gr was pretty good at 2585 fps muzzle velocity. I probably will try to tune this load instead of the 29gr to extend life of my brass. Nowadays, brass can be very expensive and hard to find in stock.
Glad to hear you are getting similar results. Looks like moving to H335 may be a good move.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Papaw - 06-21-2022
Hi guys, Ive been disconnected for a couple years and just getting back into grendel. Has anybody tried IMR 4166? I have a good load using tac, but my gun doesnt care for 8208, and Id like to find a good stick powder load.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - VASCAR2 - 06-21-2022
No experience with IMR4166 and I dont recall seeing it used in 6.5G. H4895 has good temperature stability and is a popular powder with forum members for 120 grain and heavier bullets.
Using google custom search I found this thread from 2015 which might answer your questions.
https://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?9720-NEW-IMR-Powders
Google custom search link
https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=016368947416500061353:paqd_0xcu1o&hl=en
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - kmon - 06-21-2022
I did some with 4166 back then and it worked but it is a little full for some of the other cases I tried it with. I did not experience the length growth that some did in that thread. The velocities I reported on the link posted above were on a hot June day at or very near 100 degrees so velocities were elevated some from the heat. I haven't done much with it since but will use up the rest of the 4166 either in the Grendel or 223 most likely. My loads were more consistent than what I was getting from Hornady factory 123gr SSTs as I saw almost 150fps ES that day with 10 shots over the crono which was much more that I expected.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Papaw - 06-22-2022
Cool!! Thanks thats what I was looking for. It just looked like it should be a good fit, I did find some info on nosler load data but it maxes out at 26.5 where I had 31 gr capacity to the bottom of the neck.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Zeneffect - 06-24-2022
130gr Norma GT
29.7gr LVR
Starline brass
Cci #41
1.68cbto
Light crimp
Been an absolute awesome match round for me out of 22" criterion
ES has been 3 to 7 depending on temp, velocity 2470-2500 also depending on temp. Important bit is that SD holds through the swing of a morning match.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - Worstletter - 06-28-2022
Sammy Wrote:Tried it. It works. I worked up a load w/120gr ELD in Howa 20" bolt gun but could not find any good low-ES nodes. In the end, the best I could get was 1.5 MOA. As you said, this is not an easy powder to work up a Grendel load for. If in a powder drought, CFEBLK will work but don't expect miracles.
For comparison, something like 223CFE, at 29.8 gives me low ES(<10) and easy 3/4" MOA in the same rifle. Pressure signs begin around 31gr but by then, the case is pretty much full.
Yeah definitely better for short barrels.
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - AmishEskimoNinja - 07-30-2022
Well it finally happened: I ran out of my stockpile of 123gr A-Max bullets. As far as I can tell they are discontinued. I had a consistently sub-moa load for my favorite rifle that I've used for many years. I had been using 27.1gr of 8208 XBR. But alas, all good things must eventually come to an end.
I bought a box of 123gr ELD-M and loaded them with the same powder charge and it does not shoot well. So I need to work up a new load. My hornady manual is too old to have the ELD-M bullet in it. Does anyone know what Hornady says the max powder charge of 8208 XBR is with the 123gr ELD-M?
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - ricsmall - 07-30-2022
Hornady doesnt list 8208 for the 123 grain pills. In general, the max for 8208 under a 123 pill has been 28.5 for most. Some folks start seeing pressure earlier, so I would definitely start low and work up.
ETA: Hodgdon lists 25.5 start, 28.5C max. This is with 123 SMK
6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads - AmishEskimoNinja - 07-30-2022
ricsmall Wrote:Hornady doesnt list 8208 for the 123 grain pills. In general, the max for 8208 under a 123 pill has been 28.5 for most. Some folks start seeing pressure earlier, so I would definitely start low and work up.
ETA: Hodgdon lists 25.5 start, 28.5C max. This is with 123 SMK
Thanks. I wonder why. 8208 seems like a very common powder.