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Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Printable Version

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Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-28-2023

Nothing to see here...

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-28-2023

Ok, maybe it would be good to post what I am building and what I plan to load with it.

The rifle was a 300 blackout that I swapped the barrel with a 16" 1:8 6.5 Grendel. This is a semi-automatic, not a bolt.
The 5.56 BCG was replaced with a 6.5G BCG. I have 2 x 6.8 SPC 10 round mags.

Case: Starline
Bullet: Barnes 120 grain TTSX
Primer: CCI 34
Powder: H335

Comments???

EDIT: For extra credit, I see Faxon sells a 12" 1:8 6.5G barrel. Will that be too short for 200-300 yards max, with 100 yards more likely.

Alan

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - grayfox - 09-28-2023

Welcome to the forum.
First of all, yeah Lapua brass is hard to find but starline is plentiful right now. It's a good brass, but I would stock up on it somewhat as supply seems to ebb and flow.
I use H335 for mt 100 ttsx bullets, The Barnes data I have is what I use, for the 115-120 tsx family it states that 28.0 is the max but might be compressed. If you can get the 115's I would suggest as they will give you a bit more MV, and a lower opening velocity. with 16" barrel more MV is good for you.

Also you list the cci 34 as your primer but starline and all (non-ppu/AK brass) is small primer, so you'll need either cci 450 or cci 41, or a similar. I'd stay away from 400's as the cup is thinner. Some of the #41's are selling for decent prices (at least out here in free America lol!) nowadays. but the 34 is a large primer.

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - LR1955 - 09-28-2023

KW:

New to reloading?

You will find load data to be slightly different between companies. Why? How they test the load and what they are willing to risk.

I rarely go to a max load with the Grendel but do trust the data from any reputable company.

LR-55

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - VASCAR2 - 09-28-2023

Welcome to the forum Konocti’s Wigwam! This Forum’s Administrator is Blunt Force Trauma (BFT) who has a online store with great prices and products. I saw today BFT is changing the name from SixFive Outfitters to Rexus and has the best prices I’ve seen for Starline brass.


https://www.sixfiveoutfitters.com/

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-28-2023

grayfox Wrote:Welcome to the forum.
First of all, yeah Lapua brass is hard to find but starline is plentiful right now. It's a good brass, but I would stock up on it somewhat as supply seems to ebb and flow.
I use H335 for mt 100 ttsx bullets, The Barnes data I have is what I use, for the 115-120 tsx family it states that 28.0 is the max but might be compressed. If you can get the 115's I would suggest as they will give you a bit more MV, and a lower opening velocity. with 16" barrel more MV is good for you.
That makes sense, and you made me realize I made a couple mistakes.

grayfox Wrote:Also you list the cci 34 as your primer but starline and all (non-ppu/AK brass) is small primer, so you'll need either cci 450 or cci 41, or a similar. I'd stay away from 400's as the cup is thinner. Some of the #41's are selling for decent prices (at least out here in free America lol!) nowadays. but the 34 is a large primer.
I misspoke on those primers as I just found 1000 LRPs of CCI 34 up at Kelseyville Lumber. The local lumber is an FFL and sells ammo, firearms and reloading components.

On the Grendel I'll be using the GM205MAR, I have 5000 of those that I had on hand for a number of years. I haven't shot anything in the past few years, I disassembled everything and locked all my lowers up in the safe, because of the BS California imposed on us. This is all blowing up in their face with Bruen as most of you know.

Anyway, those are similar to the CCI military in that they will prevent light strikes in a semi-auto.

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-28-2023

VASCAR2 Wrote:Welcome to the forum Konocti’s Wigwam! This Forum’s Administrator is Blunt Force Trauma (BFT) who has a online store with great prices and products. I saw today BFT is changing the name from SixFive Outfitters to Rexus and has the best prices I’ve seen for Starline brass.


https://www.sixfiveoutfitters.com/
Holy mo, I wish I would have found this site earlier. I had a hard time finding the single bag I was able to find at Midway and paid about $65, he has 'em for $58. But I also see he has a 12" 1:7.5 barrel on his site. That looks interesting, as the Faxon is 1:8. I would rather have the 1:7.5.

On brass, I would love to find some of the nickel plated Starline, I bought some of that for 300 blackout.

I have 3 cartridges I'll be reloading to hunt pigs, and honestly I don't plan on shooting too much, but will try to make it to the range to shoot about 50 round a month. I seriously doubt I will need more than a couple rounds for each hunt I do, but my goal is to be able to pack in, harvest a pig and pack it back out solo. I am no spring chicken, just turned 65, but try to swim as much as I can. I will load 300 blackout (supersonic), 8.6 blackout (supersonic) and 6.5 Grendel. I'm a bit iffy on the 300 blackout as there is not very much powder in the case and the bullet is smaller.

I just made up 50 rounds with 5 loads to use for a ladder test and for that I used Hornady 110 CX bullets in Starline nickel.

I also made up 50 rounds of 8.6 blackout using Hornady 225 CX bullets in Gorilla Brass, which might be made by Starline.

I have that one bag of Starline brass coming, so that will take care of me for the time being. I have plenty of primers, powder, and so far have those Barnes 120 TTSXs for Grendel.

The 300 blackout build I have is a pistol, it uses a 7.5" 1:5 Faxon barrel and weighs just 6.5 lbs. with a scope, but it doesn't have a stock, it has a cheek weld on it. I bought the 16" Grendel barrel to build a legit 16" rifle in CA. I have 2 firearms in 8.6 blackout, one has a 12" barrel and configured as a pistol, and another with a 16" barrel configured with a Thordson featureless stock (if you're familiar). The 8.6 blackouts are more like 10-12 lbs. with scope., so that is literally close to 2x the weight of the 300 blackout. I'm hoping the Grendel comes in around 8 lbs with scope. I plan to use a Vortex Viper Gen 1 Viper PST 1-4 scope on it. I do have a red dot that is on the 300 blackout, why it is so light. But it is short and easier to carry through brush/woods, IMO.

The shop will be used to build bolt action rifles. I have 4 Rem 700 style blanks (2 lug) and 3 x PTG bolts. 1 blank/bolt set is for a tactical for 375 CheyTac which I plan to shoot ELR with. I have 2 short action blanks, both Rem 700 tube style, and one magnum length tactical that I could build many various cartridges. One could be for Grendel, I don't know yet, but initially I plan to use semi-auto.

I have a bunch of various bullets and have other cartridges like 308 I can use, but looking for small and light for the hunting I'm looking to do.

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-28-2023

LR1955 Wrote:KW:

New to reloading?
No, I have reloaded quite a bit, but mostly with a Dillon 650 that I sold a few years ago. I now have 2 x single stage presses, an old original RCBS Rock Chucker and an RCBS Summit 2000.

LR1955 Wrote:You will find load data to be slightly different between companies. Why? How they test the load and what they are willing to risk.
The discrepancy is that the Hornady data states 26.4 as being max for a 120 grain bullet. But 2 other sources state 28.0 as I mentioned above. One is the Barnes site and the other is the Hodgdon site. You can probably guess which one I'm going with.

I just recently got a Labradar and plan to chrono everything out to know what my actual velocities are. I have used a friends chrono in the past, but have never had my own, and that is truly the only way to determine what the actual velocity and energy is out of a load.

On the Dillon I used to shoot about 400-600 rounds each month for a full day at the range. However, the Santa Clara parks and recreation closed the 10th street pistol range in San Jose on 10th street. The Santa Clara Valley Rifle Club used it for their meetings and where I used to RSO at. Putting 2+2 together you can guess I haven't RSO'd in several years either. I was NRA certified but will never pay another penny to the NRA as long as Wayne LaPierre is involved with them. I now belong to and support 2nd Amendment Foundation (Gottlieb is the best), FPC, GOA and CRPA. Those are the people fighting for my 2nd amendment rights, not the NRA.

LR1955 Wrote:I rarely go to a max load with the Grendel but do trust the data from any reputable company.
I haven't made up any rounds of Grendel yet as I'm waiting on the brass and a case gauge to get here.

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - sundowner - 09-28-2023

Welcome to the horde from Wisconsin .

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-28-2023

sundowner Wrote:Welcome to the horde from Wisconsin .

Thanks.

Do you do any hunting with Grendel? I think you guys have mostly whitetail in WI.

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Zeneffect - 09-29-2023

Welcome from Elk Grove California

If you are near San Jose, metcalf is probably your best bet.

I regular at sac valley if you ever make it out there

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - sundowner - 09-29-2023

Yes it's whitetail here but also varmint and some hogs in Texas .

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 09-29-2023

Zeneffect Wrote:Welcome from Elk Grove California
I know that area up by Sacramento.

Zeneffect Wrote:If you are near San Jose, metcalf is probably your best bet.
It did used to be a good place, that is where I used to shoot with SCVRC once a month. The RSO used to say it looked like a movie after I got done, there was brass everywhere...but Metcalf is under attack, as-is Coyote Valley, which is sporting clays. Both of them are under attack from the environmentalists. I have heard for a flower and a butterfly, or something like that. Metcalf is under attack from the same group of environmentalists I'm told.

https://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/conservationists-launch-effort-to-preserve-coyote-valley/

I live about 10 minutes from the Stevens Creek range (run by Sunnyvale Rod & Club), and they are also under attack. A rock quarry is going out of business, it was next to the range, and the County is now trying to close the range at Stevens Creek reservoir.

Zeneffect Wrote:I regular at sac valley if you ever make it out there
Thanks for the offer, but I joined Kelseyville Rod & Gun Club about a month ago. I wanted to shoot on the 1000 yard range, but it seems political to get access to it, they only seem to open it to the public once a month or so.


The KRGC range is in Highland Springs, about 10 minutes from my property in Buckingham. The club only costs $50/year and the members are allowed to use the range from 8:00am-Sundown 7 days a week, the gate has an RFID on it. I've only been there once, I was waiting for two does to leave, and once I fired a shot they were history, but they were eating grass in front of my targets...I saw a 4 or 5 doe, but no bucks.

And funny enough, you mentioned Metcalf, and across the other side of the freeway, up about 2 miles by Coyote Hills Country Club is the yard I rent and where my log home shell is currently sitting. There's a lot of animals in general in that area. I have found rabbit ears left in my yard several times in the past 10 years. The coyotes eat everything except the ears. I guess not enough meat...LOL

Hello from San Jose / Kelseyville California - Konocti's Wigwam - 10-01-2023

grayfox Wrote:Welcome to the forum.
First of all, yeah Lapua brass is hard to find but starline is plentiful right now. It's a good brass, but I would stock up on it somewhat as supply seems to ebb and flow.
I use H335 for mt 100 ttsx bullets, The Barnes data I have is what I use, for the 115-120 tsx family it states that 28.0 is the max but might be compressed. If you can get the 115's I would suggest as they will give you a bit more MV, and a lower opening velocity. with 16" barrel more MV is good for you.

Also you list the cci 34 as your primer but starline and all (non-ppu/AK brass) is small primer, so you'll need either cci 450 or cci 41, or a similar. I'd stay away from 400's as the cup is thinner. Some of the #41's are selling for decent prices (at least out here in free America lol!) nowadays. but the 34 is a large primer.

Thanks Fox, your post turned out to be the most helpful. I did use the Barnes load data.

I got my brass today and my case gauge. I got 50 pieces of brass de-burred, which is probably not needed on new brass, but I like to have everything uniform. I didn't have a Redding shell holder for a 6.5 Grendel, but was able to take my time using a Lee shell holder. Only the Redding shell holders work correctly in the PMA primer seater. I have tried several shell holders and most are just a tad too small on the ID to allow the PM primer cup to fit, but you can carefully shake the primer in the center so it will work. I didn't have a shell holder, it requires a 220 Russian, best I can tell...

The Barnes 120gr TTSX bullets were the best option I could find 2 weeks ago, the Tac TX is a better option as it expands at around 1200-1300 fps, off the top of my head, where the TTSX bullets require about 2000.
I loaded 10 each of 25.0, 26.0, 27.0, 27.5, 28.0 and see which one groups the best. I will shoot them in groups of 5.

I'm using a Stoner 16" 1:8 barrel, and a Stoner 6.5 Grendel BCG, so fairly inexpensive build.

Starline brass, mostly CCI 41, about 15 were GM205MAR. I have mostly the latter on hand, but seems good to test the 41s against the GM205MARs. I'm hunting so it's not as critical as some others doing competition.

Now to get to the range, not sure if I can get up to Lake County this weekend, my doors are not going to be finished on my shop until next week.

Alan

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