2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - Printable Version +- 6.5 Grendel Forum (https://65grendel.com) +-- Forum: 6.5 GRENDEL DISCUSSION FORUMS (https://65grendel.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3) +--- Forum: 6.5 Grendel Ammunition & Reloading (https://65grendel.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=10) +--- Thread: 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? (/showthread.php?tid=26011)

2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - tdbru - 10-28-2023 Horde, one thing I've discovered with having 2 different 6.5G uppers, for two totally different purposes, and a howa mini also in 6.5G is that the variety of loads and powders to "test out" multiplies at an exponential rate. And since work is kicking my butt as well, I haven't had the time I would like to wring out every possibility in load combinations. In fact I've still got a lot of test loads to fire for finding "the" target/match shooting round. but I have come to a couple decisions about the use cases for my 6.5G rifles. 24" HB upper with 20x scope will be for mid range (600 yard) match shooting at the local club. at 10 3/4 lbs. it's way too heavy to hunt with in my opinion. but works nicely off the bags. I just haven't settled on a match load yet. Part of the issue there is finding components in the last 3 years. burn rate appropriate powders have been particularly hard to find. For example, I haven't seen H4895 on the shelves or online for 3 years now. Makes me wonder at times if ADI just quit making it?? Anyway my match load is not final yet. But using the HB upper with the high magnification scope is going to be what I will run at 600 since that makes the most sense. for the 6.5G mini, using the Stocky's CF stock, Talley Ringmounts, JO hinged bottom metal, etc. I have a 6.5 lb. 6.5 Grendel with the std. 22" bbl. there are other lighter ones out there, but this one works well for me. Also the other upper I tried to build as light weight as possible given I wanted a 20" or longer tube. Settled for a Faxon 20" Gunner barrel as that seemed to be the lightest barrel out there that was at least 20" long. I like the little extra velocity with longer tubes, and particularly for hunting, a lower muzzle report with the longer tubes. My ears have been damaged enough from all the shooting I've done as a kid before we understood hearing loss. Anyway, for the hunting applications I've finally decided to use the 6.5G mostly for varmints. coyotes, chucks, PDs, etc. Not that it isn't capable for deer, I just have other choices there. So for these I've settled on the 85gr. Sierra HP as I have a bunch of them to go with. velocities are good and accuracy is around 1 MOA or less if I do my part. plenty good for coyotes and chucks, a bit challenging for PDs. when I can call the wind well, they do tend to shoot under 1 MOA, but I'm not great at figuring wind yet. I haven't yet settled on a target round for 600 yards. I have yet to try the 130 gr match bullets (no range time, but have some loads ready to try), and have tried many but not all of the 123-125gr, match bullets. I think 130s is about as heavy as I will go for a match bullet. Powders are getting a bit difficult to come up with. My go to with the 123s - 125s has been H4895 but I'm using that up and no more is showing up at the LGS. I did snag a pound of the new staball match, which is a little faster burning rate than CFE223. I have some of those 130gr test loads with that to see how they run with staball match, but the burn rate seems a bit low for the 6.5G. I could be wrong however. Given that H4895 will be no longer available in the near future it seems, what powders and loads for 600 yard match shooting (mid range F-Class targets is what the club is using, x ring is 1/2 MOA) would any of you all recommend? H4895 was really nice as it is very temp insensitive and the burn rate works well for the 123 - 130 gr. range in the 6.5G. Has anyone had any luck with any of the newer Alliant powders (Re12, Re15, etc) for the 6.5 G with those match bullets? Sometimes I see the Vihtavuori powders on the shelf but haven't tried any of them yet. Anyone have a good match load with the VV powders? Also if you're already shooting 600 yard F class with the 6.5G, if you'd care to share your load I'd appreciate it. There are easily over a dozen match bullets from the various manufacturers in the 123 to 130 gr. range, so testing them all out will take a long time at the rate that I can get to the range due to work demands. Just thought if any of you have a good working 600 yard match load already worked up it might save me a lot of time, and lately frustration (unavailable components), to get a jump start on honing in a good match load with some guidance from those already doing it. thanks, tdbru 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - LRRPF52 - 10-28-2023 For the match rifle, Arne Brennan had really good results with N530 back when there were discussions about all of this on the target side. He was using longer barrels in the 26-28” range, pushing 130gr JLKs with N530 and another powder. You can also shoot the 107gr SMK really fast with 8208XBR and get exceptional accuracy and tight SDs. 8208XBR and AR Comp will give you excellent SDs, and you can use those in the bolt gun behind 123gr with less worry about spiking pressure, especially if you increase the COL. RL12 is right in there for ideal burn rate for Grendel with the 95-123gr if you can find it. Look where it sits between TAC and AA2520, among several others. 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - Zeneffect - 10-28-2023 Norma gtx 130gr, 29.7gr lvr, 2.295coal, cci 41 primer, starline brass. 2450 fps from a 22, sub 1/2 moa shooter all day and night for me out to 800 yards. All components are available currently. 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - tdbru - 10-29-2023 LRRPF52, thanks for the suggestions on N530. I'll see if anyone locally has some. Zeneffect, thanks for a working match load. I will see if LVR is available locally as well. the Norma bullets I haven't seen locally, but I'll start a search. do either of you know how temperature sensitive, or not, the N530 and LVR is?? at the range, the match they're shooting is 22 shots in 22 minutes per stage, so the barrel does warm up a bit. alliant pro power varmint is also next to H4895 but I haven't seen that on the shelves for as long as I haven't seen H4895 it seems. I'm hoping N530 is local. time to start the search. I did call alliant to ask about temp sensitivity on APPV and they said it wasn't as good as their products that were designed with that in mind from the start. Some of the new RL series. thanks again Gentlemen. -tdbru 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - Zeneffect - 10-29-2023 1 shot a min won't get the barrel warm. Lvr is temp sensitive but not bad. If you can find ppv, I have a good varmint load that is a tack driver to at least 548 yards... 600 on paper it would probably do pretty well also. Staball match is kind of interesting with the 123gr eldm, but It seems only average in all respects and I prefer lever evolution to it, despite the temp sensitivity differences. 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - grayfox - 10-29-2023 I'm not the expert that the others are, but the closest powder to H4895 (I also long to see it again!!!) in the 120 class bullets is AR Comp for me, generally topping out somewhere 27.5-28.4 depending on the lot#. 20" barrels in the 120's with ARC can do 2500-2525 on a node. It has some temp control but not as much as H4895. Again if you can seat long, it helps. Even 2.280 for AR mags can give you some wiggle room. Ar Comp is on the shelves, you might be looking at $60/lb but it is available. About 250 rounds/lb (7000 gr/lb) at the 28 gr load level. Lvr tracks close to CFE, but up to about 100 fps faster than the listed MV for CFE, the temp response seems about the same. 2 loads. varmints and target. discussion and recommendations? - ported45 - 10-31-2023 Only powder I can't find is H4198 for my smokeless muzzleloaders. I picked up all the other powder I wanted, including H4895, fall of 2022.