Reloading

[Medic73]

I need some info / advice on powder for 6.5 what works best etc any help appreciated I’m shooting a radical arms 20 inch barrel

[A5BLASTER]

Depends on bullet weight, primer, case and if your barrel likes it.

Can you give us more info on what your looking to load?

[PA_Probe]

I have been using 8208XBR for all my grendel reloading.

[Bigs28]

Depends on bullet weight but 8208, cfe223, ar comp are pretty common

[sundowner]

I'm using H335 and IMR8208 with good results .

[FLshooter]

I like 8208XBR, but,it’s more expensive and harder to find.So, I usually go for the H335 powder. Academy has it for $25 lb and until recently it was readily available.Bullets I use are 123 gn.H335 is pretty good stuff .I’ve had very good results with it.

[Doorman63]

TAC runs well in the 107s and 120s I load.

[LR1955]

I need some info / advice on powder for 6.5 what works best etc any help appreciated I’m shooting a radical arms 20 inch barrel

M73:

OK -- here you go and not in order because everyone has their opinion on what is best. I will just list some for you.

TAC, 748, 2520, H-335, 8208 XBR, 4895, CFE, Leverlution, AR Comp. There are ten or fifteen more but I can't remember all of them.

You may want to run a search because there are probably twenty threads on powders. Also a sticky on loads used by guys on the forum.

If you do look at any of the threads, my advice is to try and figure out which powder is the most widely used on the forum. Not that it may be the best but at least there is some agreement.

Also a good idea to look at the on line reloading guides put out by the various powder and bullet companies.

Or get some 2520 or TAC and go from there. Are they the 'best'? No one knows. Will they cover a wide range of bullet weights safely? Sure will.

Also, you may be using the best components possible but if your Radical Arms barrel is of poor quality, your performance will be of poor quality.

LR55

[Bat Rastard]

I really like 2520.

[1Shot]

It really depends on what you intend to do with such loads. What bullet weight do you intend to use? Will there be large temperature swings within your usage times? Extruded "stick" powders are much less temperature sensitive than ball powders. For 123 gr and under bullets I suggest IMR 8208 which is what I use right now but am only working with 120 gr Sierra PH and Speer Gold Dots. I get high velocity with great accuracy. ArComp is another well recommended powder that is temp stable. I have tried some other powders and bullet weights just doing some testing but have not had the time or weather when I had the time to do any serious work with the lighter bullets I want to try. The Grendel loading books that you can purchase on this site is a must have for those loading for the 6.5 Grendel especially for new hand loaders. One thing to really pay attention to with these loading books is the CAUTION to back off the listed load 10% and work up SLOWLY. I would hate to be trying to get into hand loading right now because it is almost impossible to find components. Good luck.

P.S. Just a heads up. I would not start off loading with the 123 Hornady SST bullet. You can do a search on this forum and you will see that it basically is a love hate relationship between this bullet and the individual rifle. Neither of my rifles which have different make barrel will shoot this bullet accurately. Others can use the same loads with this bullet in their rifle and it drives tacks. For "hunting deer/hogs" bullets the 90 gr Speer TNT, 120 Speer Gold Dot and Sierra Pro hunter are good ones that seem to be over all easy to get to shoot well with different powders and in most any rifle.

[firecaptain53]

I reload most of my 6.5 cases with H335. From 90g TNT to 123g SST this powder has been a do-all for me. In fact the 90g and 123g at 50 yards shoots to the same poi.