Getting ready to start cranking some 123 gr SST hunting loads

[lazyengineer]

Did some test work and was very pleasantly surprised with the accuracy of these reloads. Typically when I fire Hornady black, it's 2 MOA or worse. but these reloads were pretty great. The Ramshot TAC blows my mind, as I have never in my life gotten a 2 fps StndDev on any gun in any setting, ever. So I may well just run with that one, as my spec load. Though I like the ARComp velocity a little better, and accuracy not so bad there either at the 26.5 gr load. Maybe run that guy at 26.4.. Hmm... Decisions decisions.





Brass is almost ready. Here's my current pile of Hornady 2X fired brass ready to go.

Just needs to finish drying from the wet tumble, and the trim.

[Fodderwing]

Interesting, Hornady Black steel case shoots MOA in my 7.62x39 CZ 527 carbine. Never have tried the brass cased option.

I too am gearing up to load 6.5 G 123 grain SST's, but I will practice with fmj 123s.

[Fodderwing]

I will tag along on this, I am gathering the stuff to load 123's myself. Will practice on FMJ to start.

The SST has become one of my preferred hunting bullets, in 6.8, .308 and 7.62x39. I have found Hornady ammo to be MOA accurate in any rifle I have shot it through.

[NDSwede]

Really like your load data chart. Mind if I copy it? :-)
Also, that's a really nice pile of brass. If you think you've got 50 - 100 to many, I'll be glad to take them off your hands. :-)

[mdram]

the ar-comp should be more temp stable

[lazyengineer]

Really like your load data chart. Mind if I copy it? :-)
Also, that's a really nice pile of brass. If you think you've got 50 - 100 to many, I'll be glad to take them off your hands. :-)

Go for it. Only way I can keep it straight, especially when you end up with piles at various states of processing. Some piles can take a yar or longer to get through, some you get done in a few days, just depends on priority and where you are in competition season.

Here are my cull's, after resizing and tumbling. For me, the only thing I care about is the bottom half inch. And I care very much about that part. Aside from that, brass is a gasket, not a pressure vessel. So if-it-fits it-ships. These I tend to just set aside and run them at a mild load with a cheap bullet at a setting where I'll likely leave them in the field. (action gong shooting where you're moving position around is a good one). And obviously not in any sort of competition or once-in-a-lifetime hunt-adventure usage. This pile includes the collapsed-shoulder-recovery brass as well (which worked out better than I was expecting). I pretty much put Starline in this pile right away - not a fan, and I see that weird head-behavior others talk about before I even shoot it myself (range pickups). I also put GECO 7.62x39 brass here; that stuff is just a fight getting sized right.

[Dt219]

I’m learning. What troubles have you seen with starline ? I have had a few split necks with 2-3 firings on them myself

[lazyengineer]

I’m learning. What troubles have you seen with starline ? I have had a few split necks with 2-3 firings on them myself

Mostly observation from some othe recent threads here, where strange rings forming in the head area, and it being a phenomenae that seems to mostly only happening with Starline and Lapua brass casings. Sure enough, when I look at my own very few Starline pickup casings I see, they too have hint of starting to do this. The head-area is one place I take very seriously, as that's the zone of the brass that is gasketting 52,000 PSI from my face. That, and I only have a few anyway, and it's a hassle keeping up with random mixed headstamp brass. Coincidentally, a recent Kaboom was posted with one of those two casings fired. Who knows, it could have been an issue that had nothing to do with the brass itself at all. Just... yea.

Personally, I like Hornady. NOt because it's super consistent, or super well made. They have a decent amount of weight variation, and the primer punch holes often have spikes around on the inside, which isn't super awesome. But they tend to have higher case capacity in general, and they are crazy common. Meaning load developed in Hornady brass, will be easy to continue to propegate. Just me. Lots of other guys here who know Grendel far better than Ido, really like the Starline or Lapua brass. I don't. If you really want to know, my absolute best performance I ever got, was actually with PMC 7.62x39 brass. Maybe just coincidence, but I've gotten the best accuracy ever with that brass, which is random, I know. Maybe just coincidence.

Edit to add, that said, if Starline is what you have, then of course, run it. By no means am I saying the stuff is unsafe to fire, or a bad choice. Just my own bias and preferences. If all I had were 200 Starline casings, I'd be running 200 starline casings for sure.

[Dt219]

Gotcha, thanks for the information lazy

[Smtimelevi]

Excellent info, thanks for posting. Working on developing a load myself with 123 SST and TAC from an 18” Odin. Best yet is 27.5 g so I figure it’s a bit slow.It was federal, brass, cci 41 @ 2.26 coal. I might play with the coal and try Normandy brass.

[DIANEB]

I'm getting good results with the 123 SST with 28.5 grains of Accurate 2520 CCI 450's COL 2.245...

[SCJim]

great info here I have never had much luck with Hornady bullets in other calibers but I have 500 120 ELD-M's on the Fed Ex truck so I guess I learn

[Trailgomer]

Been loading 30.7gr of Shooters World Match, cci450 ,Hornady brass with 123sst for my AA w 16" barrel. I have killed a large number of pigs the past 6 years with this load.

[LRRPF52]

Been loading 30.7gr of Shooters World Match, cci450 ,Hornady brass with 123sst for my AA w 16" barrel. I have killed a large number of pigs the past 6 years with this load.

Interesting. I’m not sure that I’ve seen much data for this in 6.5 Grendel, but the description of it makes sense:

This propellant is highly versatile, and has shown exceptional accuracy in .223 Remington, 5.56mm, and .308 Winchester. It is similar in burn speed to Accurate® 2520, CFE™223, Reloader®15 and IMR 4064. It holds the broadest utility across all moderate rifle propellants.

The propellant gas generation rate is appropriate for cartridges of the light to heavy sectional density .223 Remington and .308 Winchester. It can load the 55 grain, through 77 and 80 grain .223 REM. It loads the 150, 168 and 175 grain .308 Winchester, and loads all .30-30 combinations. It works in .30-06, in 7mm-08, 6mm BR, 6mm PPC, .204 Ruger, and similar cartridges.

The burn rate and geometry of this powder yields low residue, and ample port pressure to cycle AR, M1, M1A, G3 and G36 systems.

Shooter’s World Match Rifle

[Trailgomer]

Interesting. I’m not sure that I’ve seen much data for this in 6.5 Grendel, but the description of it makes sense:



Shooter’s World Match Rifle

I found the data for 6.5 Grendel in the Shooters World load data. Go to reloading data by Lovex and click on the Shooters World manual. Beginning and max charges are listed along with max pressure.

[jasper2408]

Their Tactical powder is also pretty good. Here is the load data for Match and Tactical.

Match Powder Tactical Powder
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18745[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]18746[/ATTACH]

[lazyengineer]

Finally got around to the label:


Underline is yardage to 1000 ft-lb impact, blue color is transitioning and subsonic.

20" rifle scope is MIL.


14.5" P&Weld scope IS MOA (When not running thermal)


Strelokbis a cool app