6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads

[tucansam]

CFE, XBR, and ARComp are on my list. This will be the first time I am loading for the Grendel. 20" 1:8 PF and a 12" Faxon.

I've shot 123gr Hornady's out of the PF and they don't do well. 2MOA @ 100y. Some of it was definitely me, but not all.

Using some filters on Midway's site, there are 77 6.5mm bullets to choose from.... Obviously I am looking at 130gr and below, so that number will reduce somewhat.

Goal is long-range precision.

To avoid a huge order that then takes me a year to test many different bullets and loads, what are the top four or five "go-to" bullets I should be trying?

Thanks.

[StoneHendge]

CFE, XBR, and ARComp are on my list. This will be the first time I am loading for the Grendel. 20" 1:8 PF and a 12" Faxon.

I've shot 123gr Hornady's out of the PF and they don't do well. 2MOA @ 100y. Some of it was definitely me, but not all.

Using some filters on Midway's site, there are 77 6.5mm bullets to choose from.... Obviously I am looking at 130gr and below, so that number will reduce somewhat.

Goal is long-range precision.

To avoid a huge order that then takes me a year to test many different bullets and loads, what are the top four or five "go-to" bullets I should be trying?

Thanks.

I don't think most have had too much success with 129/130s. They just sit too deep. I would try the 123 SMKs and 123 Scenars next. Those 2 are where you would find your best combination of velocity/BC. Hopefully you can find something that works with those.

[cb4017]

I'm fairly new to the 6.5 Grendel but I have settled on a starting go-to load of 31.2gr CFE-223 behind a 123gr bullet. I also have XBR and AR-Comp on hand. The 123gr bullet is going to be the Nosler CC since I got a couple thousand of them on sale as over-runs.

I'm a little puzzled by my new PF Criterion barrel. It's a work of art but so far is about a 2 MOA shooter. The rack-grade Odin Works barrel it replaced would shoot almost everything I put through it MOA or better.

[tucansam]

I'm a little puzzled by my new PF Criterion barrel. It's a work of art but so far is about a 2 MOA shooter. The rack-grade Odin Works barrel it replaced would shoot almost everything I put through it MOA or better.

Exact same barrel here. 20" PF Criterion, 1:8. Looks like it was built in a NASA lab, its very pretty. Only took 18 months to arrive. I'll never do business with PF again, ever.

Won't group factory Hornady to save its life. I'm hoping reloads will work better. Very surprised that it doesn't shoot considering the hype around this barrel when I bought it two years ago, and the price I paid for it at the time.

[maxxmojo]

18" 319 Lilja barrel. Finally got my pet load worked out for it:

27.4 grains of AR Comp in Hornady brass, CCI450 primer, 123gr Hornady ELD-M bullet set to 1.663 base-to-ogive (~2.245 COAL).

This shoots extremely well. It's worth noting I started seeing pressure signs at 27.6 grains (velocity dip and primers starting to flatten).

[Cajuntransplant]

Most consistent and repeatable load to date. Start low and work up. Had a good starting point already from using the 123AMAX and 123SST bullets.

ARComp (27.6gr), hornady brass, CCI 450 primers, COAL 2.26", Hornady 123ELD-M bullets
Using 18" satern barrel and silencerco omega suppressor.
Muzzle velocity- shots 1-5 [2521, 2520, 2519, 2528, 2524]
Max [2528] Min [2519] Avg [2522] SD [3.6]
Edge to Edge 3 shot group measured .495"
I knew if I pushed it to five shot I would've opened it up. Always do.

[LRRPF52]

My main go-to load for mass production so far has been 31.2gr of CFE223 under a 123gr AMAX or SST.

2.260" COL
Rem 7 1/2 SRP
Hornady or Lapua brass

Best results have been from my Lilja 318 that I had reamed with a SAAMI reamer from Manson (Bill A. did it himself for me.)

9rd Group 100yds, rapid fire, polished rack-grade trigger with inconsistent break (since replaced with LaRue MBT-2S trigger)





Same load, same rifle, 1000yds, rapid 6rd group:




Here's that load on 600, then 500yd 18" steel, same course when I shot the 1000yd group above (you can see the 900yd gong in the background):

[video=youtube;i_ajiB0kkyc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ajiB0kkyc[/video]

Shooting at any steel that is 12-18" at 600yds or less is actually very boring with this rifle and that load, unless you're doing a 1st-round hit check cold turkey. I've had kids get on the gun who never shot past 25yds in their lives make 1st-round hits with it from 500-600yds on different occasions, different conditions, different locations.

[cb4017]

Exact same barrel here. 20" PF Criterion, 1:8. Looks like it was built in a NASA lab, its very pretty. Only took 18 months to arrive. I'll never do business with PF again, ever.

Won't group factory Hornady to save its life. I'm hoping reloads will work better. Very surprised that it doesn't shoot considering the hype around this barrel when I bought it two years ago, and the price I paid for it at the time.

Did you ever get your barrel sorted? Mine has come in pretty good. 27.6 gr of AR-Comp behind a 123 gr bullet is shooting like a ray gun in it. My LaRue upper seems to like that load too.

[cb4017]

Most consistent and repeatable load to date. Start low and work up. Had a good starting point already from using the 123AMAX and 123SST bullets.

ARComp (27.6gr), hornady brass, CCI 450 primers, COAL 2.26", Hornady 123ELD-M bullets
Using 18" satern barrel and silencerco omega suppressor.
Muzzle velocity- shots 1-5 [2521, 2520, 2519, 2528, 2524]
Max [2528] Min [2519] Avg [2522] SD [3.6]
Edge to Edge 3 shot group measured .495"
I knew if I pushed it to five shot I would've opened it up. Always do.

My 20" PF Criterion and 18" LaRue also seem to like AR-Comp also. I'm using the same charge behind the 123 gr Nosler CC bullet. I haven't had a chance to chrono them yet. Your velocities are a little higher than I would expect.

[Kilco]

16" Odin Works ultralite
123 ELD-M
28.5 8208XBR (Max charge work up in your rig!)
2.255
CCI #450
Hornady Brass
2480 fps

This load started out at 2450 fps, after 1200 rounds through the barrel velocity has bumped up a little.

Consistant. 5-.75 moa from the bench.

Solid 1 moa from sling in various hunting positions

[Herzo]

Done with Perry for this year, managed to only marginally embarrass myself. Finally had time to work on loads for my 22" AR15 Precision barrel.

Hornady once fired brass, 2.260" OAL, 31.7 grains CFE223 behind a 123 grain AMAX gives me 2588 +/- 5 fps and .5 moa from the bench. Need to stretch it out to 300 yards. Will also have to see what I can do with the 107 and 123 grain SMK's since the AMAX is out of print.

[jpistolero02]

I haven't been able to group CFE worth a darn in my LaRue just yet. I will try it out again on Sunday. So far the load of 28.5 XBR has been the best for me with my very limited shooting. Here is a group with the 123 SST. I am getting marks on my brass even with factory ammo, so I don't think it's too hot. What do you guys think? I was shooting suppressed, so the round was super dirty. I also swapped out the stock gas block with an adjustable one tonight. It was over gassed with the suppressor.



Handload on left and factory on right. It's hard to tell in the pic, but they both had similar marks on the brass.

[cb4017]

My Larue makes the same extractor mark on everything I shoot through it. It looks to me like your XBR load may be a little stiff though. Gas leak around the primer? As far as accuracy I'm having promising results with AR-Comp.

[Brosome]

After a lot of disappointment with ELDs and Nosler CCs finally found a good load that shoots sub-moa:
20" Proof Research carbon fiber barrel
Hornady once fired brass
CCI #41 primer
123gr Lapua Scenar loaded to 2.260 COAL (1.721 off Hornady ogive gauge)
27.6gr AR COMP
2485-fps ES:10 SD: 4.5 over 10 shots

5 shot group on the right and 10 shot on the left, fairly sure the flier was me.

[lrgrendel]

Very nice!
Good shooting....

[Cajuntransplant]

Figured I've lurked on here long enough and gotten enough good info to pass along what I've found with my Grendel so far. Put together this Grendel about almost 2 years ago now I suppose and I've put roughly 1500 rounds through it I think. I did break the first bolt head I had on the rifle and I think that was my fault. I was running on high pressures with a supressor and honestly the gun was so dirty I was surprised it was still functioning. I keep her clean and oiled up now and haven't had any more hiccups. I use the ASC mags and they work well for me.

Build Info:
Aero Blem Upper, Anderson Lower, Satern 18" barrel and (now) Maxim Bolt, Superlative arms adjustable gas block, APF NB Bolt Carrier, CMC flat 3.5lb trigger, Silencerco Omega mounted on ASR brake, Magpul MOE Rifle stock (Being replaced with Aero mil spec buffer tube, Magpul MOE SLS stock), JP flat ground buffer spring, standard rifle buffer. Right now she's wearing a Gen1 Razor 5-20 in a ADM 20moa scope mount. I think that's it... Anyways. Load data below.

Tried a handful of different weights and powders and got decent results but nothing earth shattering like I've read the Grendel can do until I hit the 123 gr stuff. Here's the load that's worked the best for me out to 600 yards. It has varied on the low side of an average of 2522 fps to a higher average of 2538 fps throughout the year. All with low SD #'s. From the 18" barrel I'll take it.

27.6 gr AR Comp / Hornady Brass / CCI 450 Primers
Hornady 123ELD-M Bullets / COL 2.26" / Avg 5 shot group size 0.23 MOA
Chrono data from 5 shot groups-
(1) 2521 (2) 2520 (3) 2519 (4) 2528 (5) 2524 (Max) 2528 (Min) 2519 (Avg) 2522 (SD) 3.6

[cb4017]

My 18" LaRue really seems to like AR Comp also. I've been using 27.6 gr behind a 123 gr Nosler CC bullet. 2.255 OAL with a Tula SRM primer. Easily shoots MOA or better. Average velocity is 2491.

[bj139]

Figured I've lurked on here long enough and gotten enough good info to pass along what I've found with my Grendel so far. Put together this Grendel about almost 2 years ago now I suppose and I've put roughly 1500 rounds through it I think. I did break the first bolt head I had on the rifle and I think that was my fault. I was running on high pressures with a supressor and honestly the gun was so dirty I was surprised it was still functioning. I keep her clean and oiled up now and haven't had any more hiccups. I use the ASC mags and they work well for me.

Build Info:
Aero Blem Upper, Anderson Lower, Satern 18" barrel and (now) Maxim Bolt, Superlative arms adjustable gas block, APF NB Bolt Carrier, CMC flat 3.5lb trigger, Silencerco Omega mounted on ASR brake, Magpul MOE Rifle stock (Being replaced with Aero mil spec buffer tube, Magpul MOE SLS stock), JP flat ground buffer spring, standard rifle buffer. Right now she's wearing a Gen1 Razor 5-20 in a ADM 20moa scope mount. I think that's it... Anyways. Load data below.

Tried a handful of different weights and powders and got decent results but nothing earth shattering like I've read the Grendel can do until I hit the 123 gr stuff. Here's the load that's worked the best for me out to 600 yards. It has varied on the low side of an average of 2522 fps to a higher average of 2538 fps throughout the year. All with low SD #'s. From the 18" barrel I'll take it.

27.6 gr AR Comp / Hornady Brass / CCI 450 Primers
Hornady 123ELD-M Bullets / COL 2.26" / Avg 5 shot group size 0.23 MOA
Chrono data from 5 shot groups-
(1) 2521 (2) 2520 (3) 2519 (4) 2528 (5) 2524 (Max) 2528 (Min) 2519 (Avg) 2522 (SD) 3.6

Please post some targets. I would love to see them if your average 5 shot group size is 0.23 MOA.

[Brosome]

My 18" LaRue really seems to like AR Comp also. I've been using 27.6 gr behind a 123 gr Nosler CC bullet. 2.255 OAL with a Tula SRM primer. Easily shoots MOA or better. Average velocity is 2491.

27.6gr of AR comp behind something 123grs really does seem to be the sweet spot. I had similar results with the Nosler CCs but for the life of me I couldn't get them to shoot well. MOA or just over was the best I could get. Good for cheap practice on steel though I guess.

Also: Cajuntransplant, you must be high up there in elevation, 2522 seems pretty quick for an 18" barrel and that much AR Comp. I'll second that I'd love to see some of those .23 5 shot groups though that's some slick shooting.

[Cajuntransplant]

Sure thing! Soon as I get home and dig em out I can post some. I’m in process of moving and lot of my stuff is packed so I’ll have to find something. Most all the targets are averaging at or just under half inch edge to edge for a five shot group. Let me see what I can find when I’m home this weekend.

EDIT- found one on my phone. Group at 600 on steel (perfectly calm day is credit to that group) and other is a shoot n see at 100 couple weeks ago after new gas block installed. [ATTACH=CONFIG]9988[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]9989[/ATTACH]