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Anyone running a 120 GD over Varmint? Cant find AA2000-MR in the area, so went with the Varmint.
All opinions would be helpful. I've never loaded Grendel.
What's on hand.
120 Gold Dot
Hornady Brass (may order some Starline unless cautioned against it here)
CCI450 Primers
2.225 OAL is set right now
16 inch Wolf upper. Very accurate with Hornady SST and ELD-M
I' like to get 2500 FPS, but believe that to be very optimistic. 2400 would be great. This is my grocery getter right now.
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@Mel has been working with PPV now for a few weeks, he'd be the one I'd hit up for insight. He's got several threads on PPV with some various projos going on.
Nothing kills the incentive of men faster than a healthy sense of entitlement. Nothing kills entitlement faster than a healthy sense of achievement.
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Hornady brass
Ar-comp 28.2 grains
16 inch AA barrel= 2457 average
Can't say how the varmint would do, I haven't used it with that bullet. In fact I stopped useing it at all.
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A5, add some context to the last sentence. Why? And congrats on 5k lol...
Nothing kills the incentive of men faster than a healthy sense of entitlement. Nothing kills entitlement faster than a healthy sense of achievement.
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Just a heads up with the Speer 120 Gold Dot. Do not try to use as much powder no matter which one with the Gold Dot as you would with other cup and core 120 gr bullets. In my experience with two different rifles you will reach too much pressure with lower powder charges but you can achieve about the same velocity with the lower powder charge. Another something that I discovered is that Speers load data is quite a bit conservative most powders except PPV. I found IMR 8208 to my liking with the 120 Gold Dot. In my 20" BCA barrel average 2550 fps in my 18" Oden Works barrel 2500 fps. Sub MOA accuracy consistently with 5 shot groups at 100 yards. Killed one deer with the 20" at 111 yards and it did AWESOMELY.
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03-08-2020, 12:11 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-08-2020, 12:30 AM by Lemonaid.)
https://www.speer-ammo.com/reloading/rif...6f1eabf439
PPV Max 27.2 for 2475 fps from 24 inch barrel per Speer.
They may have backed down the max charge from earlier postings. If so, they must of had a safety reason for it.
Sierra's site goes up to 29.6 for 2600 fps on their 120's
https://sierrabulletsblog.com/2017/11/16...load-data/
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I too tried ppv with 120gr bullets. Just couldn't get any consistency. Like 8208 and Ar-comp much better. Quit using the ppv.
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No idea who @Mel is, so not a lot of help there and the search seems a bit suspect around here.
It seems I picked the wrong powder. Well the only powder in 75+ miles of me. One little shop with a limited supply. They may sell the IMR, but it is the slowest thing on the chart, and with limited barrel length, I was trying to speed things up a bit.
Oh well, we'll see how things go. It is this or road trip every time I want powder. Hopefully it will work out. Every other load has so far without a lot of fooling with components.
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03-08-2020, 11:02 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-08-2020, 11:15 AM by Harpoon1.)
Lostintexas Wrote:No idea who @Mel is, so not a lot of help there and the search seems a bit suspect around here.
It seems I picked the wrong powder. Well the only powder in 75+ miles of me. One little shop with a limited supply. They may sell the IMR, but it is the slowest thing on the chart, and with limited barrel length, I was trying to speed things up a bit.
Oh well, we'll see how things go. It is this or road trip every time I want powder. Hopefully it will work out. Every other load has so far without a lot of fooling with components.
Well, Speer has load data online for the Grendel with Power Pro Varmint and the 120 Gold Dot. Seems like a reasonable place to start.
I never got anywhere near the speed out of PP2000 MR that Speer did with the Gold Dots. Im still looking........
By the time you figure the gas burned and time spent driving 75+ each way, Id personally just eat the HazMat and Shipping and purchase what you want online! And then buy as much as possible to dollar cost average the expense.
Now youve found @Mel
http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...0g-and-ppv
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03-08-2020, 03:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-08-2020, 03:50 PM by VASCAR2.)
The thread Kswhitetails was refering to was by forum member mel and the thread where he used Power Pro Varmint powder.
http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...0g-and-ppv
Speer has online load data for Power Pro Varmint and a 120 grain gold dot bullet. Sierra also has posted reloading data using PPV and 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter.
Here is a link to the Speer loading data for the 120 grain Gold Dot.
https://www.speer-ammo.com/reloading/rif...6f1eabf439
Here is a link to Sierra 6.5 Grendel online loading data.
https://sierrabulletsblog.com/2017/11/16...load-data/
I didnt see previous links to online data. I usually get around 2400-2425 FPS out of most of my reloads with 120-123 grain bullets out of my 16 inch 6.5 Grendel. Ive never tried Power Pro Varmint but Sierra data list it as one of the powders to produce fastest speeds in 6.5 Grendel. The PPV does seem more sensitive to temperature change than IMR8208XBR, H4895 or AR-Comp.
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VASCAR2 Wrote:The thread Kswhitetails was refering to was by forum member mel and the thread where he used Power Pro Varmint powder.
http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...0g-and-ppv
Speer has online load data for Power Pro Varmint and a 120 grain gold dot bullet. Sierra also has posted reloading data using PPV and 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter.
Here is a link to the Speer loading data for the 120 grain Gold Dot.
https://www.speer-ammo.com/reloading/rif...6f1eabf439
Here is a link to Sierra 6.5 Grendel online loading data.
https://sierrabulletsblog.com/2017/11/16...load-data/
I didnt see previous links to online data. I usually get around 2400-2425 FPS out of most of my reloads with 120-123 grain bullets out of my 16 inch 6.5 Grendel. Ive never tried Power Pro Varmint but Sierra data list it as one of the powders to produce fastest speeds in 6.5 Grendel. The PPV does seem more sensitive to temperature change than IMR8208XBR, H4895 or AR-Comp.
Thanks, I have the Speer data, and that is what I meant by the chart speeds. I didn't realize PPV was temperature sensitive , or overly so. No matter, I got what I could.
If it doesn't work out, I'll be road tripping for some 2000 MR. I might be anyway if I happen to be somewhere close to pick some up.
You said what you get, but not how you get there. If I end up needing to rethink the powder, I would like to have some real world use.
Cheers
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03-08-2020, 10:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-08-2020, 11:36 PM by Harpoon1.)
Lostintexas Wrote:Thanks, I have the Speer data, and that is what I meant by the chart speeds. I didn't realize PPV was temperature sensitive , or overly so. No matter, I got what I could.
If it doesn't work out, I'll be road tripping for some 2000 MR. I might be anyway if I happen to be somewhere close to pick some up.
You said what you get, but not how you get there. If I end up needing to rethink the powder, I would like to have some real world use.
Cheers
Couple of things. 
PP 2000-MR is even MORE temperature sensitive than PP-Varmint. At least the chart I have seen shows that.
And..........I never got anywhere near what Speer did with PP2000- MR, not even close. Of course that doesnt ensure you wouldnt either. Since you already have some Varmint, might as well load some up and see what happens. Who knows?
If its a hunting load, which is what the Gold Dot is normally use for, accuracy reigns supreme. A few FPS less at normal hunting ranges is not gonna make a huge difference. I would choose the least temperature sensitive powder in the middle of the Speer data with the highest case fill and start there. IMO.
What good is it to build a super fast load, and then sweat accuracy or worse with temperature swings?
And if you really want, just have to have more speed, consider using the Speer 90 TNT. Double Naugth Spy who posts here regularly, has killed over 1000 hogs, hundreds of those with the 90 TNT. I believe he uses an 18 gas gun. I personally wouldnt hesitate to shoot a deer with it either, just saying. YMMV. 
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gold dots are on my list of to try bullets soon with ppv , ive got a ton of deer and antelope tags to fill this year and im either going to be using the 120g gd or the 123g sst on them . ive been so busy on the farm with work i havent been able to do much latley , hopefully in the next week or so i can get back to playing with various bullets again
only reason i hesitate to use the 90g tnts on the antelope is in the wide open out here ur lucky to get within 400 yards for a shot that 90g im thinking is going to be a lil light at that range for them
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mel Wrote:gold dots are on my list of to try bullets soon with ppv , ive got a ton of deer and antelope tags to fill this year and im either going to be using the 120g gd or the 123g sst on them . ive been so busy on the farm with work i havent been able to do much latley , hopefully in the next week or so i can get back to playing with various bullets again
only reason i hesitate to use the 90g tnts on the antelope is in the wide open out here ur lucky to get within 400 yards for a shot that 90g im thinking is going to be a lil light at that range for them
Mel
Have you tried Varget or H4895 with the Gold Dots? Varget is typically too slow for a lot of people but Ive heard with the Gold Dots unique construction, they tend to be faster than typical cup and core bullets with similar charges.
I plan on testing that theory soon. 
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Harpoon1 Wrote:Mel
Have you tried Varget or H4895 with the Gold Dots? Varget is typically too slow for a lot of people but Ive heard with the Gold Dots unique construction, they tend to be faster than typical cup and core bullets with similar charges.
I plan on testing that theory soon.
i tried out some 4895 with 123g eld-m and 123g monster match bullets my gun didnt like that powder havent tried it with anything else since
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mel Wrote:i tried out some 4895 with 123g eld-m and 123g monster match bullets my gun didnt like that powder havent tried it with anything else since
Roger that!
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I just picked up 100ea of the 120gr Gold Dots, but will begin testing with AR Comp around the 27.2-27.4 range, which has been outstanding with 123 Sierras in 2 Saterns (20/24"), a Wilson Combat 20" and an 18" JP. Still working on a 20" Bartlein and an AR319 Lilja. What is different in the Gold Dot construction, cup and core bullets and monolithics like Barnes that loads should be kept in check to monitor pressure, other than what good loading practice dictates?
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Bobke be careful with the Gold Dot and don't just substitute it for a bullet of the same weight range with the same powder charge even if it is a cup and core type. You will run into pressure quicker with the Gold Dot. You can get about the same velocity as the other cup and core bullets with less powder using the Gold Dot. Back off your powder charge 10% and work back up slowly. I have had great success with velocity and accuracy and the Gold Dot is a KILLER.
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1Shot Wrote:Bobke be careful with the Gold Dot and don't just substitute it for a bullet of the same weight range with the same powder charge even if it is a cup and core type. You will run into pressure quicker with the Gold Dot. You can get about the same velocity as the other cup and core bullets with less powder using the Gold Dot. Back off your powder charge 10% and work back up slowly. I have had great success with velocity and accuracy and the Gold Dot is a KILLER.
Specifically, what kind of pressure signs have you run into with the Gold Dots? Ive been fooling around with them here recently, and have been getting some remarkable speeds compared to and with powders not listed in the Speer data.
Along wiith no obvious pressure signs on the brass or alarming, unusual speed deviations on the chronograph.
So far, so good for me. Just curious.
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You have to know your rifle but in both of mine this is how I figure I am above safe pressures. First off I use a chronograph. If I am getting lets say 50 to 75 fps over what would be considered max velocity with that weight bullet no matter the make of it out of the same length barrel I know I am either at or about max. Then if I am getting ejector swipes I know I am above pressure and then back off. I have polished the edge of my ejector holes to remove any sharp edge or burr that could cause a premature swipe. It also depends on your cases also. Factory Hornady 123 SST ammo I fired or using new Hornady cases I have discovered I think has a soft case head and you can get slight ejector swipes on the first firing with safe loads. But after that first firing it seems that the case head hardens up enough so swipes do not appear is one thought. Another thought is the new cases have slightly less capacity and cause higher pressure than the same load in a previously fired and sized case. Ain't hand loading fun trying to figure stuff out. LOL
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