Surprising ES/SD with Leverevolution

[Dt219]

Is lever ok to use with 90-100gr bullets ? I know people have been using it in 6arc claiming great results. Surely somebody on here has tried it Chime in please

[Nimrod]

My SD with my pet load is 7 FPS. Lever is a great powder for the Grendel, my go to. One word of caution, the 32.5 max from the “manual” is a load I believe your referring to from the Grendel manual. Most of those loads are done by fellas like me in their garage, the aren’t tested for pressure. I’m even in that manual, that means it’s not a manual pardner. Be careful.

[Harpoon1]

My SD with my pet load is 7 FPS. Lever is a great powder for the Grendel, my go to. One word of caution, the 32.5 max from the “manual” is a load I believe your referring to from the Grendel manual. Most of those loads are done by fellas like me in their garage, the aren’t tested for pressure. I’m even in that manual, that means it’s not a manual pardner. Be careful.

Glad you brought that up. I was looking at some other data yesterday, trying to remember we’re I got that from. Went back and edited that portion of the data to be more precise.

At the time I wasn’t worried so much because I was using a bolt gun and figured the data was from an AR.

Anyway, good catch and thanks for the heads up.

[jasper2408]

Have had a keg of Lever laying around for a couple of years now and finally got around to trying some. Wow. Can’t believe the ES/SD numbers I’m seeing with it, especially being a spherical powder. Maybe Im late to the party and shouldn’t be surprised.

Anyway...........

Howa HB 20”
Lever/Hornady Brass/ CCI 400
123 ELD-M
2.366 COL
1.770 BTO
-.020 Jump

50F/ sea level

Labradar

3 shot groups/.4 increments

30.1 2433/25/14

30.5. 2477/62/31

30.9. 2500/6/3

31.3. 2533/10/7 (only 2 shots recorded)

31.7. 2562/4/2.6

32.1. 2603/16/8

32.5 2618/3/1.8 (max per “Grendel Reloading Handbook” Vol. 2 and NOT pressure tested!)

Shot 4 more single rounds @ .2 increments looking for pressure

32.7 2634

32.9 2630

33.1 2645

33.3 2658

No signs of pressure noted and all 4 of the last single shots went into a 1 MOA group!


Are those normal numbers for Leverevolution?

Ok so what is a realistic min/max charge for LVR. I am going to load for a bolt gun (Howa). If I were to follow Harpoon1s data then I would say that 30-32.5gr is a safe range to use for LVR?

I am going to be loading the 123gr Hornady HPBT in Lapua cases w/Rem 7 1/2 primers.

[Harpoon1]

Ok so what is a realistic min/max charge for LVR. I am going to load for a bolt gun (Howa). If I were to follow Harpoon1s data then I would say that 30-32.5gr is a safe range to use for LVR?

I am going to be loading the 123gr Hornady HPBT in Lapua cases w/Rem 7 1/2 primers.

I would also add, the “max load” in the “Grendel Reloading Handbook” had a reported COAL of 2.275”

The data I generated was with a COAL or 2.366”

I have already loaded up 3 rounds each at 32.8 and 33.1, weather permitting, I intend to light them off tomorrow. Since there was no pressure signs with the last four shots and their POI was virtually identical to the 3 shot 32.5 group, I have high hopes of finding something usable around there.

[jasper2408]

I would also add, the “max load” in the “Grendel Reloading Handbook” had a reported COAL of 2.275”

The data I generated was with a COAL or 2.366”

I have already loaded up 3 rounds each at 32.8 and 33.1, weather permitting, I intend to light them off tomorrow. Since there was no pressure signs with the last four shots and their POI was virtually identical to the 3 shot 32.5 group, I have high hopes of finding something usable around there.

That area looks like a good place to try. I did notice your COL was longer than book COL. My powder order hasn't even shipped yet so it will be a while before I can do any testing.

[6.5 Grendel]

I have been testing and using this powder in the 6.5 G for some time now. Think I was the second person to try it besides Nimrod he was testing it before me.It has always given me low ES/SD numbers. Velocity is very much in line my load of 31.8grs with a 120gr BTHP is running just a hair over 2600fps in a 20" BHW barrel AR. 123gr SSTs 2570fps with 32grs.

[SDguy]

Anyone come across any pressure data with LVR in a Bolt action Grendel yet? 129 grain projectiles interest me most here, specifically the Hornady 129 gr SP flat base.

[Harpoon1]

Anyone come across any pressure data with LVR in a Bolt action Grendel yet? 129 grain projectiles interest me most here, specifically the Hornady 129 gr SP flat base.

I’ve never come across any manufacturers Grendel “bolt gun” data. I’ve changed my approach since posting this OP data several years ago. I don’t push it like I used to! The Hornady guys have convinced me there is really no reliable way to measure pressure without the proper equipment. Several times in the developmental stage working up loads/data for the 6 ARC, they thought everything was fine out in the field. I.e. no visible signs of pressure, only to find out back in the lab they were substantially over 62,000 PSI. So, I just use the max “gas gun” data now in the bolt guns, maybe go up 1% more. If I need/want more performance, I’ll just use the Creedmoor now. It’s just as lightweight as the Mini Howa’s anyway.

The Hornady book shows 2300 fps/ 18” barrel with 31.7 of CFE223 as max with their 129 projectiles. CFE and LVR are pretty close in burn rate and I’ve never had any issues substituting one for the other in the Grendel.

[cagray07]

Has anybody used leverevolution for 100-110 gr monolithic bullets?

[stonehog]

I did a few ladders with LVR and went from 30.5 to 31.5 and was getting up to 2560fps with Sierra Pro Hunter 120s, slightly less with 120 Speer Gold Dots, and just over 2500 with the 130 Sierra TGKs. No real pressure signals on the brass/primers. Another high velocity powder I'm having good luck with is the Shooters World Match Rifle. I laddered up to 31.4 with 18" velocities over 2600 in 120gr bullets. Sweet spot was 30.4-31grs.