Optimal Hunting bullet for 18in Grendels.

[XcountryRider]

By the way, that "friends gun" was a standard 24" Satern heavy barrel with 1:8.75 twist.

XCR's gun does appear to get higher velocities. But his loads are too hot, and he has posted pics of the cases that show significant extractor marks and flattened primers. He has been urged to back off on those loads and work up again with close attention to pressure signs on his brass.

I agree with JASmith and others who have posted the view that gaining 50 - 100 fps to extend hunting reach is not worth the risk of broken bolt lugs or much worse. There is a nice write up on hunting reach of the Grendel in the Reloading Handbook and on JASmith's nice paper on "Ideal Bullet Weight". Pushing the biggest bullet as fast as possible is not necessary to hunt with the Grendel.

I'm thinking that 29gr range of AA 2520 will be in the right range with plenty of velocity and much safer. I'm thinking that will probably give me around 2700ish for the 24in and 2580ish for the 18in. We'll see. If i get that i'll be really excited!! Where did the loads come from on the site reloading data? It says high load of 30.4gr of accurate 2520 for the 120gr TSX. I'm at 30.2gr and already at 2820fps. Also the 120tsx at 2820fps does not have extractor marks. Thats the 28.5gr of 2520 with the Nosler 140gr. 30.2gr of 2520 with the 120tsx does not have any extractor marks at all but does show primer cratering.