6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads

[PKT1106]

I'm just starting to get into reloading and a little confused how you choose what powder. It seems there are a few preferred flavors out there but how do you pick? Thanks!

Consensus seems to be that CFE223, IMR 8208XBR and ARComp are popular. I saw them get called out the most when I was looking for powder. I got a pound of CFE223 locally and recently picked up a pound of 8208XBR to have. I would say if you can get one of those three to start with, depending on what bullets you want to shoot, you should be OK.

[JASmith]

I'm just starting to get into reloading and a little confused how you choose what powder. It seems there are a few preferred flavors out there but how do you pick? Thanks!

First, choose your bullet.

Then go to the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbook or Ammoguide.com and see what loads and powders are available for that bullet.

Powders with significant koad data across the board include TAC, IMR 8208, and CFE 223.

I personally like CFE 223 because it gives decent accuracy for a lot of different bullets, gets good velocities for bullets in the 100-130 gr range, and fills the case nicely for these bullet weights.

CFE will also get your toe in the water with compressed loads. There is a wide variety of opinions on compressed loads.

[dangerzone2]

awesome, thanks guys.

[Chrazy-Chris]

I keep seeing people recommend AR Comp for the 123gr, but I can't find any load data for it. Would someone mind telling me what the max is?

Thanks!

[1911man]

I keep seeing people recommend AR Comp for the 123gr, but I can't find any load data for it. Would someone mind telling me what the max is?

Thanks!

I am not sure what the max is but I have been as high as 28.5 grains with the 123 AMAX without significant pressure signs. My black hole barrels favorite load is 28.3 grains with the 123 AMAX and now 123 ELD. I would start at 27.0 grains and work your way up to be safe.

Edit. Its also important to note you will start to compress the powder around 27.7 grains. So you will hear a crunch as you load the bullet.

[ripcord]

Hey all....FNG here. Just bought two 6.5's...a 24" AR upper and a Howa heavy barrel. I have worked up a trial load of 30.3 grains of BLC(2), 123 grain Hornady AMAX and CCI #41 primer. Loaded to 2.245". Haven't been able to fire these yet as it is raining these days in God's Country here in Central FL and ruining my range time. This load was given to me by a fellow club member that heard I was "Grendelizing"...hope it works as well for me as it does for him. Any thoughts or comments on this load? Especially the BLC(2) powder? (I have a lot of it)

[CrisAnderson27]

Subscribing to the thread. Just beginning to reload altogether, and I'm ordering the Grendel Reloading Handbooks today. I'll be following along here closely, for sure.

[cb4017]

So far I've tried loads with CFE223, AR-Comp and 8028. Mostly with 123gr AMAX. It's hard to find something this gun does not like. Virtually everything will shoot at an inch or less at 100 yards if I do my job.

I'm REALLY liking this caliber. Seriously considering selling off my 6x45 and .308 stuff.

[Rickc]

anybody tried the 123 Matchkings for an accuracy load?

going to try them next weekend with 8208 and CFE

[Falfreak]

Lots of good info. I have only tried ARComp with a 123SST at 2.25" OAL in AA/Lapus brass and I was getting compressed loads (a lot of crunching when seating the bullet) and pressure signs at 26.5 grains. The powder seems too bulky, not dense enough. Any ideas?

[LRRPF52]

anybody tried the 123 Matchkings for an accuracy load?

going to try them next weekend with 8208 and CFE

I've shot a bit of PF factory 123gr SMK and they are extremely accurate. I think they use 8208XBR with that load, but I'm not sure. They are somewhere around 28.0gr IIRC. Lapua brass. CCI 450s I think.

I lost count of them going through the same hole from a 20" Bartlein barrel.

[Arrieta578]

Hey all....FNG here. Just bought two 6.5's...a 24" AR upper and a Howa heavy barrel. I have worked up a trial load of 30.3 grains of BLC(2), 123 grain Hornady AMAX and CCI #41 primer. Loaded to 2.245". Haven't been able to fire these yet as it is raining these days in God's Country here in Central FL and ruining my range time. This load was given to me by a fellow club member that heard I was "Grendelizing"...hope it works as well for me as it does for him. Any thoughts or comments on this load? Especially the BLC(2) powder? (I have a lot of it)

From one FNG to another, would love an update!

[GeauxTide]

In my AA Overwatch, cut to 20", I loaded the following in Hornady cases: 30gr of CFE223, WSR primer, 123SST. 3 shots, .30". 10 shots in one inch. Will bring chrony on next trip, but should post great numbers with that grouping.

[Clausewitz]

Finally got a chronograph and took it out yesterday.
Temp: 57
Wind: Swirling
Humidty: 39%
Elevation: 600ft

I did a full 50rd load workup (5 rounds each per charge) : Hodgdon lists 25.5-28.5 for 8208XBR but i always skip the first charge and go a little over max checking for pressure signs along the way. Standard disclaimer, don't do what some random guy on the internet does! So 26.1 - 28.8, and I found 2 accuracy nodes

Powder: 8208 xbr 27.6
Primer: rem 6 1/2
Brass: lapua (1 fire formed, the rest new same lot)
Bullet: 123gr Nosler CC
COAL: Mag length
Barrel length: 20in
make: Shilen SS
FPS AVG: 2462

Powder: 8208 xbr 28.5
Primer: rem 6 1/2
Brass: lapua (1 fire formed, the rest new same lot)
Bullet: 123gr Nosler CC
COAL: Mag length
Barrel length: 20in
make: Shilen SS
FPS AVG: 2591
(For those of you not doing the math at home, that's 1200 FPS at 1k yards)

[37L1]

Probably shouldn't be using Rem 6 1/2 primers in an AR.

Warning:
Remington does not recommend this primer for use in the 17 Remington, 222 Remington, 223 Remington, 204 Ruger, 17 Remington Fireball. Use the 7-1/2 Small Rifle Bench Rest primer in these cartridges.

This 6-1/2 Small Rifle primer is primarily designed for use in the 22 Hornet.

[Clausewitz]

Probably shouldn't be using Rem 6 1/2 primers in an AR.

Warning:
Remington does not recommend this primer for use in the 17 Remington, 222 Remington, 223 Remington, 204 Ruger, 17 Remington Fireball. Use the 7-1/2 Small Rifle Bench Rest primer in these cartridges.

This 6-1/2 Small Rifle primer is primarily designed for use in the 22 Hornet.

Heard the same thing about Winchester Primers. Never had any problems with them either.

[37L1]

https://www.shootersforum.com/handloadin...imers.html

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/364519...7_1_2.html

That Remington warning is written on your primer box, BTW. But it's your rifle. . .

[Clausewitz]

https://www.shootersforum.com/handloadin...imers.html

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/364519...7_1_2.html

That Remington warning is written on your primer box, BTW. But it's your rifle. . .

Why'd you have to go and provide evidence :mad:

Sigh....off to the reloading store.

Good looking out though, I appreciate the heads up. I was under the impression that pierced primers and slam fires were the only possible issues and it was a simple firing pin replacement.

[Cali-Coon-ass]

I am a member of so many: Marshall Amplifier forum, Shovelhead Forum, Scar 17 Forum... and you all. This one is a totally awesome community. I have learned so much here and spend WAY to much time reading EVERYTHING. Remembering that I live in California, and now we are relegated to registering everything including Swiss army knives as assault weapons, and having those with more than 10 tools declared as high capacity army knives and therefore a nuisance to society... :p Be that as it may, I have taken all your load data to heart and done quite well with Hornady brass and Amax bullets. My best load is with CME powder at a consistent 1/4" groups at 100 yards. I bought an AA 24" Overwatch upper when they were on sale at Midway, (and actually in stock, so that is a double bonus), and then eventually built up an AA lower with a Geiselle totally adjustable match trigger. DANGEROUS for the uninitiated. The first time you touch that thing it goes off! Love that. No flinchy I call it. Then bolted on a Vortex Viper 4x16x50. I can finally reach out and touch something! Makes for a pretty heavy tool to field while hunting though. My Scar weighs a LOT less!

So we have recently been bestowed with yet another issue out here on the left coast, non-lead bullets for hunting. I began reviewing the different offerings and came up with some great vids about the lead in the meat, and that was all I needed, laws be damned. Turns out what's good for the California Condor and other carrion consumers, is good for the hunter as well! Not to mention the absolute devastating performance of copper bullets... IF you get them to push out to the recommended velocity. There is a great thread about this on here, thank you very much Rick O'Shay: http://www.65grendel.com/forum/archive/i...13324.html and great references to the bullet manufacturers that I had never heard of... http://www.gscustomusa.com/264086HV234.html Definitely going to try these, as these guys have a VERY scientific approach to design and I love that. Besides, research is just plain fun!

Meanwhile, I got one of those little sample packets with various bullets in them for my Scar in .308 and tested them all including Barnes TTX and the Nosler E-Tip. I worked up a load for E-Tip and actually took a Russian Boar for the first boar hunt of my life with an E-tip at 150 yards on the run. I didn't lead it enough and blew both hams into sausage basically. At least there was no worry of eating lead in that sausage. The TTX bullets MUST be pushed so fast that they are not really an effective bullet as per the discussion by Mr. O'Shay for 6.5, as the effective range is nil. (Also a very informative and scientific approach to the kind of info I NEED. So, finding the E-Tips in 6.5 has been challenging, having waited for 18 months for them to be made, and then getting the email that Midway finally got them, and then they were already GONE!!! I did manage to buy out another supplier and yet a third, so I have 9 boxes, since it will require firing a few to work out a load, right??? I did discover the Precision Arms AA labeled offering of this bullet in Lapua brass, with "proprietary components" as in secret recipe, and I don't like paying a bunch of money for something that may or may not shoot well, and as we all know here, you can dial in a perfect load for YOUR gun, so....

I began yesterday with the Lapua brass that many of you have so diligently recommended for number of reloads, etc. so I just knuckled down and sprung for it. I tried IMR 8208 XBR and got favorable pressure signs with the maximum load and CCI 450 and Federal 205 primers, however, lousy grouping. Bummer. Like REALLY lousy. 3"! I then realized today that I used the maximum COL, and not the tested COL. Silly me! Not sure how I missed THAT... As per the procedure on the GS Custom website, I will now adjust COL for accuracy, NOT the powder charge, and then the powder charge as well to fine tune. I will post the results here.

As many of you already know, this cartridge can really be the all-around round due to the performance in a Modern Sport Rifle, which is the California friendly name for an AR, etc... (I'm moving to Nevada!) So, finding the perfect hunting load that doesn't poison the meat, and able to reach out to stupid yardage, and potentially get sniper grade accuracy serves many applications, including devastating terminal performance on would be poachers that come with mal intent. (The ever present ubiquitous Zombie Meth Monkey armed with stolen a weapon, and yes, we have those here in Cali, and my GF has run them off with her .357 Python. Seems they actually shy away from lead whizzing inches overhead... One well placed round stops the Zombie from firing randomly in our direction and causes them to flee...) We also have bears here, but being wild trash bears, we have been lucky so far to be able to scare them off with only a glance, or at worst, a warning shot, and not leaving trash around, EVER.... Be that as it may, and though not recommended, if you had to shoot a charging bear with a copper 6.5, you might likely have a chance, and any of those are scenarios that we regularly face here in the wild wild west.

[AR-180]

Odin 20" barrel here.

MOA or better with the Nosler 123 CC using 31.2 of CFE223, 28.0 XBR, and 28.5 XBR.

All three of these loads are listed by other posters here. We're starting to find some consistency.